BoBA 2007 Bowl Preview: Week 2

BoBA 2007 Bowl Preview: Week 2

In this part of the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue Bowl Preview, I break down the second week on non-BCS bowl action, featuring games from December 28 to 31. Okay, so it isn't a full week, but this will allow Week 3 to focus on the January non-BCS bowls, with Week 4 focusing on the BCS bowls. Here we have some of the more tantalizing matchups. Enjoy.

CHAMPS SPORTS

Boston College vs. Michigan State
Orlando, Fla.
Friday, Dec. 28 (ESPN, 5 ET)

Matty Ice...that's the nickname bestowed on Eagles QB Matt Ryan. After a Heisman campaign that just went south in a hurry, Ryan is looking to finish off a disappointing year with a solid outing in Orlando against the Michigan State Spartans.

The Spartans will be supercharged for their first bowl appearance since 2003, but for the Eagles, who thought they'd be in the Orange Bowl, it's more of a consolation prize. First-year Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio led his team to an eighth-place finish in the Big Ten. His Spartans will face Matt Ryan, the top quarterback in the ACC.
-- Heather Dinich

I am seeing this as a big Eagles victory, though Sparty is looking to capitalizing on a revitalized year under Mark Dantonio.

BoBA predicts: Boston College 38, Michigan State 28

TEXAS

TCU vs. Houston
Houston
Friday, Dec. 28 (NFL Network, 8 ET)

It wouldn't be the Texas Bowl without two teams from Texas duking out in Texas. It's only proper. But with Art Briles heading off to Waco to take over for Guy Morris at Baylor, the Cougars are in a state of transition against the always consistent Horned Frogs.

Houston is looking for a coach after Art Briles left for Baylor. He led the Cougars to four bowl games in five seasons but isn't expected to coach against the Horned Frogs. TCU had grand visions of a BCS bowl game in the preseason, but finished 7-5. The Horned Frogs beat UNLV and San Diego State in their last two games to become bowl eligible.
-- Mark Schlabach

This game will be hosted on NFL Network. I am looking for Texas Christian to make the Mountain West proud here.

BoBA predicts: TCU 24, Houston 21

EMERALD

Maryland vs. Oregon State
San Francisco
Friday, Dec. 28 (ESPN, 8:30 ET)

The Oregon State Beavers will come into the City by the Bay on an emotional high after winning the Civil War over the Dennis Dixon-less Ducks. Meanwhile, a schizophrenic season for Ralph Friedgen's Terrapis have them flying to the other side of the country looking for answers.

The Terps' reward for beating two top-10 teams this season? A mediocre finish and a trip to San Francisco to face the No. 3 team in the Pac-10. The Beavers will have an edge staying on the West Coast, but Maryland has a chance -- depending which side of its split personality shows up.
-- Heather Dinich

The power of coast advantage, plus momentum, has the Beavers taking this one.

BoBA predicts: Oregon State 41, Maryland, 20

MEINEKE CAR CARE

Connecticut vs. Wake Forest
Charlotte
Saturday, Dec. 29 (ESPN, 1:00 ET)

Here is a tasty Big East-ACC matchup. Randy Edsall vs. Jim Grobe. A co-Big East champion against an Atlantic Coast also-ran. It will go down to who wants it more. When it comes to a non-BCS bowl featuring BCS teams, this is what defines them.

UConn coach Randy Edsall and Wake coach Jim Grobe both beat Duke, and somehow they both managed to lose 17-16 to Virginia. The Deacs, playing roughly 80 miles from their home turf, should bring a strong crowd, but can quarterback Riley Skinner beat the Big East co-champions a second straight year?
-- Heather Dinich

This is a huge opportunity for UConn to exact some payback, after losing to Riley Skinner and the Demon Deacons last year. BoBA predicts that redemption will be granted in an ambush in the Tar Heel State.

BoBA predicts: Connecticut 38, Wake Forest 35 (OT)


AUTOZONE LIBERTY

Mississippi State vs. Central Florida
Memphis
Saturday, Dec. 29 (ESPN, 4:30 ET)

Sylvester Croom, like Mark Dantonio, is just happy that his team is going bowling, at the expense of Ed Orgeron's Rebels in the Egg Bowl. Meanwhile, under George O'Leary, the Conference USA Knights are looking to flex their muscles against one of the SEC's rising teams.

Trivia question: Who leads the country in rushing? You'll get to see him in the Liberty Bowl, and Mississippi State is next in line to try to stop him. Central Florida junior tailback Kevin Smith has rushed for 2,448 yards and 29 touchdowns. Sylvester Croom has worked wonders in turning around Mississippi State's program. He ought to be a lock for SEC Coach of the Year honors.
-- Chris Low

I am looking at UCF getting the job done. Kevin Smith will run rings around the Bulldog defense.

BoBA predicts: Central Florida 45, Mississippi State 38


VALERO ALAMO

Texas A&M vs. Penn State
San Antonio
Saturday, Dec. 29 (ESPN, 8:00 ET)

Joe Paterno makes another bowling round, as he has done for just about every year as the Nittany Lions coach. Meanwhile, the Aggies, who have made a head coaching change in Mike Sherman, have home field advantage, but with the team in transition despite a victory in the Lone Star Showdown, how will A&M adjust against Penn State?

Penn State's Joe Paterno will be coaching in his 500th game; Texas A&M's Gary Darnell will be coaching in his first as the Aggies' interim coach. Darnell, the team's defensive coordinator, replaces Dennis Franchione, who resigned after upsetting rival Texas in the regular-season finale. Penn State shut out the Aggies 24-0 in the 1999 Alamo Bowl.
-- Mark Schlabach

Lighting will strike twice here. Penn State will take this one.

BoBA predicts: Penn State 40, Texas A&M 35

PETROSUN INDEPENDENCE

Colorado vs. Alabama
Shreveport
Sunday, Dec. 30 (ESPN, 8:00 ET)

Every bowl features different storylines. In this bowl, the storylines couldn't be any more similar. Both teams are coming off emotional lows. Alabama was embarrassed by Louisiana-Monroe a few weeks ago, while the Buffaloes under Dan Hawkins had a season marked by blowout losses to Iowa State and Kansas State. And both teams only had one big win to note (Alabama over Tennessee, while Colorado defeated Oklahoma).

Alabama and its $4 million man, Nick Saban, went from overachiever to underachiever after an impressive 41-17 win over Tennessee on Oct. 20. The Crimson Tide never won again, including an inexcusable loss to Louisiana-Monroe two weeks ago. Which Colorado team is going to show up: the one that beat Oklahoma and played Kansas close, or the one that lost to Iowa State and gave up 47 points to Kansas State in a blowout loss?
-- Chris Low

Given the eventual outcome of the opponents mentioned...CU must win.

BoBA predicts: Colorado 31, Alabama 10

BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES

Air Force vs. California
Fort Worth
Monday, Dec. 31 (ESPN, 12:30 ET)

Exit Fisher DeBerry, enter Troy Calhoun and an Air Force side rediscovering the winning edge they lost the past few years. For Jeff Tedford, the moods couldn't be any more somber. After losing six of their last seven games (the exception being a successful defense of the Stanford Axe against the Cardinal), a loss to the Falcons and Tedford will be on the hot seat.

Air Force plays in its first bowl in five years thanks to a revitalized offense under first-year coach Troy Calhoun. Sophomore Chad Hall blossomed in the second half of the season and leads the MWC with 1,415 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Falcons want to be in Fort Worth, and then there are the Bears, who lost six of their final seven games. Motivation might be a problem there.
-- Ivan Maisel

Air Force feasts on bowls that have a military touch to it, and saluter their fellow soldiers overseas. You can bet that the Falcons will be ready for this one.

