I agree with the numerous commentators who think San Diego State will beat Tennessee in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday, and here's why. Familiarity. The Volunteers play nearly the same style as SDSU and other teams the Aztecs have played -- and defeated -- recently, like New Mexico and UNLV. They play well against similar teams. If they do win, they'll hang with Georgetown Saturday in Round 2 for the same reason.
Tennessee players appear to be struggling mentally more than physically right now, and if we get deep into the second half and SDSU is still hanging around, give the Aztecs the advantage. The Aztecs won their Mountain West Tournament games by 1, 3 and 10 points -- the latter of which saw the winners pull away with late free throws. The Vols haven't played a really tight game since getting past Florida 61-60 in Knoxville -- in January. Most of their margins up or down have been near or at double-digits. The Aztecs will likely have the Providence crowd on their side as the underdogs if they're close or ahead at the end.
If you want an early clue to how things might work out Thursday night, flip on Channel 8 in the morning and catch BYU-Florida. Same conferences as SDSU-Tenn. and the seeding is more favorable to the Cougars. If the MWC can hang with the SEC, we'll know by lunchtime.
---
Don't go by my Final Four: Kansas, Baylor, BYU and West Virginia, with the Jayhawks beating the Mountaineers for all the marbles. I didn't plan it with a bunch of upsets, its just how things worked out. I'm sure the only one of the four who will make it is KU.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Give a Ram a Hug, LT
A lot of people had a hand in San Diego State's MWC men's basketball championship over the weekend: Steve Fisher with brilliant coaching, DJ Gay running the point for 119 of 120 minutes and making key shots at the end of games, Billy White for exploding on New Mexico and Kawhi Leonard for grabbing every rebound in sight.
But maybe none of the fun would have happened without the Colorado State Rams, who fell to SDSU 72-71 in the opening round on Thursday. That game was war, a bruising struggle filled with elbows, fists and body blows. It nearly worked for CSU, which had several chances to win in the final seconds. The Aztecs moved on with Gay's heroics to Friday's win over New Mexico and Saturday's championship conquest of tournament host UNLV.
The CSU game was a wake-up call for the Red & Black and they clearly got the message. When the next two games got rough and the opponents made runs, the Aztecs had something in reserve. They weren't shocked when other teams tried to impose their will on them and each time they turned back the challenge.
Now SDSU goes to Providence, RI, to take on Tennessee in the first round of the Big Dance -- a game created by a mockery of seeding that saw the value of both teams knocked down by several spots. The Aztecs will face a mirror image with an orange tinge, Volunteers who depended on athleticism and rebounding to win 25 games this season. If the Aztecs somehow win their first NCAA Tournament game, they will probably face Georgetown, another team similar in style.
Based on the past weekend, I'm convinced that Fisher will have the Aztecs mentally ready. My only concerns are physical: whether the injuries the players overcame in Las Vegas will catch up to them on the East Coast, and whether the fate of basketball will choose Thursday to give them a bad shooting game.
The week ahead should be fun. The weekend now passed was a blast, thanks in part to Colorado State.
---
LaDainian Tomlinson, who expressed a desire when released last month by the Chargers to play in the Super Bowl, may have taken a major step in fulfilling his wish by signing a two-year contract with the Jets on Sunday. It appeared to come down to the Jets and Vikings, and he apparently decided that New York is closer to taking the final step. I think he is right. I'm not sure quarterback Mark Sanchez will be ready in his second NFL season to lead a team all the way, but in his third year you have to think it's a distinct possibility.
---
Following up on my pre-season college baseball comments a few weeks ago, it should be noted that SDSU is 6-10 with a paltry .250 batting average. They've nearly been doubled up in home runs and doubles, and the opponents' slugging percentage is nearly 100 percentage points higher.
USD is a mediocre 9-8 but as a team is hitting nearly .300, far higher than opponents, and are out-slugging the other teams.
It could be that both teams will need to win conference automatic bids to make the NCAA Regionals this spring.
---
Going SDSU-heavy on this post, but there are reports around that DB DeyJuan Hemmings suffered a serious leg injury at a spring practice scrimmage on Saturday. Either a dislocated foot or broken leg -- or both. He was one of the best players in the secondary last fall.
But maybe none of the fun would have happened without the Colorado State Rams, who fell to SDSU 72-71 in the opening round on Thursday. That game was war, a bruising struggle filled with elbows, fists and body blows. It nearly worked for CSU, which had several chances to win in the final seconds. The Aztecs moved on with Gay's heroics to Friday's win over New Mexico and Saturday's championship conquest of tournament host UNLV.
