This may be the biggest victory of the season. I’ve been waiting for this to happen after we got killed by Tennessee last Friday, and it has come true: Larry Reynolds has been fired as Long Beach State Men’s Basketball coach. Everyone who knew the Beach knew this was inevitable; Dr. Vic Cegles and Dr. F. King Alexander just needed to make it official.
Oddly, I has a bad dream today, in which I was with a mob of students for Spring Break, and I was about to ride a roller coaster sponsored by seniors on my high school’s football team. They wanted me to ride it. But I found out before I could ride, that this was a roller coaster to hell, and I asked all the passengers to leave the park as quickly as possible. In other words, we had to flee. The seniors didn’t want us to leave, but most of us were able t, after I stopped the switch from closing the gates completely. They were able to kill a few of the fleeing students, though, and blood was everywhere: on our faces, our clothes, on the sidewalks. Some were carrying their loves ones, already dead, out of the park. Many were wailing.
The Riot Squad came and killed the culprits with machine guns issued by the LAPD before they could kill anyone else leaving the park, or the Riot Squad themselves.
It was surreal, a bad dream, a nightmare. And seeing this news felt like I woke from one of the biggest nightmares I’ve ever seen in my life.
The biggest victory of the season: Reynolds is out!
St. Patrick, meet Lady Milfeulle Sakuraba-Meyers.
St. Patrick’s Day, for the most part, was a bit of a huge pill to swallow. It started ominously-our university’s rugby team lost-again-this time to UC Santa Barbara by the sound of 46-7. Also, our baseball team saw their last seven batters go through a futility spell in an 8-7 loss to Wichita State, forcing a rubber match on Sunday.
So, as I ate lunch at the Carl’s Jr. on PCH and Ximeno to get energy for the volleyball match against Penn State, I thought; could this weekend become any worse for me?
The answer: Yes, but with a reprieve, and a big one at that. While Cal Baptist could not replicate its sweep of Penn State the other night against IPFW (who we defeated in a 3-2 barnburner), our volleyball team took on a Nittany Lions side that was angry that they got humiliated by an NAIA team (albeit the best in the NAIA), and I knew that this was going to go the distance-again.
Thank god for Dan Alexander of Arcadia. The redshirt freshman, along with diaper dandies Tommy “Cretino” Pestolesi and Dean “Dino” Bittner of Lakewood, pounded the lazy lobs from Penn State with authority, as if he were slam-dunking his opponents into submission.
Unlike our basketball team against Tennessee on Friday, our volleyball team actually showed some defense to go with the offensive kills, aces, and blocks off the touch. We went the distance, and won the fifth game 15-13. All the while, visions of King Leonidas of Sparta at the Battle of Thermopylae were on my mind.
As I went over to take a look-see at the Jack Rose Relays at the track of the same name, a few reporters from Cerritos College stopped me for a quick interview for their project. It had to do with race relations. I said that it was a good thing we have diversity on campus because it raises our profile for tolerating people of different persuasions. They asked me a question about the beating, and I said, “This was a backwards step for our university. I feel that justice was not served, and it was a huge step backward. But, in life, as a society, we have to learn to move backwards in order to move forwards. Everybody on campus has talked about this situation, and there will come a time when both sides reconcile about this situation, and put it behind them for good. Going backwards to go forwards: this is, I think one of the interesting, if not one of the best things about life.”
My alma mater, Lakewood High School in Lakewood, CA, is known for having a consistent baseball team. They are one of the best in the state, if not the nation. In their recent game on St. Patty’s Day, they defeated their opponent 16-1. In an outcome like this, the mercy rule came into effect. Oddly enough, I don’t know who they faced, but it didn’t seem like one of the strongest teams in the league. Either that or it was one of the pansies in the Moore League.
They are currently 9-1, ranked first in the Southern Section Division I. And they are the defending champions, having edged the Agoura Chargers in a nailbiter at Angel Stadium many moons ago. If we win the title again, I would issue a challenge to the winner of this year’s summer Koshien to face them in a friendly series down the road. While the timing may be a bit off, in a perfect world, this would be possible, and it would be Japan’s best team against one of California’s best teams.
I don’t know how we would do against them, but I think we would put them in their place. The laurels of victory will shine on Lakewood if they get the job done like they did last year. I’m going to make it a habit to come to at least one of their games later in April.
Speaking of which, I remember when I first went to the state championships in Anaheim last year. I’m talking five baseball games, all championship games…for the ridiculous bargain of $8.00. I was able to sit at the very front, behind home plate, watching teams like Quartz Hill, Palos Verdes, St. Francis, and my Lancers, among the participants, fight to the end. I remember when they were giving the trophy to St. Francis, and I saw on of the Franciscan monks watch the event, I said “Get Friar Tuck off the stage!” A St. Francis fan said, “Patience Lakewood. You’ll get yours.”
Well, I just had to laugh.
And wouldn’t you know it: in the last sign of proof that I went through St. Patrick’s Day, I picked up a dollar bill off the sidewalk. Not sure who would drop this, but I think this is going to make printing my codes for my Oracle and Visual Basic assignments easier.
I finally found who the Lancers beat the next day. Woodland Hills Taft. One of their aces, Omar Jimenez, struck out eight batters in the Redondo Tournament.