BoBA predicts: Air Force 42, California 28

ROADY'S TRUCK STOPS HUMANITARIAN

Fresno State vs. Georgia Tech
Boise
Monday, Dec. 31 (ESPN2, 2:00 ET)

With Hawaii heading to the Sugar Bowl, Boise didn't want to stay in Boise, heading to the Hawaii Bowl, leaving Fresno State to take their place. Pat Hill's Bulldogs look to finish another solid season off against a Georgia Tech team looking for answers after Chan Gailey was fired days ago.

The Yellow Jackets already have lost their coach, now they have to avoid losing to Fresno State for the second time; the teams' only previous meeting was a 30-21 Bulldogs win in the 2002 Silicon Valley Classic. Under the direction of interim coach Jon Tenuta, aka the defensive coordinator, Georgia Tech has a chance to salvage its season by doing what it does best -- blitzing and stopping the run.
-- Heather Dinich

Fresno State will take this one in a high-scoring festival on the craziest 100 yards in America (assuming you do not put Barrow, Alaska in the same boat). The Hornets will be Ramblin Wrecked in a hurry.

BoBA predicts: Fresno State 63, Georgia Tech 49

BRUT SUN

South Florida vs. Oregon
El Paso
Monday, Dec. 31 (CBS, 2:00 ET)

After an ugly 3-game slump, Matt Grothe and the South Florida Bulls made amends by winning 3-straight games heading into the match with the Ducks. For the Ducks, who had the wheels fall off with Dennis Dixon busting his knees, they stumble into El Paso like a drunken boor looking to quench their thirst at a saloon.

Oregon's BCS championship hopes were derailed when quarterback Dennis Dixon tore knee ligaments late in the season. The Ducks lost their last three games -- against Arizona, UCLA and Oregon State -- without him. The Bulls were ranked as high as No. 2 in the country before losing three games in a row. South Florida recovered to finish the season with three straight wins.
-- Mark Schlabach

South Florida will have fun against the lame [sic] Ducks. Aflac anyone?

BoBA predicts: South Florida 36, Oregon 24

GAYLOR CITIES MUSIC CITY

Florida State vs. Kentucky
Nashville
Monday, Dec. 31 (ESPN, 4:00 ET)

Here is where Jimbo Fisher will need to show that he deserves to be Bobby Bowden's successor. You have to deal with a first-rounder in Andre Woodson. A man with an arm, great agility, and a release that will make the Seminole secondary scream at the heavens when the Wildcat offense scores.

Kentucky heads back to Nashville for the second straight year. Hope the Wildcats like country music. Andre Woodson has been one of the most improved quarterbacks in the country the past two years and should be a first-day pick in the NFL draft. He'll face a Florida State defense that deserved better this season. Yep, the Seminoles were that bad on offense.
-- Chris Low

As we all should know (especially when you are at a job interview), first impressions are important. Jimbo's will not look good as Kentucky slices and dices Florida State like meats at a teppanyaki grill.

BoBA predicts: Kentucky 51, Florida State 23

INSIGHT

Oklahoma State vs. Indiana
Tucson
Monday, Dec. 31 (NFL Network, 5:30 ET)

We all know Oklahoma State's head coach is a man. And so are his players. And Indiana's. The question is: is it going to be shootout, or a match between men against boys posing as men? Aside from all the talk about getting the facts straight, one fact is for sure: Indiana is bowling once again.

The Hoosiers, playing in their first bowl game in 14 seasons, are the feel-good story of the bowl season. The combination of quarterback Kellen Lewis and wide receiver James Hardy is fun to watch. The Cowboys scored at least 39 points in their six victories. They needed to. Their defense allowed 35 points in five of the six losses.
-- Ivan Maisel

Watch for the Lewis-to-Hardy connection in this game down in Tucson. Indiana will take down the Cowboys in a game where a solid defensive effort from the Hoosiers is going to be just as vital. This one's for you, Terry Hoeppner. Here's another fact: this is the second bowl game covered by the NFL Network.

BoBA predicts: Indiana 42, Oklahoma State 38

CHICK-FIL-A

Clemson vs. Auburn
Atlanta
Monday, Dec. 31 (ESPN, 7:30 ET)

The selection process for one of the most stories non-BCS bowls out there is one that you should check out on ESPN.com. Back to the game: it's a match of Tommy vs. Tommy. Bowden vs. Tuberville. It's an ACC-SEC matchup that will be one to savor as the New Year dawns on the world.

Auburn and Clemson are familiar foes, having played 45 times since 1899. The teams played in the 1998 Peach Bowl in Atlanta, with Auburn winning 21-17. Clemson has one of the country's most balanced offenses, led by tailbacks James Davis and C.J. Spiller and quarterback Cullen Harper. Auburn has one of the country's best defenses, allowing only 298.3 yards and 16.7 points per game.
-- Mark Schlabach

I am taking Auburn to pip Clemson in this one.

BoBA predicts: Auburn 24, Clemson 21 (OT)

Good times...

Note the drumsticks in my hands, a symbol of defiance of such assfaced NCAA rules like "no artificial noisemakers." They are as stupid as the Third Reich declaring war on America. As stupid as Decca ditching the Beatles. As stupid as Art Modell and Robert Irsay moving their respective NFL teams behind their former cities' backs.

That Bob Rogers, bless his heart, he must have felt like the sickest old man in San Jose, if not California, if not the entire country last Saturday night. I am watching the CIF State Volleyball Division I final between Lakewood and Nevada Union. If I was there, and the Lancers got that 26th point in Game 4, I would have taken off my shirt and waved like a rally towel at a football match in the Middle East. It was that good.

To Hal, Larry, and Bret...many mahalos to you.

Hawaii wins over voter

By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com

The Hawaii Warriors are clearly No. 1 to the vast majority of people in the 50th State.

But they're also at the top of the list for three voters this week, one in each of the major polls. Only one has a tie to UH and even that person -- New Mexico State coach Hal Mumme -- is a competitor of the Warriors.

Mumme's vote in the coaches' poll and retired sportswriter Larry Keech's in the Harris poll contributed to the 12-0 Warriors moving up to 10th in the BCS standings, cementing their spot in the Sugar Bowl.

The third No. 1 vote, that of El Paso (Texas) Times sportswriter Bret Bloomquist, did not affect the BCS. But it could have the most interesting long-term effect on the Warriors.

Bloomquist votes in the Associated Press poll of media members. The BCS national championship will be determined by the outcome of the game between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 LSU, Jan. 7, also in the Louisiana Superdome.

But the AP voters are not restricted, and can vote for anyone they want as No. 1 in their final poll.

Bloomquist gave Hawaii its first No. 1 vote ever in the AP poll. He said he plans to put the 10th-ranked Warriors in the top spot again in the final poll after it plays fourth-ranked Georgia (10-2) in the Sugar Bowl.

"I expect Hawaii to win," he said. "I think they could beat Ohio State. I think they can line up with anyone in the country. Their offense can score against anyone, and you win with quarterbacks."

Bloomquist said he didn't have UH very high in his rankings early in the season but, "once teams stared losing, I moved them up quickly."

The 41-year-old UTEP beat writer said he watched the entire games as Hawaii, the only undefeated team in the country, beat Nevada and Boise State, and he saw the end of the Washington game last week.

"I got to see a lot of highlights, too," Bloomquist said. "I do take schedules into account. But winning is certainly the biggest thing."

Bloomquist said he received four e-mails regarding his No. 1 vote for the Warriors. Three (two of them from Hawaii) applauded his choice. One criticized it.

This is Bloomquist's first year covering Division I college football, and his first year as an AP voter. The University of Texas graduate has been a full-time professional sportswriter the past 14 years.

He is also a Heisman Trophy voter. Bloomquist said he selected Florida's Tim Tebow first, Hawaii's Colt Brennan second and Arkansas' Darren McFadden third.

UH junior linebacker Solomon Elimimian said the Warriors appreciate the No. 1 votes and loftiest rankings in school history, but they're not the reason they play.