The CSU game was a wake-up call for the Red & Black and they clearly got the message. When the next two games got rough and the opponents made runs, the Aztecs had something in reserve. They weren't shocked when other teams tried to impose their will on them and each time they turned back the challenge.
Now SDSU goes to Providence, RI, to take on Tennessee in the first round of the Big Dance -- a game created by a mockery of seeding that saw the value of both teams knocked down by several spots. The Aztecs will face a mirror image with an orange tinge, Volunteers who depended on athleticism and rebounding to win 25 games this season. If the Aztecs somehow win their first NCAA Tournament game, they will probably face Georgetown, another team similar in style.
Based on the past weekend, I'm convinced that Fisher will have the Aztecs mentally ready. My only concerns are physical: whether the injuries the players overcame in Las Vegas will catch up to them on the East Coast, and whether the fate of basketball will choose Thursday to give them a bad shooting game.
The week ahead should be fun. The weekend now passed was a blast, thanks in part to Colorado State.
---
LaDainian Tomlinson, who expressed a desire when released last month by the Chargers to play in the Super Bowl, may have taken a major step in fulfilling his wish by signing a two-year contract with the Jets on Sunday. It appeared to come down to the Jets and Vikings, and he apparently decided that New York is closer to taking the final step. I think he is right. I'm not sure quarterback Mark Sanchez will be ready in his second NFL season to lead a team all the way, but in his third year you have to think it's a distinct possibility.
---
Following up on my pre-season college baseball comments a few weeks ago, it should be noted that SDSU is 6-10 with a paltry .250 batting average. They've nearly been doubled up in home runs and doubles, and the opponents' slugging percentage is nearly 100 percentage points higher.
USD is a mediocre 9-8 but as a team is hitting nearly .300, far higher than opponents, and are out-slugging the other teams.
It could be that both teams will need to win conference automatic bids to make the NCAA Regionals this spring.
---
Going SDSU-heavy on this post, but there are reports around that DB DeyJuan Hemmings suffered a serious leg injury at a spring practice scrimmage on Saturday. Either a dislocated foot or broken leg -- or both. He was one of the best players in the secondary last fall.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Good Times and Bad Times for SDSU, USD Hoops
When San Diego State's men's basketball program went into the Mountain West Conference Tournament in 2002, the way was cleared for an Aztecs' title so much that it was like some god of hoops raised a hand to wave them through. It was the first of two MWC Tournament titles in coach Steve Fisher's 11 years, and a third is possible this week.
Before the 2002 MWC tourney, I wrote that SDSU was going to win it strictly because of the way the matchups lined up. Everything was favorable, so it wasn't like I had special insight or was going out on a major limb.
I wouldn't say things are quite that good for the Aztecs this time around because the conference as a whole is much better now, neight years later. However, the matchups again are breaking SDSU's way.
Colorado State and Utah played Saturday night in their regular season finales, and the winner would be seeded in the slot opposite Fisher's crew. The Aztecs downed the Rams twice by double-digit scores. They also swept the Utes, but one game went to overtime and the other was very close until the final minute. It was best SDSU for CSU to beat the Utes and they did.
The seeding process worked out to where if the Aztecs advance to the semifinals, they'd play New Mexico, not BYU. They beat the Lobos once and took them to OT in The Pit. As good as the eighth-ranked Lobos are, SDSU matches up with them better than the Cougars.
The other semifinal would, most likely, be BYU-UNLV. The Cougars routed SDSU in Provo and won in Viejas Arena. Tough match. But BYU doesn't do well against UNLV so might not even make the final. There's the big news -- a UNLV-SDSU championship would bode better for the Aztecs than a match vs. BYU. The Aztecs split with the Rebels this year.
So we'll see how it goes this week. I'm not going to predict anything, and I still am in no way excited about being a "last four in" team because there will be tournament upsets in other conferences. SDSU has to win three straight this week to make the Big Dance. A lot has to happen for the Aztecs to get there, but much in their favor has broken their way already.
---
Things clearly aren’t so good across Mission Valley, where USD suffered 20 losses in Bill Grier’s third season as coach. I think it’s fair now to ask how much slack the guy deserves after simply winning one NCAA Tournament game. That was a long time ago now, especially in the "win today" time frame of big-time college sports.