The Times They Are A Changin'...
As I passed by a few Utah Valley State distance runners warm up for the world-famous Jack Rose Relays tomorrow, with a background of field athletes going through run-throughs, I knew that Larry Reynolds’ time at Long Beach State was up. It wasn’t because they lost to Tennessee in a 121-86 blowout. It was because of the first three seasons that proved to be his undoing.
Those who have been exposed to how things work in college or professional sports, especially business majors like me, know that a coach is signed to a contract, and the coach, after the contract is completed, is judged by the performance during the the seasons on his contract. If they are very good, i.e. titles (regular season and conference tournament), great wins (i.e. 4 or 5 at the minimum over top 50 RPI), and progress in the Big Dance was satisfactory (at least winning the first round), then you will be offered a contract extension. If you have the last season be your best season (more wins than the other five), as well as win the conference, but get destroyed by 35 in your first appearance in over a decade, WITH senior leadership, and have the first three seasons be losing seasons (10 wins or less), you’re not going to be kept. Add also the looming cloud of the NCAA who will investigate two students who will be graduating from the university this Spring over transcript snafus, and the season could be a bust. Meaning, all the effort I put into the last two seasons may have been in vain.
For some people, it’s a cruel decision. But for many who have followed a team-heck, alumni and boosters who exert just as strong, maybe even stronger, influence over a university’s basketball program than the students, this would be the right decision.
And while this is going to be at the expense of Reynolds, an up-and-coming coach can see this record and capitalize on the success, and make it better.
All that has to happen is for Dr. F. King Alexander and Dr. Vic Cegles to make it official on Monday.
Volleyball captain Teddy Liles asked to give me an update on the game between Arizona and Purdue in the first round. 45-34 Purdue in the second half during first media timeout.
Liles is from Tucson. The Boilermakers would hold on.
This day is not without some good things happening. Our baseball team defeated Wichita State 2-1, winning in the ninth inning, while our men’s volleyball team held off a comeback by IPFW to win 3-2. But perhaps the biggest surprise outside of Winthrop actually winning a game in the Big Dance or Duke getting kicked out by Virginia Commonwealth was that Cal Baptist, an NAIA team, swept the #6-ranked Nittany Lions of Penn State in volleyball. While the Lancers (who we earlier defeated), are the best team in the NAIA, the stigma of being an NAIA team should have made this a cakewalk for Penn State. I didn’t count on it to be the other way around.
They’re going to be hell bent for leather when they take on us on Saturday.
Twilight Zone time for Tennessee
Tennessee was in ther Twilight Zone, playing perhaps their best basketball even this season. High-flying offense with opportunistic defense resulting in one of those old-school 70's and 80's style overs, a 121-86 win over Long Beach State.
Wonder if this makes the decision for Vic Cegles to be a bit easier, or harder. I don't what's going through his mind. I don't even want to know.
The truth about Long Beach Guesthouse...
Well, as the men's basketball team play with nothing to lose down in Ohio, and the Dirtbags go on an expedition to shock Wichita State in awe, the men's volleyball team is hosting the Active Ankle Classic. Interestingly, the secondary sponsor is Long Beach Guesthouse. On the site, they look spic and span.
When I looked at the reviews for the hotel, most reviews were very negative, some were even graphic in their presentation. Could have used a better choice of wording, but the surrealism may add to the fact that it probably wasn't the best choice to be secondary sponsor to the Active Ankle.
Might as well just called it the Active Ankle/Hotel California Invitational instead. Colitas over a played Felder and Walsh riff anyone?
Going to the candidates' debate...part 3
Rounds 1-5: Oh god. I can’t believe the responses. Boring, empty rhetoric. Predictable clichés. Monotonous tones. Quite a change from the presidential debates, which had some semblance of flavorful dialogue. The treasurer debates feature Virindiana Sanchez, Shelena McClinton, and another candidate by the name of Swann, whose first name I cannot find from the Daily 49er. You fail me again, you rats.
Round 6: Hironao Okahana, current VP, is grinning across the room from me like the smug bastard he is. Bloody oath. Okahana is finishing his limited term, as is outgoing treasurer Zaira Tinoco, a childhood friend of mine who, like me, isn’t looking for love yet (but would love the seize the opportunity when the time is right!). And the predictable rhetoric from the three candidates continues. I’m starting to get disinterested in this debate, because it is B-O-R-I-N-G. This looks like an interview more than a debate. Simon Cowell, you are a fool. Even though I did agree with a few of your statements, especially with Jordan, speaking in that clichéd British accent, praising her efforts, you are still a fool.
Predicted winner: Toss-up, but I’m leaning toward McClinton. Enough said.
Going to the candidates' debate...part 2
Next up is the presidential candidates, and this one should be a doozy. Mark Andrews, incumbent Shefali Mistry and Joel Barber. The other candidate was feeling ill from the step show. This should have plenty of fireworks.
Round 1: Mistry starts this one. Her savvy that got her as the incumbent in the first place sets the pace. Natural, and effortless. Andrews follows through, keeping the pace, and turning it up. Interesting fact: Andrews is in a similar position I was with Long Beach City College's ASB Executive Board in 2004-05. Barber is running a bit off. Ever heard of Fat Albert? Mistry is slowing down a bit, though.