"It's humbling to know that they think we're that good," Elimimian said. "We are a great team, we played against Coach Hal Mumme, so he would know. At the same time I don't know how much we care. We know we have to win this upcoming game. (The BCS ranking) matters, but it doesn't. We did all we can do and we let the chips fall where they may."

If the Warriors beat the Bulldogs, does UH deserve a share of the national championship? With the game still nearly a month away, Elimimian wisely tiptoed around the question.

"Honestly I don't know. It's very complicated. A lot of people don't know how good a team we are," he said. " If we beat Georgia, more people will come around and understand that Hawaii is a great team. We know we're a great team, and we know Georgia is a great team."

Senior receiver Jason Rivers took a very humble approach when asked if UH should be No. 1 if it goes to 13-0 on New Year's Day.

"I would say no, because these other teams have been good for a long time," Rivers said. "We just started being good. Just like they paid their dues, we gotta pay our dues, too. You can't just come out of nowhere and go straight to the top. You gotta go through the ranks.

"At least some people are giving us respect."

UH coach June Jones said three No. 1 votes is nice, especially one from his colleague Mumme.

"Hal respects what we've done and how we've done it," Jones said of his fellow passing-game advocate.

Jones also deflected the question of deserving a share of the national championship with a win over Georgia.

"I don't have any feelings either way on that," he said. "We're just going to try to play our best. We'll have our hands full."

---

Brilliant.

BoBA 2007 Bowl Preview: Week 1

Bedlam on Baltic Avenue
2007 Bowl Preview:
Week 1

In this first part of the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue 2007 Bowl Preview, I will take the time to preview the first week of action in the bowl season. After a turbulent football season which saw upsets, a battle royale for the best team in America, and one team going through the paces unscathed...we now enter the postseason.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA

Utah vs. Navy
San Diego
Thursday, Dec. 20 (ESPN, 9 ET)

This is a tantalizing way to start the college bowl season. The Mountain West runner-ups against an option system led by Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada.

From the AP...

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Utah coach Kyle Whittingham knows all about wild December games in San Diego, having played in the first four Holiday Bowls with BYU.

Now he'll be bringing his Utah Utes to town to play Navy on Dec. 20 in the Poinsettia Bowl, which will kick off the bowl season with a matchup of 8-4 teams at Qualcomm Stadium.

"We're elated. We can't wait," Whittingham said Sunday. "It should be a great matchup."

The Midshipmen clinched a berth in the bowl by virtue of their sixth win back on Nov. 10, when they beat North Texas 74-62 in the highest-scoring game in major-college history.

Navy, a natural to play in a bowl game in a Navy town, played in the inaugural Poinsettia Bowl in 2005, beating Colorado State 51-30 as the teams combined for what was then a bowl-record 1,183 yards.

"San Diego's a great Navy city," Midshipmen coach Paul Johnson said. "We couldn't ask for a better destination. Everybody's excited."

The Midshipmen routed Army 38-3 on Saturday, their unprecedented sixth straight win in the big rivalry. Earlier this season, Navy beat Notre Dame for the first time in 44 years, 46-44 win in three overtimes.

"To have two teams with 8-4 records, both of which are having exciting seasons, we couldn't be happier," said Bruce Binkowski, executive director of both the Poinsettia and Holiday bowls.

"The interesting thing here is Utah has a very strong defense and Navy has an amazing offense, so I think we're really going to see a great matchup," Binkowski said.

Binkowski hopes the Poinsettia Bowl can mirror the Holiday Bowl's history of crazy finishes.

While Navy has played some wild games this year, Johnson isn't so sure.

"You can never tell," he said. "We played our best defensive game of the year Saturday. Our last two efforts on defense were our best two, and our last two offensively might not have been."

The Utes, of the Mountain West Conference, will be making their fifth straight bowl appearance. They have won their last six bowl games dating to 1999, the second-longest postseason winning streak in the country.

While this will be Utah's first bowl game in San Diego, Whittingham needs no introduction. He returned a kickoff 16 yards and had one carry for three yards in BYU's 23-16 loss to Navy in the first Holiday Bowl in 1978, then played as a linebacker in the next three games.

He had 16 tackles in 1980, when Jim McMahon rallied the Cougars to a memorable 46-45 win over SMU.

"I was tackling Eric Dickerson, but 10 of the 16 were probably 20 yards downfield," Whittingham said.

Whittingham said Navy's option offense is similar to the one run by Air Force, one of Utah's conference rivals.

"The best way to defend an option offense is to keep it on the sideline," Whittingham said.

The Utes won seven straight games before losing its regular-season finale to MWC champion BYU.

I believe that Navy is going to wear down Utah, pounding and grinding their way to the win.

BoBA predicts: Navy 28, Utah 14

R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS

Memphis vs. Florida Atlantic
New Orleans
Friday, Dec. 21 (ESPN2, 8 ET)

Howard Schnellenberger has been in big games before...with the Miami Hurricanes.
This should not be any different, as Florida Atlantic, once a semifinalist in the Division I-AA (FCS) playoffs, now are the Sun Belt Champions, and face off against the Memphis Tigers in the first of three postseason games to be held at the Louisiana Superdome।

Florida Atlantic didn't even start playing football until 2001. Now, the Owls are going to a bowl after winning a share of the Sun Belt title. Veteran coach Howard Schnellenberger has brought this program along quicker than anyone could have imagined. Memphis started out 2-4 and went through the tragic shooting death on campus of one of its players, Taylor Bradford. But the Tigers rebounded to win five of their last six games.
-- Chris Low

Rusty Smith and Charles Pierre have their work cut out for them, but should have enough firepower against Memphis. Not even the spirit of Taylor Bradford can stop the Owls.

BoBA predicts: Florida Atlantic 31, Memphis 21

PAPAJOHNS.COM

Southern Miss vs. Cincinnati
Birmingham, Ala.
Saturday, Dec. 22 (ESPN2, 1 ET)

Southern Miss is in a state of flux, after head coach Jeff Bower resigned. Not good news for the Eagles, who will face a Cincinnati side looking to make a statement.

You probably could find Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly's name on the short list of just about every athletic director out there. It's not a question of "if" he's going to get a big job, but rather of "when." Southern Miss is looking for a coach after parting ways with Jeff Bower. Doubt Brett Favre will be tuning in. Word is he's not real happy with his alma mater for pushing Bower out the door.
-- Chris Low

The Bearcats will blast the Eagles out of the water here. No pizza for you, Seymour d'Campus.

BoBA predicts: Cincinnati 49, Southern Miss 24

NEW MEXICO

Nevada vs. New Mexico
Albuquerque, N.M.
Saturday, Dec. 22 (ESPN, 4:30 ET)

Is this the year Rocky Long's Lobos break through and get their first bowl victory in over four decades? BoBA thinks so.

The Lobos went 5-1 in Albuquerque this season, with two of those victories coming by three points apiece. Kicker John Sullivan has been automatic (26-of-29), which is doubly impressive because he has no ACL in his plant leg. Nevada's fortune turned on injury. Freshman quarterback Colin Kaepernick went 4-3 as a starter, with the three losses coming by a total of seven points.
-- Ivan Maisel

Who needs an ACL anyway to be on the money? What matters for UNM is a WIN.

BoBA predicts: New Mexico 42, Nevada 35

PIONEER LAS VEGAS

UCLA vs. BYU
Las Vegas
Saturday, Dec. 22 (ESPN, 8 ET)

There comes a day where one wishes he never left the school he originally signed with.
For UCLA's Ben Olson, that day couldn't have come any sooner, with Karl Dorrell being sacked. BYU should be licking their chops in an opportunity to exact payback.

BYU's nine-game winning streak is the second-longest in the nation, and UCLA went 6-6, but there's little chance the Cougars will overlook the Bruins. UCLA defeated BYU, 27-17, in the second week of the season. Sophomore Cougars quarterback Max Hall has been a revelation, and the defense hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher all season.
-- Ivan Maisel

They say it's tough to beat a good team twice. Brigham Young looks to make that adage true. Max power, Max Hall.