I have two problems with the status of USD men’s basketball.
The first is a bad last impression. Sure, every team but two – the NCAA and NIT winners – will complete their seasons with a loss, but you want to leave the overall impression that things will be even better next year. At SDSU, even if they only make the NIT, you have to like their chances next season with nearly everyone coming back. That’s not the case at USD, where their only good players are two guards who won’t return. The underclassmen simply aren’t impressive and don’t have fans breathlessly awaiting the 2010-11 campaign.
The second is that Grier is not recruiting well. It’s not just that he isn't getting good players. The problem is the players he has recruited are not as good as those brought in by predecessor Brad Holland. I’m a shameless Holland-honk, I admit it. The guy did a great job with few resources at his disposal, and he was able to get a lot of good basketball players to go to the little school on the hill. There are no players of the ability of an Andre Laws or Roy Morris on the roster coming back next season.
There’s the rub. Holland was fired to pave the way for Grier. The successor has had two bad years after his spectacular first season. My question is how many more years does the March win over UConn buy? I’d say one more to give him a chance to recruit better players and prove to us that he can turn the ship around. If in March 2011, no matter the record, we’re excited about the Toreros’ prospects the next season, then fine. If not, then some USD administrators are going to have to swallow their pride and admit their mistake.
Before the 2002 MWC tourney, I wrote that SDSU was going to win it strictly because of the way the matchups lined up. Everything was favorable, so it wasn't like I had special insight or was going out on a major limb.
I wouldn't say things are quite that good for the Aztecs this time around because the conference as a whole is much better now, neight years later. However, the matchups again are breaking SDSU's way.
Colorado State and Utah played Saturday night in their regular season finales, and the winner would be seeded in the slot opposite Fisher's crew. The Aztecs downed the Rams twice by double-digit scores. They also swept the Utes, but one game went to overtime and the other was very close until the final minute. It was best SDSU for CSU to beat the Utes and they did.
The seeding process worked out to where if the Aztecs advance to the semifinals, they'd play New Mexico, not BYU. They beat the Lobos once and took them to OT in The Pit. As good as the eighth-ranked Lobos are, SDSU matches up with them better than the Cougars.
The other semifinal would, most likely, be BYU-UNLV. The Cougars routed SDSU in Provo and won in Viejas Arena. Tough match. But BYU doesn't do well against UNLV so might not even make the final. There's the big news -- a UNLV-SDSU championship would bode better for the Aztecs than a match vs. BYU. The Aztecs split with the Rebels this year.
So we'll see how it goes this week. I'm not going to predict anything, and I still am in no way excited about being a "last four in" team because there will be tournament upsets in other conferences. SDSU has to win three straight this week to make the Big Dance. A lot has to happen for the Aztecs to get there, but much in their favor has broken their way already.
---
Things clearly aren’t so good across Mission Valley, where USD suffered 20 losses in Bill Grier’s third season as coach. I think it’s fair now to ask how much slack the guy deserves after simply winning one NCAA Tournament game. That was a long time ago now, especially in the "win today" time frame of big-time college sports.
I have two problems with the status of USD men’s basketball.
The first is a bad last impression. Sure, every team but two – the NCAA and NIT winners – will complete their seasons with a loss, but you want to leave the overall impression that things will be even better next year. At SDSU, even if they only make the NIT, you have to like their chances next season with nearly everyone coming back. That’s not the case at USD, where their only good players are two guards who won’t return. The underclassmen simply aren’t impressive and don’t have fans breathlessly awaiting the 2010-11 campaign.
The second is that Grier is not recruiting well. It’s not just that he isn't getting good players. The problem is the players he has recruited are not as good as those brought in by predecessor Brad Holland. I’m a shameless Holland-honk, I admit it. The guy did a great job with few resources at his disposal, and he was able to get a lot of good basketball players to go to the little school on the hill. There are no players of the ability of an Andre Laws or Roy Morris on the roster coming back next season.
There’s the rub. Holland was fired to pave the way for Grier. The successor has had two bad years after his spectacular first season. My question is how many more years does the March win over UConn buy? I’d say one more to give him a chance to recruit better players and prove to us that he can turn the ship around. If in March 2011, no matter the record, we’re excited about the Toreros’ prospects the next season, then fine. If not, then some USD administrators are going to have to swallow their pride and admit their mistake.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Jamal Williams, Chris Young, March Questions
No, the Chargers first round draft pick this spring won't be a running back. That's the old way of thinking. The new concept is this: a great big strong defensive tackle. That came about when General Manager AJ Smith had a change of heart and decided to release veteran Jamal Williams Thursday and protect Darren Sproles.