Round 2: Andrews anticipated this one, no question. It's as if he read a football or basketball play and capitalized off the turnover he forced. Barber is concurring with Andrews. Not good for him, and he stopped short. Mistry fires right back with prioritizing students. Her point seems to hit a fallacy, and Andrews is making her pay for that. It seems that the fourth candidate came, Ashley Marie Stanton. She is suffering from laryngitis, like me. That's what this weather has done to a lot of people who saw Long Beach go to the big dance last Saturday.
Round 3; Stanton makes her move, and makes things interesting. Barber goes in, but he is speaking too monotone. Mistry now makes her move, but is speaking a bit too quickly. Not all the people here are from New York, Madame President...Andrews is blasting the other three with his move. Moss-Stanton's laryngitis isn't being an issue with her rebuttal, but not too compelling.
Round 4: Barber still being monotonous. I've observed that from him, Stanton, and Mistry, while Andrews is using his poise, and everything other than monotonousness to state his case. Mistry is concurring, but she's trying to rebound from the heavy competition, and doing it well. In turn, Andrews concurs to an extent, and adds his point. Pure effortless delivery, emphasizing advocacy. Everyone's agreeing with one another. Boring. Now it's all about how they deliver, rather than what they deliver.
Round 5: Textbook question (no pun intended, unless you ask for it (pun intended)). Mistry starts this one, and uses her experience working with the 49er Shops. Andrews, unlike Mistry, does not accept the high prices of textbooks at the University Bookstore, and delivers his point with authority. A slam dunk. Stanton concurs with Andrews' point, while Barber does the same. Adding scholarships to ease the high prices, as long as a cap, might be problematic. Perfect-world scenarios. Mistry is a bit realistic.
Round 6: AB286 question. Land mine alert. Andrews dismisses this question, adding the importance of AB540 and the inferiority of AB286. Risky move. Stanton does not approve of this bill, either. Okay, guess it wasn't so risky. And so are Barber and Mistry.
Land mine =====> Consensus. No clear winner of this round. Andrews would be the virtual one, adding the importance of AB540.
Round 7: Parking question. Stanton approaches with parking off-campus. Already done, at Vets Stadium, but she wants to increase the amount of spots. Barber is trying to salvage his sinking ship, with a "focus group," and other dubious options. Smoke and mirrors. Mistry makes her move with faculty and staff permits for students., as well as financial aid, as well as concurring with the other two candidates. Flashbacks of ECON 333. Meanwhile, Andrews suggests reduced costs, paying for specific numbers of days. I think that's a sign of weakness, as other students may want to be on campus during days that they don't have class. Stanton makes a rebuttal, with a half-arsed effort.
Round 8: Barber prioritizes checks and balances, and asking for ASI to follow the US federal system. Mistry concurs, but to an extent, stating that corporate and government do not mesh. She is not finding a way to solve this though, beating around the bush. Andrews, goes on the attack, with a bit of a joke on the side, emphasizing local government as the way to model ASI's Executive Branch at. Playing it safe, Mikey boy? Stanton dismisses echoing state, local, or federal forms, emphasizing serving the students. Now Barber is swaying away from his point, concurring with Stanton. Big mistake. His ship already sunk.
Projected winner: Andrews. He made his point across, reduced tired cliches, and fought off most rebuttals, although he seems to be a bit tired from going through the rounds.
Whew! What a mouthful. Next up: part 3!
Going to the candidates' debate...part 1
So says a lyric from Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson." I went to the debates today at USU-224. First were the Vice-Presidential candidates: Chris Chavez vs. Lucy Montano.
Round 1: Montano seems to concede the first round, concurring with Chavez. Nothing too compelling from Chavez...the usual cliches.
Round 2: Montano seems to be reading from a script at times. It doesn't seem very natural. Chavez is speaking naturally, and is even like a professor at times. Not staged. He emphasizes Students First. Montano is cornered.
Round 3: The usual explanations for not being active in ASI. Good attacks from Chavez. Textbook. At last, Montano is actually doing something to prove her case. But again, it's merely adding to Chavez's case. Yawn. Chavez knocks on the table, and goes in for the kill.
Round 4: Montano is still reading from the script. Again, not compelling. I can't believe she's on the podium. Was she even ready for this one? Chavez, meanwhile, rolls along...but also gets a little hiccup from reading the script. Great recovery from Christopher, though.
Round 5: CSSA question. Chavez plays it safe, quoting "middle of the road." Monthly basis and see how it goes. Montano, however, does not believe in a vote, but how the students feel...which is a vote. Oxymoron. Chavez, however, is weakening a bit.
Round 6: Reading from the script. I suppose this is Senator Montano's comfort zone. Academic Senate and ASI is a priority for Chavez. Montano is conceding this one.
My projected winner of the debate: Chris Chavez. He did his homework, and also was sportsmanlike.
Stay tuned for part 2...
Nothing to lose. Definitely.
I like taking a little trip over to Atlanta to see how things done there on business, but it's not a high priority.
Today, I just received an e-mail that I have been selected in the Coca-Cola Human Bracket, and they said if Long Beach State win the South Regional, I'm going on a trip for two to Atlanta.