BoBA predicts: BYU 31, UCLA 10

SHERATON HAWAII

Boise State vs. East Carolina
Honolulu
Sunday, Dec. 23 (ESPN, 8 ET)

Boise State decided to snub the Humanitarian Bowl for a shot at getting payback for being ambushed by the Warriors in a matchup with East Carolina.

Boise returns to the Big Island, where a 39-27 loss to Hawaii on Nov. 23 ended the Broncos' hopes of a second straight BCS bowl game berth. Boise State still has a high-powered offense, with quarterback Taylor Tharp and tailback Ian Johnson. The Pirates lost to two ranked teams in the regular season: 17-7 at Virginia Tech and 48-7 at West Virginia.
-- Mark Schlabach

Thank God the Broncos won't be facing the Warriors on the gridiron until next year's meeting in Boise.

BoBA predicts: Boise State 42, East Carolina 34

MOTOR CITY

Purdue vs. Central Michigan
Detroit
Wednesday, Dec. 26 (ESPN, 7:30 ET)

The Chippewas can't be feeling any more chipper that being at the Motor City Bowl once again in Detroit. They take on a Purdue side that is looking to go out on a high note.

The Chippewas won four of their last five games and beat Miami (Ohio) 35-10 in the MAC championship game. Quarterback Dan LeFevour is a dual threat, with 3,360 passing yards and 1,008 rushing. The Boilermakers lost their last three games, after an impressive 5-0 start, and finished 3-5 in Big Ten play.
-- Mark Schlabach

Shouldn't be any surprise that Joe Tiller will be on the hot seat next season. Unless he isn't.

BoBA predicts: Central Michigan 48, Purdue 20

PACIFIC LIFE HOLIDAY

Arizona State vs. Texas
San Diego
Thursday, Dec. 27 (ESPN, 8 ET)

Here is one of the more tantalizing matchups for this week.
Rudy Carpenter faces off against Colt. But not the Colt he faced last year. This Colt's last name is McCoy, and Texas is looking to finish off looking like the Real McCoy.

Dust off the Longhorns-in-San-Diego jokes. Texas played in this game three times in four years (2000-01, 2003) before the magic of Vince Young swept them into national contention. All-Big 12 tailback Jamaal Charles became the Longhorns' most consistent weapon this season, as sophomore quarterback Colt McCoy had a bad case of the picks (co-leading the league with 18). Arizona State quarterback Rudy Carpenter will enjoy watching the Texas defense, which allowed 275.5 passing yards per game.
-- Ivan Maisel

If at first you don't succeed against Colt, try and try again. That's what the Sun Devils will be keen to do.

BoBA predicts: Arizona State 52, Texas 49 (OT)

Some thanks and fucks before the Union does theirs

I decided to come up with my own list of thanks and fucks. Just because. First, the thanks.

Thanks to:

• Long Beach State's fellow super fans: the students, the parents, and the boosters, as well as the alums who showed up to the volleyball match against USC.
• Alexis Crimes, Misha "Ole!" Hasalikova, Talaya "TW-17" Whitfield, Sarah "6" Hudson, Cynthia Buggs (a.k.a. Bugsy [BANG!]), Iris Murray, and Dyanne Lawlor the White House intern from Washington for all the memories.
• Ashley Lee, Nicole Moore, Quincy Verdin. We'll need you next year.
• Mike Wadley. The guys helped Lakewood's girls volleyball team win the state title over Nevada Union. Quantity is no match for quality.
• The hospitality by most of the people (read: MOST) at the Galen Center.
• Colt Brennan, June Jones, and the rest of the Hawaii football team. One more game, and it will probably be the Sugar Bowl. Good luck against Georgia (or whoever they may be).
• Rammstein
• Oscar Wilde
• Uncyclopedia

A huge-ass fuck you to:

• Asia Kaczor of the USC women's volleyball team for single-handedly pulling off a Logan Tom on us. Something must be in that water down in Wroclaw, Poland.
• The post-menopause hag official from the NCAA who tells me that drumsticks are not allowed, but after I am using my pom-poms, tells me that they aren't allowed either. You know who you are. You are not welcome at the Beach unless you pay the sum of $500 for your faggotry. Bitch.
• Myles Brand. He deserves it, since he and the people he works with came up with these stupid double-standard artificial noisemaker rules. You take out a huge part of the atmosphere...and games are like watching grass grow. Fuck off and die already. Asshole. No, seriously. Send those rules back to Davy Jones' locker from whence they came.
• Britney Spears
• The guy who tells people to leave Britney Alone
• Michael Vick
• Michael Vick's other people
• Barry Bonds
• Floyd Landis
• UC Irvine (to hell with em!)
• The USA men's volleyball team for losing to the Russians.
  

Keep your heads up, UNLV

Normally I do not like to say such words of advice to the teams we face, because they don't need such pity. It's a fact. However, given the circumstances of this matchup, I decided to bend over backwards and make exceptions. Tonight, we faced a UNLV side that gave us a good match. So, Rebel supporters, I have some kind words to say as your season draws to a close.

1. This was your very, very, very first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. Now, I did not find this out until I got back home from the game and looked up the history. You should be proud of just getting here. There are over, what, 300+ teams in Division I women's volleyball. Not even half of them have ever been to this Big Dance. Savor it.
2. You lost to a Long Beach State side that has been here for over two decades straight. Once again, this was your first-ever appearance. My guys have been here, finished and won that, many times. If it makes you any happier, in our very first appearance...we had a first round exit, too. AND, we were swept. Which leads to my next point...
   
3. This match went to five games. Most first-timers would get run over in a sweep. You're not like many of those "happy-to-be-here" scrubs. Anyone who said it was a lucky win by us is a disgrace to sports journalism in general, because you were a quality side we faced. Heck, you're the Mountain West Champions! We only finished second to Cal Poly (who has also been here, and is champs in our conference [something I detest, but it has nothing to do with you]) this season. Quality side, and a valiant effort from you guys. As you know, the best teams will win in five games. I was surprised that you also, like us, came into this match riding on two straight five-game wins. We had to do it against Pitt and then-#8 ranked Florida (now ranked #10 and now in the Sweet 16), which shows you the type of team you were up against.
4. This was the best season by far for you guys. Next year, we're going to be on our heels when we face you guys again in our next meeting..whenever that will be.

So, good luck and keep your heads up, UNLV, and move aside, and let a team who's been there and done that and won that face off against another team who's been there and done that and won that.

On the importance of life-changing experiences

There are things that really change your life. Sometimes they are situations that you can feel good about. Other times there are experiences that you would rather forget, but can't, because they impact your morale, the way you see things, and the way you do things. The impact is so huge, that you wouldn't want to go through it again.

I experienced the price one pays for plagiarizing another colleague's work in a class that I had. It was just taking the work of one of the members of my team for a paper I wrote. So my instructor brokered it down: my colleague will get the full points for the section in question, not me. It was really huge, because it was large margin of points that would change my eventual grade (which hasn't been decided yet). I was thankful that this was the course of action my instructor took; because it could have been worse. And it was never going to happen again. Never again. I wasn't going to be in a mood to have it happen again.

I went through a similar situation at my junior college. Of course, I passed that course with an 'A', but those circumstances were far different. This is stuff that happened at the university level, in my last semester. From this point on, I would be aware of the consequences that comes from asking my friends to do the work for me.

I suppose it was destiny to have something like this happen. It was a learning experience, as well as a life-changing experience. It was good for me. Experiences like that are supposed to be that way.

Shell game? What shell game?

http://www.denkwerkzeuge.ch/shellgame_secure.swf

A vision...