Williams plugged the middle of the Chargers defensive line for most of 12 years, though he did sustain injuries here and there of the sort one would expect from someone doing battle in the NFL's rugged trenches. The end became apparent last season when he was injured in the season-opener in Oakland and missed the rest of the year. It used to be easy to predict the Bolts' fortune. If Williams was healthy, the defense was good and they won. If Williams was watching from the sidelines, the stoppers couldn't stop anyone and they lost. The 2009 season was different in that, after a couple early stumbles, Smith came up with the revolving "stop gap" and the Chargers defense ended up being pretty good without Williams -- and the Chargers won a lot in the regular season.
The rotation that worked on the front wall was no permanent solution, however, so the Chargers powers-that-be either had to determine whether Williams would return to health or if it was time to move on. The answer is now the latter.
Strangely enough, we could go into the 2010 season with Williams wearing powder blue and Sproles playing elsewhere. Smith reportedly didn't rule out re-signing his nose tackle later in the off-season. Also, the protection on Sproles only allows them to match another team's offer -- it doesn't guarantee that they will if actually faced with such a situation.
So say goodbye to Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer as the ball-carrier of the future. Say hello to a defensive tackle.
That opens a whole 'nuther possibility -- that Smith will package LB Shawne Merriman and someone else into a package deal to move into the top five of the draft and get one of the real big-time interior linemen. We'd sniffle a little less at the loss of Williams if that happened.
---
Chris Young's stat line in one inning on the mound in the Padres' spring opener against the Mariners doesn't look like much, but the fact that he was happy with the way his arm felt was good news. Young, if my memory serves, never fared well in Arizona in March. I won't be too concerned about production for another couple starts.
---
If someone comes to you excitedly and says some bracketologist just included San Diego State's men's basketball team in their "last four in," don't listen to them. To me, "last four in" is the equivalent of "those four that will get knocked down to the NIT when also-rans start winning conference tournaments." I know some of those guys who make such picks have four entrants from the Mountain West, but its simply not going to happen. The Aztecs simply have to win the conference tournament. Now that could happen.
Williams plugged the middle of the Chargers defensive line for most of 12 years, though he did sustain injuries here and there of the sort one would expect from someone doing battle in the NFL's rugged trenches. The end became apparent last season when he was injured in the season-opener in Oakland and missed the rest of the year. It used to be easy to predict the Bolts' fortune. If Williams was healthy, the defense was good and they won. If Williams was watching from the sidelines, the stoppers couldn't stop anyone and they lost. The 2009 season was different in that, after a couple early stumbles, Smith came up with the revolving "stop gap" and the Chargers defense ended up being pretty good without Williams -- and the Chargers won a lot in the regular season.
The rotation that worked on the front wall was no permanent solution, however, so the Chargers powers-that-be either had to determine whether Williams would return to health or if it was time to move on. The answer is now the latter.
Strangely enough, we could go into the 2010 season with Williams wearing powder blue and Sproles playing elsewhere. Smith reportedly didn't rule out re-signing his nose tackle later in the off-season. Also, the protection on Sproles only allows them to match another team's offer -- it doesn't guarantee that they will if actually faced with such a situation.
So say goodbye to Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer as the ball-carrier of the future. Say hello to a defensive tackle.
That opens a whole 'nuther possibility -- that Smith will package LB Shawne Merriman and someone else into a package deal to move into the top five of the draft and get one of the real big-time interior linemen. We'd sniffle a little less at the loss of Williams if that happened.
---
Chris Young's stat line in one inning on the mound in the Padres' spring opener against the Mariners doesn't look like much, but the fact that he was happy with the way his arm felt was good news. Young, if my memory serves, never fared well in Arizona in March. I won't be too concerned about production for another couple starts.
---
If someone comes to you excitedly and says some bracketologist just included San Diego State's men's basketball team in their "last four in," don't listen to them. To me, "last four in" is the equivalent of "those four that will get knocked down to the NIT when also-rans start winning conference tournaments." I know some of those guys who make such picks have four entrants from the Mountain West, but its simply not going to happen. The Aztecs simply have to win the conference tournament. Now that could happen.