While that is nice, I'm not going to moan over blowing the opportunity if my team loses in any of the first four rounds. I mean, I will go to Atlanta one day in my life. It may not be the time yet.
Looks like I won't have to nag Chance Decker, my right-hand assistant from the BPC (Beach Pride Center) about what I have to do. As for me, I gotta brush up on my homework, and get ready for some exams.
Nothing to lose from this one. It's up to the team to see how far we will go.
Today, I just received an e-mail that I have been selected in the Coca-Cola Human Bracket, and they said if Long Beach State win the South Regional, I'm going on a trip for two to Atlanta.
While that is nice, I'm not going to moan over blowing the opportunity if my team loses in any of the first four rounds. I mean, I will go to Atlanta one day in my life. It may not be the time yet.
Mr. Salazar,
Congratulations! The Coca-Cola Company selected you as Long Beach State’s biggest fan in the Coca-Cola Most Devoted Hoops Fan contest.
Fans whose teams earned a berth in the 2007 NCAA® Men’s Basketball Tournament, as announced by CBS on “Selection Sunday,” March 11, 2007, are featured in the outdoor and online versions of the “Coca-Cola Human Bracket.”
The giant outdoor bracket is hanging from the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, and fan photos will advance with their teams throughout the Tournament. The four fans representing the Final Four teams will win a trip for two to the biggest weekend in college basketball to cheer their favorite school to victory. We will be in touch with those winners on March 26, following the Regional games.
Looks like I won't have to nag Chance Decker, my right-hand assistant from the BPC (Beach Pride Center) about what I have to do. As for me, I gotta brush up on my homework, and get ready for some exams.
Nothing to lose from this one. It's up to the team to see how far we will go.
The BoBA dictionary defines...
Expert: Another name for a pretentious overpaid tard who is intoxicated from drinking too much power conference Kool-Aid and fapping at Florida's efforts to get their mojo back. See also: Joe Lunardi.
Seriously, though, I hope we impress on Friday and make a good game out of it, cause it seems we have some unbelievers among the heathens who pollute ESPN.
Dance floor open
When I got on the bus during the Saturday game, my voice was already spent, but I had a focused look. Ironically, our women's team defeated UC Irvine and Cal Poly in succession before bowing out against UC Riverside, the eventual Big West champs. So, the situation looked good.
As I jogged over to my seat, I saw the roar of the crowd, the people chanting "Superfan! Superfan!" over and over. I nodded, took my seat, and watched the drama unfold...while standing up.
Cal Poly proved to be a bit pesky, leading by 5 at the break. I'm chewing bubble gum as I go along with this post. (Inside joke: bubble...bubble bursting.) I then asked the players to realize why they are here, and what they should do.
Eventually, the guys: Aaron Nixon, Kejuan Johnson and the gang, they all would take over in the second half. We would win, 94-83, and the whole student section fell over in a dog pile before celebrating mosh pit style.
I wonder how far we will go. The journey to get here was an accomplishment in itself. Can they go farther? I leave it to the players to decide that.
No miracle needed on Friday
Well, the guys took care of UC Irvine, without needed last-second heroics.
We would win 77-63, and while out perimeter shooting leave much to be desired, the great thing was we didn't need to havwe the game go to a miracle shot. If there was one closest to it, it would go to soon-to-be-captain Artis Gant, who drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the 1st half. Afterwards, the 49ers played their game.
When one of our guys attempted a 3-pointer, I turned to my folks to see their reaction, if they were leaping the the air, eliciting a roar, I nodded my head, then slowly turned to the other sides of the crowd, nodding my head. As the final seconds ticked, I inspected Pete's Posse, congratulated Prospector Pete, who I like to call "Boss" as I am his right-hand man, and thanked the UC Irvine folks for their participation.
And as I got on the the band bus, I changed my expression to a focused look. Our work at the Anaheim Convention Center was not done yet. We would have to beat Cal Poly first.
UCLA got cuffed by U-Dub Saturday.
Louie Louie, oh no, said me gotta go.
Louie Louie, oh baby, said me gotta go.
A fine little girl, she waits for me.
Me catch the ship across the sea.
I sailed the ship all alone.
I never think I'll make it home.
Louie Louie, oh no, say me gotta go, oh no,
Louie Louie, oh baby, said me gotta go.
Three nights and days I sailed the sea.
Me think of girl constantly.
On the ship, I dream she there.
I smell the rose in her hair.
Louie Louie, oh no, I said me gotta go.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Louie Louie, oh baby, said me gotta go.
(Okay, let's give it to them right now!)
Me see Jamaican moon above.
It won't be long me see me love.
Me take her in my arms and then
I tell her I'll never leave again.
Louie Louie, oh no, I said me gotta go.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Louie Louie, oh baby, said me gotta go.
I said we gotta go now...
Let's go!
Got yours, Westwood scum? I need ganja wit me apfel.
An ordinary day? More like a day of mourning
It really sets you off your comfort zone when you've got really good things get outweighed by really bad things. That happened today.
While the only good thing that happened was our men's basketball team exacting revenge over UC Irvine 86-80 on Senior Night, at the same time, three crappy things happened.