Two nights ago, I had a dream. It was a vision that Hawaii was going to escape Boise State with a 40-38 victory, off a Dan Kelly field goal. And at the end of the game, the students and fans rushed onto the field, and carried June Jones, Colt Brennan, and the Iceman off the field. And the Boise newspapers ripped apart the loss. Some fairweather journalists from that armpit of Idaho even called for Chris Petersen's resignation, and/or firing.

Actually, as I got the Walter Pyramid for Day 1 of the Baden Thanksgiving Tournament, I wondered if all this could be true. As I watched the first two matches of the mayhem at the Myd, I played Rob Overseer's "Slayed" on iTunes, thinking about the circumstances. In any case, the Warriors are going bowling. The big questions is whether or not it will be back at Aloha Stadium, or down in the Lower 48.

By the way, in the first match, we disposed of the Yales, 3-0. As I watched the second match between UCSB and Temple, it was no surprise who I was rooting for. With Big West conference play behind us, and the fact that we whitewashed the Gauchos, it was easy for me to cheer for UCSB, if only in solidarity of my Big West opponents.

I told them: This should be easy for you guys. If we can beat Temple, so can you. They dropped the first match, but they got the next three games. At the end of the match, I said, "See! I told you that you could do it. In the words of Johnny Warren, 'I told you so!'"

But back to the dream I had. I looked at the score when we were in the fourth game of a five-match marathon with Pittsburgh, and it read: Hawaii 39, Boise State 27, with a few minutes remaining. The previous time I asked for the score, the Press Telegram saw UH trail 27-26. All of a sudden, I was starting to feel good. In the waning seconds, I took my shirt off in the cold, flung it in the air, and I was beside myself. Everyone in the Pyramid knew that I supported the Warrior footbal team.

My friend Nuke told me: Hey, why do you support Hawaii's football team when you're from the Beach? I told him: first off, unless you're talking about rugby or soccer, we haven't had an American football team since 1991. Also, June Jones is a solid coach at the collegiate level, and I love the Run-&-Shoot: greatest football offense known to man, along with the West Coast. The dream came true on a day when LSU fell to Arkansas in triple overtime, 50-42, and Texas lost to Texas A&M. WHat's going to be shocking is that if Missouri defeats Kansas, there will be an undefeated team still standing.

It just won't be from the Lower 48. Even more shocking is that the coaches who led the Razorbacks and Aggies to victories are on their way out: Houston Nutt and Dennis Franchione.

In this words of Jim Leahey...

IS THIS THE YEAR?
IS THIS THE YEAR!!?
YOU BET THIS IS THE YEAR!!!!

Hawaii 39
Boise State 27

ESPN can go fuck themselves. And everyone in Boise, the AP, all those turds who chose the Broncos to win...can have their crow and eat it. They disgust me.

The adventures of Mulligan and Milligan

The recent adventures of David Mulligan of the New Zealand All Whites and Mark Milligan of Australia's Olyroos set up a great day for football in the Antipodes.

Mulligan started the scoring onslaught against Vanuatu in Westpac Stadium, scoring the first goal of the return match in Wellington, and Shane Smeltz did the rest in a 4-1 rout.

Meanwhile, up in cold, miserable, malnourished Pyongyang, the Olyroos were a goal down heading into the second half, but Milligan's equalizer in the 69th minute gave Australia a draw with Chollima, and a berth in the Beijing 2008 Olympics next year. Personally, I though that regardless of the conditions, Australia was going to take it to them. But North Korea held its ground, and held the Aussies to a draw.

In any case, the match between Iraq and Lebanon is nothing more than a glorified U-23 friendly.

Can this day get any better? Why not? Long BEach State faces Temple tonight, and a sweep isn't out of the question...

On Dr. Dan Bailey

There are some people you know, and there are some people you wish you knew. Dr. Dan Bailey was a person that I wish I knew better. Today, the university held a memorial service for Dr. Dan Bailey, at which a scholarship was created in his name.

Dr. Bailey, or “Bales” as he was sometimes called, was a person who was loved, respected, and a person of many trades. He was a football player. A rugby player. A marathoner. A personal trainer. A doctor. A family man. A father. A grad-dad. A prankster. A happy-go-lucky son-of-a-gun who St. Peter had next on after one of his colleagues flew through the doors in a basketball pick-up game and locked him out. A beer drinker. A hell raiser. A man about food, and a man about town. A three-time Olympian. A Mormon, and the great-grandson of the Mormon expedition to Salt Lake City with Brigham Young.

Most of all, he was proud to bleed the Long Beach State Black and Gold. He was a 49er to the core. A number of speakers talked about the memories they had with Doc Bailey. I thought, I never really knew who he was. But the lives he touched, the legacy he left, the trails he blazed…and over a 36-year run, too. By the time he was born, he already well over a decade into his job. That in itself shows the impact Dr. Dan Bailey had on the Beach.

Now he is in every 49er that remembers him. And he never really left. His spirit will always be alive at this university. We’ll see you soon, Dr. Dan Bailey…someday.

No hope for USA Volleyball.

The men, at least.

After sweeping the Brazilians, Puerto Rico defeats them in four games. Our Olympic run is over, god willing.

Way to have a letdown, you pricks. I'll be bloody surprised if you turds are still able to qualify after an uninspiring performance.

It was mostly a good day...

Well, I should concur that this was a good day, for the most part. A few letdowns here and there, but nothing too bad. Here is a recap of my favorite teams' recent endeavors.

SOCCER AND HOOPS TEAMS CHOKED, BUT THE REST ARE ALL RIGHT: Not a good start for Bob Nash's Bows at the Stan Sheriff Center. When you can't even get the work done against San Diego and Illinois...well, it's not a good sign. And Pinzoom Tenzing of Lahore, India, learned something after the sccer team's loss to Colorado: get better players. And schedule the Beach next year.

However, the weekend wasn't a complete failure for Hawaii. The football team capped off a succesfull road campaign thanks to Dan "The Iceman" Kelly. If the game-winning field goal against the Nevada Wolf Pack to get the 28-26 win at Mackay Stadium doesn't warrant a WAC Special Teams Player of the Week honor at the minimum, the people who make the decisions didn't see the game. Meanwhile, down in Las Cruces, Dave Shoji's Rainbow Wahine cap off a successful WAC Tournament run, going the distance to whitewash New Mexico State, 28-30, 30-20, 24-30, 30-23, and 15-11.

AND JUST WHEN IT COULDN'T GET ANY MORE WORSE FOR THE TOREROS, IT DOES: San Diego loses to UC Davis...again, 49-46. Way to close your season on the wrong note, you Alcala Park pricks!

THE WAIT ENDS FOR ONE, CONTINUES FOR ANOTHER: And the Rainmaker, Dan Monson, comes through. Long Beach State defeated Idaho State in men's basketball, 66-61, in overtime. And the College of Business Administration, with only three players, show that quantity is no match for quality, defending their Chick-Fil-A free shootout championship, scorching University College and Extension Services, 11-5. Meanwhile, the women continue their wait to break their hoodoo, after an uninspiring performance against LMU.

WATER POLO FUTILITY: Long Beach City College had a weekend from hell at the COA water polo championships in Fresno. The women will play for third place, after dropping a 12-10 decision to American River, while the men, simply...choked.

MELBOURNE, SAY IT AIN'T SO!: Oh Ernie, your days are getting numbered. Melbourne Victory lost to the Queensland Roar, 1-0. Ugh.

BUT AT LEAST THE ROOS ARE FIGHTING BACK: I still played a little Men at Work. Australia exacted revenge over Iraq after dropping their recent meeting at the Asian Cup, 2-0, while a friendly against Nigeria, gave the Soccceroos a 1-0 win.

MORE BASHING OF AFRICA: And the United States are getting themselves a nice win streak in friendlies. Put this in your Janjaweed, haters: Steve Cherundolo gave Bob Bradley's boys a 1-0 win over Bafana Bafana.

COMING DOWN THE ROAD: Forget Wellington Phoenix, the hottest football team in New Zealand is Auckland City. The boys from Kiwitea Street dismissed Otago United, 2-0, and continue their undefeated run in their league. New Zealand, in international competition, defeated Vanuatu, 2-1, and continue to put themselves in position to have a crack at Asia to qualify for South Africa 2010. Wish they faced off against Uruguay instead. Ah well. And Aldershot Town continued their pace to get to the Football League 2nd Division. Go the Shots... Hooah!

A weekend that, well, I suppose is...

Funny. This weekend was a very unusual one, in which predicatable successes are paired with unenviable futility, and everything in between.

The weekend started on Thursday. The men's water polo team nearly gave up the game against LMU. In fact, they should not have won, the price they pay for not finishing. They ended up winning...in the sixth overtime, 8-7. St. Anthony's football team dismissed St. Genevieve, and are now back in the playoffs, although the Bell-Jeff loss must have been their worse football to date since Downey Calvary Chapel and Chadwick.

Friday was an example of utter juxtaposition. Long Beach City's women's soccer team must have felt like the worst in the land, losing to Cal Poly, 2-1...on the same day that Long Beach City's women lost to Cerritos for the South Coast Conference title. That same day, Lakewood, after shutting out Wilson, edged Compton, but THEY nearly gave it away. That was juxtaposed with Long Beach State's trip from hell to Tucson, losing 7-0. The next day they would be roasted again, 5-0. Way to play uninspired hockey, Ice Dog wannabes.

Saturday was brutal...and beautiful. First, the brutality. Oh BYU. You might as well pay for the broken glass if your big men had to slam dunk the backboard like this was your arena. 74-34...and a dubious-looking tie-dye shirt. Ugh. Who even had to come up with something like this anyway!? And we won't stop there. The women's volleyball team lost the first game of the 4-game victory over Pacific, but how we lost it has be, well, agonizing. Leading very comfortably, those bloody Tigers went on a streak afterwards winning the first game, 32-30. This is Long Beach State, not Long Beach Poly.

Also, predictable came to play. At the rugby tournament on Saturday, the B-side went undefeated, while the A-side played, well, terrible.

And shocking rolled into town. A shakeup on defeats came, and poor Colt Brennan. Oh man, Marcus Riley must thank his lucky stars that a headhunting bastard like him was still in the game with 10 minutes and change left. The officials got a big, fat, F from me due to not during the right thing, and bringing out the ejection. Here's to the hope that Pinsoom Tenzing's Na Wahine can win later today in Boise against Fresno's women.

Melbourne Victory drew with Sydney, while Accrington and Aldershot stunk it up in the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round.

And I got a nice women's volleyball media guide to boot.

I am inspired.

Another article I wrote for the 49er

I wrote this one during the first issue of the 49er during the beginning of this fall semester. Feels like ages since I wrote this.

"It's in your blood."

I have been a student at Long Beach State for more than two years and, after seeing two seasons of success, big victories and bigger memories for our teams, I can be proud to say that the concept of Beach Pride is coursing through my veins.

The tradition, the history and commitment for those who believe in The Beach is something that flows in me because I believe that it plays a huge role in what this university has to offer. These are aside from, of course, a great value, great professors and an awesome drummer-turned-Associated Students, Inc. president in Mark Andrews.

For many freshmen and transfers, this may be the first newspaper you picked up or the first time you have heard of Beach Pride. Let me explain to you what Beach Pride is all about.

First, you cannot find something like this at any other university. You won't find it at any university that has a beach next to it. What other university's athletics teams have the word "Beach" in them? None! That's why you can only find Beach Pride here.

Secondly, you can find Beach Pride at work during our home athletic events. Whether it's at the pool, at George Allen Field, the softball complex, The Walter Pyramid or Blair Field, you can count on seeing your fellow students cheering for the 49ers and Dirtbags, letting out a hearty "GO BEACH!" as you step on the battlegrounds.

Finally, there are those who can feel it once they step on campus. When I transferred from Long Beach City College a few years ago, I felt great vibes, a unique air and feeling as I passed through Maxson Plaza on Beach Drive, the Friendship Walk and all over campus.

Those vibes and that air and feeling, do you know what that is? It's Beach Pride, a unique feeling you can never find anywhere else. It grows on you and never dies. And once it's in your blood, you won't want to be anyplace else.

So, on behalf of those who believe in The Beach, I welcome you to this campus. For those who are returning, welcome back. And I hope to see you at the games. Go Beach!

On the importance of Linux and Ubuntu

Another article that I wrote for the Daily 49er a while back. The recent version of Ubuntu now is Gutsy Gibbon, with Hardy Heron coming in 2008.

made a switch from Windows Vista to Ubuntu Linux on my laptop in late August. It took me a day to get used to the new controls and install the right applications. After getting the hang of it, I embraced it as if I owned my own house (which I do).

When I asked one of the staff at the College of Business Administration computer lab if he could install a link to allow my Linux laptop to print, he said, "No, we do not support Linux because Microsoft is paying us to use their products, exclusively. Our labs use only Microsoft products."

I find it galling that a computer lab at a college rated as one of the best can be so technologically one-dimensional.

It's a blatant dereliction of responsibility to students who use open-source software as an alternative to paying hundreds of dollars for an operating system that will be obsolete in a few years.

Linux and open-source software are the future of computing because you don't have to pay a single dime to download them. And the community that embraces "distros" - Linux distributions like Red Hat, Linspire and Ubuntu - is working to improve and fix any potential problems.

Why hike your phone bill to call Microsoft support when you can go to a forum and find out how to do it?

I am convinced that CSULB needs to look at these alternatives instead of being wined-and-dined by the "sugar daddies" from Microsoft. There are many companies around the world who currently reap the benefits from software they can customize to their hearts' content.

But as long as these power brokers are courting CSULB, we will be slaves to an OS that already has the world longing for freedom from its unrelenting, suffocating grasp.

It's time to reject the hegemony of Bill Gates' posse and embrace more user-friendly alternatives.

A recent article written by Lauren WIllIams

A number of weeks back, outgoing Daily 49er opinion editor Lauren Williams wrote an article about me as I was watching Long Beach State play a nonconference soccer match at George Allen Field.

A game spent with 'Superfan'

By: Lauren Williams

Posted: 9/5/07

For many a Long Beach State fan, Jo-Ryan Salazar has become quite a sight to see at games and has gained the notorious title of "Superfan." To many he's the outspoken man in the stands waving his flag, supporting LBSU at nearly every game. Although Salazar is known to most LBSU students as "Superfan," Salazar is many other things.

In addition to being one of the most enthusiastic fans in the bleachers, Salazar is a Dodgers, Angels and Galaxy fan and is fond of UCLA and USC football as well. He is a practicing Catholic, and the values of a Catholic upbringing are a part of Salazar's everyday life and influence his perspective on the outcome of games.

"I know that if it wasn't in the plan for us to win, somebody up there didn't want it that way," Salazar said.

"It can't be helped."

Salazar is also a graduating senior, who will leave LBSU this winter with a degree in systems information, and hopes to get a job in Las Vegas and live in his family home there. Salazar said he eventually wants to get a master's degree in sports management.

This weekend, I sat down with Salazar at the women's soccer game against Utah and learned about Salazar's rituals when preparing for a game, his habits at home and even his views on Iraq.

"The fact that [the game is at] at 9 a.m. is foreign," Salazar said, noting the match's early time. "It's usually around 11 a.m., but it's probably because of the Blues Festival."

Salazar arrived fully prepared, having completed his pre-game ritual.

"I had my Wheaties and Rockstar today," Salazar said. "I'm ready."

Each morning Salazar wakes up to the sound of Peedy, the parrot on his computer, saying "Rico Suave, is that you? Holy Prospector Pete, it's you! The Superfan is back! That is, Mr. Superfan again! What's up, Jo-Ryan?"