First, our women's tennis team, who everyone thought would run the tables, saw their season turn into disarray, losing to...wait for it...UC Irvine, 4-3. When I got home, I learned that my older sister forgot to tape the game, AND not tell me beforehand that she couldn't do it, so I could transfer the duties to my mom.
As if things weren't bad enough, danbooru, an image-hosting site that features moe images of every persuasion, was dead. Long like akibakko. Ultimately, the lack of servers, combined with traffic beyond control, was danbooru's undoing. Akibakko.net is now its successor. May she (it means Akiba[hara] girl) reign as the moe image hosting site of the Web from this point forward. Rest in peace, danbooru. You will not have died in vain as we mourn your loss. *plays Taps*
The right choice.
I knew there was something unique about the students here at Cal State Long Beach. One of the great things about Long Beach State is prioritizing health and wellness to complement their education and putting their knowledge to work in the real world. When I heard today that the students voted yes to the referendum on having a new Student Recreation and Wellness Center, I pointed to the heavens, and taped a video thanking them for making the right decision.
This center is going to be packed every day. With Frog’s Club One being inadequate, this will add to more people working out at the university. And with this being a part of tuition, the students here at the Beach will be utilizing it, probably more than the other services here. Not to mention more work opportunities.
With the students making the right choice, Men’s Fitness would be hard pressed to still give us the unenviable epithet of America’s Fattest University. I think they’re going to back off for the long haul.
I’m ready to see the guys off against Irvine till I meet with them on Friday at the ACC. That’s the Anaheim Convention Center, not the big power conference of the same abbreviation.
Long time comin'
The last time we won at Spanos Center was on February 14, 2002. Valentine's Day. I was still in my senior year of high school, still traumatized from being treated like a piece of meat by my Intermediate Algebra teacher. If I could relieve those days again, I would have Lucy the Diclonius' personality. I'm still in a bit of an agitated mood that the Tigers of the University of the Pacific defeated our guys last year in the Big West Championship Game.
See, when I saw Bob Thomason (the Riley Wallace of the Big West) get lifted into the air, I was furious. When the PA announcer said Larry Reynolds's name as part of introducing our team (that was with Jibril Hodges and Shawn Hawkins), I yelled out "Thanks for the memories!" Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately), Vic Cegles came in and let Coach Reynolds finish the last year of his current contract.
It turned out to be a smart move, in spite of a early "here-we-go-again" rusty stumble. We won the Big West regular season title, and blackwashed Pacific, rocking them at the Walter Pyramid, and then defeating the Tigers in Spanos Center for the first time in over five years, 82-76.
I knew that our team was capable of running the tables. This was a great warmup, and the next match would be against the scum that is UC Irvine. I plan to tear my shirt off if we score over 100 in the game. And I will probably stick to my Red Bull or Rockstar next time. No more of that carbonated cough syrup from SoBe. Please.
Homecoming reflection
As Homecoming Day began, I didn’t know what to expect from the Aggies of UC Davis. While most of our local teams fell the night before (save for the Dirtbags, thank god for Danny Espinosa), I was very unsure if our guys learned their lesson from choking in the 2nd half against a mediocre Hawaii side during the ESPN Bracket Buster match from Hell.
As I got on the 91 to Cal State Long Beach, I played the extended version of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”, knowing that in any game, weird things can, and will, happen. The game before, UC Irvine easily put the boots to the Aggies. Since UCD was in their last year as a provisional, there were no odds on this game.
I was still reeling from the fact that DJ Quik called for a 70-58 Long Beach State victory two nights before. Essentially, Quik called for a defensive match marred by sloppiness and bad shots all around…with the Beach still getting the victory. As of this writing, UC Davis is near the bottom when in comes to RPI. They are currently 312th. The team at the very bottom is Alabama A&M, based on Ken Pomeroy’s site, at 336th. While UC Davis is not the worse, I would be surprised if the Aggies made a game out of this.
But then again, very few people gave Hawaii a chance, and they ran away with it in the 2nd half. That loss was bad news for Larry Reynolds, who is in a precarious situation in the last year of his contract. Again, as everyone in Long Beach speculated, the only was he could be spared his walking papers if the guys won the conference tournament. Everyone, the fans, students, alums, boosters, news agencies…everyone in the world knew that Larry was under the microscope. With this win, this team would be the winningest in his years as the Long Beach State head coach.
The big question was not how much Aaron Nixon, Kejuan Johnson and company would pile on the Aggies, but whether or not Davis would make a game out this. I don’t remember last year’s homecoming game, but I believe we lost that one. I checked the program, and yes, it was against the hated Gauchos from UCSB. Fortunately, we made them pay dearly for that by piling 101 point in the home contest, before Sterling Byrd sealed the regular season blackwash.
I love Gnarls Barkley, the duo consisting of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo. St. Elsewhere is one of my favorite albums of all time.
After watching the rugby first side get clobbered again, this time by up-and-comer Claremont, I went over to Wally’s (my name for the Walter Pyramid), and saw DJ Quik’s prediction get bested by a country mile. Great shots, great defense, and sloppy play that had been the epitome of UC Davis’s season saw the Long Beach faithful enjoy a 102-77 victory over the Aggies, who will fall in with the Big West next year.
You had to see it to believe it. I am planning to create a video on this one, and the footage is ready. I just have to convert, and give it the usual trimmings.