After that, he boards the Long Beach Transit routes 91 or 171 bus headed to school, and says to the driver, "When you're ready, let's roll." On game days, as he leaves, he makes sure to add, "Go Beach!"

"I always try to say thank you, a little bit of courtesy," Salazar said.

Throughout the game, Salazar cheered on the women's soccer team, often shouting "Get ready, Liz!" to Liz Ramos, the team's junior goalkeeper, whom Salazar believes to be the team's star player.

"The way these ladies are playing, they could beat (the) Galaxy," Salazar said at one point.

During the second half, when midfielder Kim Silos was injured, Salazar shouted, "Believe in yourself. This too shall pass," as she was assisted off the field. Superfan sees the game as "A metaphor - sometimes [the ball] goes in, sometimes [it] doesn't."

Salazar believes the lessons learned through sports are far-reaching and applying to all life aspects - even war.

"I don't believe in war, violence," Salazar said. "This is better than Iraq. There are no roadside bombings in soccer."

At the end of the game I finally got to see the side of Superfan that has gained him infamy - shirt off, Hanes showing, cheering at the top of his lungs.

---

© Copyright 2007 Daily 49er

God, I hate pretentious bastards.

I hate pretentious bastards. Every now and then, I have to deal with these fags.

This pretentious know-it-all from the 49er Shops Board of Directors is sitting next to me in the women's basketball scrimmage against Team Concept talking about the flaws with having a football back. The same boring drivel that has been shoved down our throats the past sixteen-something years: our university is dirt-poor when it comes to it.

The efforts to get our football team back should continue. The notion that students are going to quit trying to revive a team that can benefit from having local recruits and transfers from Long Beach City College sickens me. Also, this bastard tells me that "we don't need men's and women's swimming teams."

Even when we have a pool that hosts Big West conference championships? AND can be used for our team?

I also mentioned that we also need men's soccer team to counter our women. He again brings up the fact that we are dirt-poor when it comes to actually fund a team that can play at George Allen Field, and that we can only get our football team back if our other sports teams pull their weight. Fallacious.

As I left the game, the guy tells me, "You gotta think positive," after doing so would be moot for another three days. Patronizing bastard.

Some unfinished business?

Unfinished business indeed.

What the hell were these guys doing here?

On Friday, I was exhausted, but satisfied. I walked out of the match [if I could call it that] with the Roadrunners of Cal State Bakersfield, leaving the Walter Pyramid with a wry look on my face. As I made my way through the yellow doors, the cheerleaders asked me, "Hey Super Fan, you were awesome. There is no one one in the Big West who is as vocal as you." I should point out that the obnoxious comedy kings from Cal State Northridge came mighty close as the ladies disposed of them in a triple come-from-behind bang-bang-bang sweep the next night.

So I smiled and said, "Hey, it's not just me, ladies. It's the entire group in Section 111, and the players (save for those stiff from Cal Poly), that are the best." Section 111 in the Walter Pyramid is where the students sit. I sit in the south edge of Row A (seat 16) to allow the others to sit in the center. I told them that I would have to talk with Dr. Emyr Williams about the UNLV game (which they won, 32-14), and the scoring, and the conflict with the men's basketball game with San Francisco State. Originally, I thought it was going to be a slaughter, but it was just a unassuming 72-58 win in Dan "The Rainmaker" Monson's first outing with the Beach. At least I could rest assured that we weren't facing Florida.

As I made my was through the dark, passing by the parking structure, the trees swaying in the November wind, and the Jack Rose Track, a yoiung campus police officer inspected the scene. Apparently the lights at the track died. The officer's name was Vergel Munoz, and he was only 2 years into his job. (The chief of the division was 11+ times his senior in terms of tenure.) So, me and Vergel had a little talk about the game, what I did, and so on, but he brought up something that I wasn't expecting, but that I was glad to talk about.
When Cynthia Buggs, the daughter of Long Beach Polytechnic High School girls' basketball coach Carl Buggs, and #3 on the roster, was about to serve, I pantomimed my foam noodle like a shotgun at work during a skeet event at the Olympics. In less than a year, the Beijing Games would occur, and skeet shooting was one of the events held at the games since 1968, at the Mexico City games.

So Vergel talks about some old, insecure boosters who incorrectly corrolate my act to the Virginia Tech massacres. I maintain this view of these massacres: that was a tragic event, and a heinous act, performed in April of this year by one Cho Seung-Hui, a guy who had no direction, and had no other choice, but to blast a number of faculty and students-32 in all, before adding himself to the list.

If I had the power to talk to him about this before this all happened, AND he was willing to listen to me as if I was his conscience, I'd say, "Yo, Seung, what the hell are you doing? That's just clowning...whay are you going to throw away everything just to satisfy your own personal demons? You're a Virginia Tech Hokie. You have to take pride in your university; you need to be proud of being in a university like this. These people are your friends, your comrades to the very end. Why do you wantr to kill them?

"You can stop this, Seung. But if you're going to, you gotta do it the right way. Seek some help, say to yourself, 'What the hell am I doing? I don't need to be this way. I can choose the path that will save these 32 lives. If someone is going to try to shoot these guys down, it's not me. It will be someone who isn't from this campus, some criminal on the run, and I'd rather sacrifice my life for them, than shoot them down to get some payback that I don't even know what the purpose is.' You should make a better choice that this." More on choices later.

But it was good that he asked me. I told him that I was on my last semester, majoring in information systems. I believe that if you give the right information to the right people in the right place at the right time, it will give them the power to make the right choices and the right decisions. He was abit stunned that I didn't have a driver's license, and that I was 23 years old. Vergel was 26, and his brother works as the CBA (College of Business Administration).

I told him that Buggs sounds like Bugsy Siegel, a famous (or infamous) mobster who I remember for building the Flamingo Hotel and Casino, a Las Vegas Strip landmark. And when they think of Bugsy, they think of guns. But I stressed my take on war and violence: I don't believe in that stuff.My family doesn't believe in it. I am convinced that our war in Iraq is a meaningless cost and a waste of money. I remeber making bad decisions when I was in middle school, a long time before I got here. Eighth grade, young, didn't know any better. But when I rebounded, I was able to make more right than wrong decisions.

Finally, I told Vergel, "Look, if those guys keep thinking about that traggedy that was out of their control many months ago, and is still out of their control today, and let it be the first think they wake up to...it will happen here. Cal State Long Beach is a safe campus thanks to you. They should know that, and they should know that Super Fan told you that." I even brought up Rachelle Ang's quote to me: "At least I'm all right." I told him to tell it to them, and have them say it to themselves.

In total, we talked for about 20 minutes, and then went on our separate ways. For a while, at least until the boosters are reassured of my intentions regarding Cynthia Buggs, I will have to make a good Robin Hood-meets-William Tell impersonation. The gun became a bow and arrow. Ironically, the next day saw an archery contest take place next to the rugby field.

Personally, I was still wondering about that game. It was as if we were facing a high school or a middle school team. It was easy, maybe too easy, save for maybe the third game. I even said, "Hey guys, Bakersfield College can play better volleyball than you guys." Seems I had a point: as of November 6, Bakersfield College's Renegade volleyball team was 15-3 for the season, with three regular season games and the postseason tournaments remaining.

The coach from Bakersfield had this to say:

“They were bigger than (No. 3 ranked) Texas and as athletic as any team we faced
this season,” said CSUB Head Coach John Price. “As with all of the ranked teams
we faced this season, it took us a while to get into the match, but once we did
we were able to hang with a very good team.”

John, I tend to disagree, though the remarks were, I will admit, flattering. Texas has 8 players above 6 feet tall. We only have 5. And teams like Cal Poly, San Diego, Stanford, Washington and St. John's have proven their mettle against us. It was only till the third game that your guys were actually able to play some volleyball. We would have a game against the Renegades than you guys. Hopefully you can spice things up by getting some of Carl Ferreira's sophomores to play for your team...if you're willing to take the initiative.