SIDE NOTES FROM BoBA:
LMU goes full circle: The LMU men’s basketball team put the ghosts of our heartbreaking victory to rest, defeating Santa Clara on a last-second shot, 67-66. After going though a season forged in hell, they get a brief respite in purgatory.
Posse savvy knows its trade: One of the members of Pete’s Posse said to the Davis players, “You women have a better shot of winning than you.” While I will absolve him of any jinxing on grounds that our women’s team are worse than advertised this year, our women did lose, getting trampled 60-50.
Shirt taken off second time this year at Wally’s: I said to the guys, “Hey, we have plenty of time to score 100 or more. If they do that, I’m ripping my shirt off, and waving it like a scarf. And I did so after Artis Gant made the three-pointer that sent us over the top. Not to be outdone, I did two Angus Young spasms at halftime. I didn’t have that space, though, to do it right. Luckily, I didn’t hurt my shoulder.
Never again: Before I took the buses to get to Wally’s, I drank this drink from SoBe called “Superman Special Brew.” While I was able to down it, it tasted, to put it in polite terms, out-of-the-ordinary. Like carbonated cough syrup. Think Flaming Moe without the flame. Homer Simpsoy’s wrath is now completed.
AMGEN Tour of California on Sunday: Yes, it was one of those wonderful finishes down in Long Beach. Flying colors going up and down Ocean Boulevard on two wheels. Levi Leipheimer finished the tour on top, while Ivan Rodriguez won the stage. I have the footage, and I will post it when the time comes.
More of the same from the exams: Stuck in the middle, but a precarious position. I got 31 out of 50 in the first Stats midterm. (And that's without remembering the equations to heart!) I wasn’t the worst, but there should be room for improvement, and fast.
The power of sport bureaucracy
While I am a business student, I have to say that this article links sport with business. I'm an Info Systems major, and while the important objective for my majors is to transmit the information from the other branches of the company into something those outside can read, this is a good reflection of what happens when you team loses big.
It's a cruelty, indeed. When a team performs this poorly, the bureaucracy deems the coach and players as liabilities. Here's an article from the Adelaide Advertiser about how all this works.
United finds fall guy
GRAHAM CORNES
February 24, 2007 01:15am
JOHN Kosmina didn't realise, until it was too late, that those "dark forces" that he was talking about weren't from the eastern states, they were actually operating from within the Adelaide United Football Club.
Just when we thought the Reds were different from all those other soccer clubs, they prove that nothing much has changed.
Coaches and players can still be dispensed with at the whim of owners to whom pride, status and reputation are paramount.
I know how Nick Bianco must have felt last Sunday evening. The grand final was a debacle, and as the owner of the club, seeing his team disintegrate while he could but sit and watch, would have embarrassed and humiliated such a proud, successful man. But that is sport.
Unlike business, where successful systems, training, staff and quality control can withstand all but the most unusual economic circumstances, sport can break your heart in a second. Regardless of your standards, expectations and the amount of money that you pour in, success is never guaranteed.
Kosmina's gut feeling before Thursday's highly-publicised board meeting was not good. Like many successful coaches, he follows his instinct. There may be plenty of logic in planning and deliberations, but their actions are predominantly instinctive. Kosmina's instinct detected too much negativity around the club, and the pressure was building by the minute. He made the decision on his own behalf, that the right thing to do, for himself, his family, and importantly his players, was to resign. Despite the fact that he had no other job to go to, his relief was immediate and profound.
Bianco distanced himself significantly from Kosmina in the wake of the the grand final defeat. His public criticisms of the coach may have been distorted in translation, but they were scathing and indicated that the relationship between owner and coach had been fractured.
It's unlikely that they were ever best mates, but the club had achieved beyond expectations in its first season-and-a-half, so in those circumstances, even the most impatient owner has to tolerate a coach who marches to a different beat. But that's the thing with most great coaches - they march to a different beat anyway.
Kosmina's job wasn't made any easier this year by the recruitment to the club of Brazilian "legend", Romario, a decision that he publicly and privately supported.
Romario might be a god in Brazil, but to those of us raised on different sports, he was not instantly recognisable and when we saw him on the park, we wondered what all the fuss was about. Small, even by soccer standards, the Brazilian no longer had the pace, fitness or presence of his glory days. The true devotees of soccer fell at his feet, but the rest of us wondered where on earth Kossie was going to hide him
The team's dismal results when the Brazilian was in Adelaide tell the story and, while those responsible for bringing him to United continually extolled the spurious benefits of his recruitment, it was obvious that his presence was an unnecessary distraction. One can only wonder what the powerbrokers in the stands thought when Kosmina was forced to substitute Romario in the third of his four highly-paid appearances.
Inevitably, we will all be judged by our actions and our results. Kosmina has been judged extremely harshly for what have been only minor indiscretions. The critics point to his behaviour as the reason for the disintegration of his players' discipline in the most important match of the season, but that is a simplistic assessment. Volatile coaches can still impart discipline to their teams; Malcolm Blight is a prime example of that. What has been overlooked, simply because there can be no excuse for a 6-0 loss, is that Adelaide United coach, players, fans, and indeed, administration, had been subjected to a range of different inequities and biases. Refereeing performances, ticketing, financing, FFA indifference and marketing bias are but a few of them. At least Kosmina was prepared to take them on.
Unfortunately, when all was lost, the frustrations bubbled over and his players lashed out as well. They should have learned from those footballers who have transgressed in AFL grand finals, or who have not waited around for the presentation, that the whole word watches you and judges you during and after a grand final.
Everybody has learned a very hard lesson, none more so than Ross Aloisi, whose passion and intensity was severely misguided.
And so another coach departs, perhaps before he was going to be sacked. It appears only a championship would have saved him, but Adelaide United never had the talent to win the championship. We will miss him, because he was so passionately South Australian and he fought so hard for our state against those who would try to ignore us or discount us. He becomes just another victim of the ambitions and the pride of those who drive their clubs.
Of course, the club will go on although, given the vulnerability of many of the A-League clubs and ongoing rumours of Adelaide's viability, this can't be assumed.
Bianco has expressed publicly his dissatisfaction with the way the club and the team has been run. He wants to run it more like he runs his successful business. He wouldn't be the first successful man to express that intent, but successful businesses are not the best models for successful sporting clubs. There are similarities of course, particularly when it comes to bringing the money in, but in the end, the club rises and falls on the performance of the team, and not too many coaches are Masters of Business Administration.
I will put a rebuttal on the last part to the the fact that there are coaches in sport who also majored in business at their university, whether grad, undergrad of even doctorate, and there are a good number, if not plenty, of them.
A Quik Prediction
So I talked with DJ Quik after the Pyramid Pep Rally Remix. He was signing autographs. I said to him “Yo DJ Quik, what will be the score on Saturday?”
He said, :”In basketball? Who are they playing?”
I said, “UC Davis.”
Quik was flabbergasted. “UC Davis!?” After a pause, he said, “I think it will be…70-58.”
“70-58 Long Beach?”
“That’s what I think.”
To make a prediction for a defensive game marked by possible shabby, dubious play reeking with sloppiness, and the Beach performing against the spread for the second straight game takes guts. I will give him that as I walked to the bus stop, Quik still signing autographs.
70-58, Long Beach State. My, my. I really won’t comment on anything else other than, “Whoa.” It's a good thing the bookkeepers are leaving this match alone.
A schizoid weekend it was.
I'm celebrating Melbourne Victory taking the double as I post this. I should be sleeping right now, in a disgusted mood after I saw my men's basketball team collapse against Hawaii, but I'm actually in an elated mood right now.
Who would have thought Archie Thompson would bag five goals in the win, with young up-and-come Kristian Sarkies getting the last one? You wonder if Victoria Premier Steve Bracks had second thoughts about building the white elephant that is Melbourne Rectangular. But I'm not going to jinx the poor guy. I'm in too gleeful of a mood to do so.
It looks like this year, the soccer capital of Australia moves to Melbourne. At this rate, I'm gonna take a power nap. I've got more rugby to watch, in less than 11 hours.
A veteran's farewell
I would like to take this moment to say farewell to my colleague, Wayne Stickney-Smith, who will be leaving Long Beach State to work for a company up north that specializes in manufacturing plumbing parts. Wayne was the Super Fan who came before me, and gave me some sage advice during his days working at the Beach Pride Center.
He also was an ASI president for one semester, the semester before I became Long Beach City College ASB Cabinet Administrative Assistant for President Michael Brignac in 2004-05.
BoBA, and its sister blogs Bedlam on MySpace Boulevard (BoMB), Love and Liberty (LoLi) II and Love and Liberty Lite, thank Wayne for his continued support of Cal State Long Beach.
Long Beach State breaks Fullerton’s hearts on Wednesday night
Long Beach State breaks Fullerton’s hearts on Wednesday night
By Jo-Ryan Salazar
Bedlam on Baltic Avenue
February 15, 2007
They say it’s tough to beat a good team twice.
But that’s what Long Beach State did. While I was taping on my cell phone me and Pete’s Posse’s forays into Titan Gymnasium, I knew that while the odds were against the 49ers numbers-wise, it put a lot of pressure of us. If we had dropped this game, of course I would be stoic and disgusted with the result. But if we won the game, it’s because of the pressure of having 15 straight games without a loss at their home floor (including 11 this season) became too much to bear for Bobby Brown, Scott Cutley, and Frank Robinson.
As we got on the coach to the Gym via 22 and 57, Dr. Vic Cegles, LBSU Athletic Director, as well as Bob Keisser of the Long Beach Press Telegram, accompanied us on the trip. It was a mellow ride, delayed by the usual evening gridlock, but as I got off and planted my feet on the ground, I said, “Fullerton, I have returned.”
We had some problems with our seating, but we eventually sat on the balcony. There was a railing, and this allowed us to stand on the seats, and even lean on the railing if we were to protest our decision. This was very advantageous for our group, as it allowed us to jump like the Cameron Crazies (whoever they may be), as well as yell obscenities when the calls by the officials were suspiciously questionable.
I helped lead some chants, as well as others, and I paced around to make sure they were fired up from the opening tip-off to the final buzzer. And they were. A couple of campus event staff tried to limit our antics, but they might as well get out of the way instead to relieve their stress. They couldn’t handle us, and neither did their players.