Otherwise, be prepared for more of the same next year we meet. Oh, and mind the Parking Services people when you're going to park somewhere the next time you head on down the I-5 to Wally's house.

Notre Dame and Boston College, where is your God now? Ohohohohohohoooh...

And Nebraska too, I might add. And Arizona State. The Fighting Irish were leveled by Navy, 46-44, The Cornhuskers played their best game of the season, a 72-36 drubbing to Kansas. And Boston College's angels lost their wings, falling gracelessly to Florida State, 27-17. And the Sun Devils were ambushed by some Ducks from Eugene.

Meanwhile, my favorite teams were doing decently. My high school football team destroyed Wilson's homecoming, 41-0. My women's soccer team defeated Cal Poly 3-1 after playing some more uninspiring faggotry against those hated Zots. The men's water polo team actually got a win in a while against Pepperdine. The women's volleyball team disposed of Fullerton, Bakersfield, and Northridge in successive sweeps. And the men's ice hockey team took care of Arizona State's DII side in a 5-2 win on Friday. I have yet to see results from my rugby team, and the result today in ice hockey. Also, some more games are in order, with a soccer match against the Gauchos and a water polo matinee against Pomona-Pitzer.

And also, what the hell is with this message I'm seeing when I'm labeling my posts?

ERROR

Must be at most 200 characters

Up it to 1,000, you oppressors running Blogger! 200 is for grade school blogging n00bs.

The Warrior football team was off this week. And I can't believe my eyes: Long Beach City actually had a victory today in football defeating those patsies from Golden West. Stuff-all.

Saimoe 2007 Final: Rika Furude claims the title

Saimoe 2007 Final

The votes are in, and after a bitter, hotly-contested race...we have a winner at Anime Saimoe 2007.

100% precincts reporting


Nagi Sanzenin 1499









Rika Furude 1521

Rika Furude
Saimoe 2007 Champion

TOKYO, Japan - Rika Furude was sworn in as Saimoe 2007 champion, and chairwoman-elect of Alpha Nu Iota anime girls' sorority for the 2008 year. The victory brought elation and joy to the citizens of Hinamizawa City, the home town of Rika, and to those who worked at the Furude shrine in the city, bringing hugs, tears, and fireworks that blasted into the early morning.

"For me, this is a great honor to be the best in all of Japan," an emotional Furude said at a campaign rally in Hinamizawa. "I thank everyone who has helped me this campaign: Mion, Shion, Satoko, Rena, whose defeat I was able to avenge, Jun, Hanyu, and everyone else who has worked hard to get me to where I am. It's not just me: it's the entire team that has put it all together.

"For all your efforts in voting me in as Saimoe 2007 champion...free sake will be on the house for the next two weeks! Drink up! Arigato Gozaimasu!"

The people raised their sake (rice wine) cups, and shot it down, reveling in the Drunken Master's victory.

Nagi Sanzenin was gracious in defeat.

"We must not let this defeat kill us all," she said, pounding the podium at a rally at the Sanzenin mansion in Tokyo. "Furude ran a good race, and in the end, she deserved this victory. This has been a great run, and I would like to thank every one of you for getting me to where I am right now."

"You're still our number one, Ojousama (Milady)!" a tearful Hayate Ayasaki, dressed in a blue cat costume, said. The congregation agreed, to a standing ovation.

Furude will be formally sworn in as Saimoe 2007 champion during the Kohaku Uta Gassen on December 31, live on NHK., and sworn in as ANI chairwoman at midnight, January 1, at the Meiji shrine in Tokyo.

Analysis:

This is the year of drunkenness. The year of drunken masters getting their freak on. The year of mikos who are so underage that it would be a crime not to do some things that would be too graphic to say this blog. This is the year when it's June 1983 all over again, and again, and again.

I warned all you readers on this blog that conventional wisdom be a lie and a jinx, and it showed here. A close race from start to finish, but after some vote cleaning and a strong finish in the closing hours of the polls, Rika Furude, carrying the banner for When They Cry, avenged a Rena Ryuuguu loss to Nagi Sanzenin, and Suiseiseki has passed the torch to the new order.

This tournament has been unforgettable, and one that will live in the memory of those who have taken part in it. We will see you next year at Saimoe 2008, where BoBA will resume its coverage of Japan's premier anime moe competition.

In the meantime, stay tuned for more blogging from the Bedlam.

Saimoe 2007 Semifinal 2

Saimoe 2007 Semifinals 2

Ladies and gentlemen...our Saimoe 2007 final is set.

100% precincts reporting

Rika Furude 1372









Shinku 1367

Rika Furude advances to the Saimoe 2007 final, where she will face Nagi Sanzenin.

Analysis:

A close, hard fought semifinal, but Rika was able to muster enough votes at the end. This year's Saimoe 2007 final will pit a tsundere troublemaker in Nagi Sanzenin against a level five fighter in Rika Furude. It will be a great finale in this Saimoe 2007 tournament. You don't want to miss it.

Voting begins at 12:00 Japan time on November 3, and November at 8:00 a.m. PST, 11:00 a.m. EST, and 4:00 p.m. GMT. Vote at http://animemoe.hp.infoseek.co.jp.

On Rascal’s Teriyaki Grill

I had just finished my IS 380 midterm, which focused on Normalization, basic SQL inputs, and relational fluff. IS 380 is a course I had to retake this semester, mainly because I flunked the semester project in the Spring. My main goal this Fall was to redeem for my shortcoming in the project. That is the product of wasteful time management, to keep a long story short. I had snacked on some chocolate treats: brownies that Tina of Disabled Student Services baked for the folks there, as well as a Palmer chocolate, a Snickers, a Twix, a fudge eyeball or two, a CRUNCH bar, and so on. I went over to the Beach Pride Center to redeem a ticket that saw the women’s volleyball team dismiss Fullerton in a hurry, and then straddled over to the Walter Pyramid to the sounds of Oingo Boingo’s “Little Girls” to fill out an application for the Monson Maniacs, and drop in $5.00 dues. My apologies to whomever I asked for the extra buck. I originally said that I was going to use it for printing, but it went to another cause. At least she can rest assured that it will stay on campus. Call it a serendipital good deed.

All of a sudden, my mind wandered off to a place I had never been before. Before the match with Fullerton, some representative from Rascal’s Teriyaki Grill handed me a coupon for a free chicken bowl or small chicken salad. With plenty of time to spare before the next class, I took the Passport D to Rascal’s, located near the corner of Bellflower and Atherton. Now this Rascal’s was actually a small franchise. The Kiyomine brothers founded Rascal’s about a couple decades ago, give or take, in a small yogurt shop in Gardena. As the waves of time passed, eventually what used to be another establishment on the same spot became Rascal’s Long Beach.

As I passed through the doors, one of the attendants there recognized me. I decided to go for the chicken bowl, because it would fill me up and hold me down a bit longer. As I looked around the restaurant (which I classify as fast-casual, along the lines of Chipotle [owned by McDonald’s, as my friend Ian of my university’s anime club pointed out]), I took photos of recent articles about this Rascal’s branch, and savored their teriyaki chicken bowl dish. I quickly approved of it, as ESPN talked about Joe Torre, and future Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Brett Favre, and the upcoming football game between Arizona State and Oregon, and a meaningless rally down in Denver (I mean, who would want to hold a rally for a team that didn’t stand a chance against the curse-free Red Sox? I’d save the money used for the rally for finding quality talent…somewhere).

By the way, Gardena was where my big sister took me a few months ago. I was able to buy a Galaxy Angel doujinshi collection, along with the usual Pocky boxes, and maybe a daifuku or two. God bless that Marukai.

As I left, I saw a tree riding a bicycle. Actually, it was a guy dressed as a tree with a pie tin for a hat wearing a bicycle. I just had to laugh like the mad scientist I was in my 666^th life. It was Halloween, after all.