We won by ten point-again. 94-84. I was very proud of my team’s effort, as well as the Posse’s effort. But I knew at the back of my head that we have a long way to go before we get to where we need to be. On top of that, Homecoming week was on tap after a luau with the Warriors.
While Long Beach City is also taking care of things, sweeping through the South Coast regular season with a 76-73 win over El Camino, I have to feel for another junior college miles away that lost one of its players.
I don’t know Grayson County College that well. Heck, I don’t know how the Texas junior college system works. But whenever something like this happens, it really is depressing. Mike Ndiribe, a 6-8, 210-pound freshman who had big dreams ahead of him, got that-and his life-taken away in the locker room. I looked at the story on ESPNU, and I thought it was Deon Tresvant, but thank goodness it wasn’t that close to home. Again, you never want something like this to happen at any level. Because, when will it be my time? Or when will it be your time? Who will be next?
It’s like the day Hank Gathers collapsed on the floor during a Loyola Marymount game in 1990. But that was because he did not listen to his doctors. I don’t know about this. One thing’s for sure; you will be seeing an ESPN special on this. They are notorious [sic] for capitalizing on demises like this.
I hope Deon Tresvant becomes a 49er
I hope Deon Tresvant becomes a 49er
By Jo-Ryan Salazar
February 11, 2007
In between savoring the Dirtbags hooking the Horns, the men’s and women’s basketball team continuing to go different directions, women’s tennis doing business as usual, men’s volleyball pummeling NAIA doormats, and softball and women’s water polo going on shaky ground, and cross country becoming world-beaters, I must go ahead a provide a special announcement: Long Beach City’s basketball teams (yes, even the women) are good.
No, scratch good, GREAT. No, scratch GREAT, UNBELIEVABLE. I’ll get to the men later in this entry. First, the women. How do say consistent? T-r-i-m-e-k-a J-a-c-k-s-o-n. That’s it. Coach Trimeka Jackson is building a strong foundation at City. Her women’s basketball team wrapping up a share of the league title. Mary Hegarty’s women wouldn’t stand a chance. Sorry, but it’s the cold, hard truth. 18-9, 6-1 in South Coast Conference play, with El Camino left before playoffs.
Now, we go to the men. Mention the name “Deon Tresvant” and every opponent raises his arms and hands in despair. Against L.A. Harbor, the team he left ship from to join Gary Anderson’s Vikings: 48 points in a double-OT win, 100-94. The game after that against L.A. Southwest: 63 points in a triple-OT win-and the title, 132-131. Don’t even bother topping that, Kobe Bryant.
(Well, maybe he already has, but in this situation? I would reckon against it.)
I hope Deon Tresvant signs with Long Beach State. With Kejuan Johnson (who is a fellow LBCC alum) and Aaron Nixon leaving, we can use him, most definitely. I kid you not. When you have someone in the clutch like that who wins in that dramatic type of fashion, you gotta be salivating at that type of effort.
By the way, the men so far got another 20-win season (with our guys soon to follow). They are now 20-10 (7-0 in SCC play) and will probably be hosting a round or two in the playoffs heading to Fresno.
I won’t be surprised if Tresvant wins in quadruple-OT, with 100 points, and a ridiculous bevy of clutch shots and some to go with. Curse my inability to split into two people. I need to get out more.
Cal Baptist – No pushover, but it’s the usual business
Cal Baptist – No pushover, but it’s the usual business
By Jo-Ryan Salazar
February 10, 2007
Cal Baptist. Ranked 1st in men’s volleyball in the NAIA. Humph. I will give this for them. They are feisty. Alan Knipe used a 2nd-string lineup, and we were on our toes. Cal Baptist-an NAIA team! I was very impressed by their effort the first game, which we won 30-27. We weren’t going to have an easy one against them. They could sweep Stanford if they could-but they weren’t on their schedule.
Had a little bit easy against the Lancers in the 2nd game. This was going to be another sweep, as expected, but the 3rd game, in typical form, would be elusive at first. I wasn’t crazy when I said the season would be on the line (albeit it was a half-joke). This would count against us if we were to fail tonight. Besides, I wanted to get back to Blair after this.
Eventually, it seemed very apparent that the Lancers would falter again…for the eighth straight time. We would sweep them 3 games to nil.
Off to Blair for me. I was able to watch the last few innings of the game. It went down to the bottom of the ninth. I though, Hmmm, this Texas team should be able to finish things off. Turns out, they wouldn’t. A couple of players hit a pitch plus a walk sent in Bobby McMurray, a JC transfer from Arizona, and Mesa Community College, who drove in two runs on a RBI. The throw to home plate was not in time, and with score tied 6-all, the home fans chanted “Long Beach State! Long Beach State!” and as saw the fans get louder and louder, my eyes panned the atmosphere around me, as if I was Maximum from the movie Gladiator. And my mind said, “Checkmate.” Danny Espinosa, who is my favorite player on this year’s Dirtbags team, drove home the winning run, and I walked out of the park singing EMF’s Unbelievable, possessed by the glory of victory.
It’s not very often we get a win against a team like this. Still early to say, but that loss to the Alumni may have become great motivation for Mike Weathers’ bunch of boys from the Beach.
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