Monday, February 22, 2010
LT's Quick Release, Fisher's Coaching
It's done, LT is gone.
As I suspected, the Chargers moved quickly to release LaDainian Tomlinson, letting him go Monday, barely two weeks after the Super Bowl. The Bolts front office had every reason to wait and try to get a late-round draft pick or some other player for him in a trade, but those post-season comments that took back everything he'd said previously forced their hand. The move had to be made sooner rather than later.
The bitterest pill is sometimes the best. Both sides can move on. The Chargers can scout college ball-carriers and Tomlinson will have plenty of time to look for a new employer. Making the move now prevents the hard feelings that could develop if the episode were to drag out. When the time does come, Tomlinson will have no qualms retiring and entering the Hall of Fame as a Charger.
Otherwise, Chargers fans should be grateful that this talented player and special person spent nine seasons here, sharing himself with the fans and the community at-large. Hopes for the best for him in the future.
---
I have no idea if San Diego State's mens basketball team will win at BYU Wednesday or make the NCAA Tournament, but I will go out on a limb and say that this season has been Steve Fisher's best coaching job in his 11 years at SDSU. For him to mold three high-profile transfers who were disgruntled at their former schools, two major high school recruits and a couple of holdovers into a quality team as quickly as he has is an amazing piece of work.
Former Pepperdine players Malcom Thomas and Tyrone Shelley came here believing they were huge stars who would carry the team. Heck, Thomas was even tempted to try to take a shot at the NBA. Shelley always had the "big scorer" rep but came into the season injured and lost his shooting touch. To mold those egos into a team concept and to give each of them a role has taken time, but the work has paid off. Brian Carlwell from Illinois didn't have the ego but has been a vocal team leader who has clearly helped with his teammates' transition. Fisher also allowed freshman Kawhi Leonard to become a star and fellow first-year player Chase Tapley to be a solid contributor.
Add to all that DJ Gay taking the point after spending most of his first two seasons as a 2-guard. The transition was rough at times, but since about mid-January he's been effective.
The Aztecs now have a chance to beat BYU and a solid shot at the Big Dance. I don't know if they'll accomplish one or the other, or hopefully both, but the idea that both are within their grasp is solid evidence of the quality of Fisher's work.
As I suspected, the Chargers moved quickly to release LaDainian Tomlinson, letting him go Monday, barely two weeks after the Super Bowl. The Bolts front office had every reason to wait and try to get a late-round draft pick or some other player for him in a trade, but those post-season comments that took back everything he'd said previously forced their hand. The move had to be made sooner rather than later.
The bitterest pill is sometimes the best. Both sides can move on. The Chargers can scout college ball-carriers and Tomlinson will have plenty of time to look for a new employer. Making the move now prevents the hard feelings that could develop if the episode were to drag out. When the time does come, Tomlinson will have no qualms retiring and entering the Hall of Fame as a Charger.
Otherwise, Chargers fans should be grateful that this talented player and special person spent nine seasons here, sharing himself with the fans and the community at-large. Hopes for the best for him in the future.
---
I have no idea if San Diego State's mens basketball team will win at BYU Wednesday or make the NCAA Tournament, but I will go out on a limb and say that this season has been Steve Fisher's best coaching job in his 11 years at SDSU. For him to mold three high-profile transfers who were disgruntled at their former schools, two major high school recruits and a couple of holdovers into a quality team as quickly as he has is an amazing piece of work.
Former Pepperdine players Malcom Thomas and Tyrone Shelley came here believing they were huge stars who would carry the team. Heck, Thomas was even tempted to try to take a shot at the NBA. Shelley always had the "big scorer" rep but came into the season injured and lost his shooting touch. To mold those egos into a team concept and to give each of them a role has taken time, but the work has paid off. Brian Carlwell from Illinois didn't have the ego but has been a vocal team leader who has clearly helped with his teammates' transition. Fisher also allowed freshman Kawhi Leonard to become a star and fellow first-year player Chase Tapley to be a solid contributor.
Add to all that DJ Gay taking the point after spending most of his first two seasons as a 2-guard. The transition was rough at times, but since about mid-January he's been effective.
The Aztecs now have a chance to beat BYU and a solid shot at the Big Dance. I don't know if they'll accomplish one or the other, or hopefully both, but the idea that both are within their grasp is solid evidence of the quality of Fisher's work.
Friday, February 19, 2010
College Baseball Starts, Padres, Olympics
My statement to Rich Hill and Tony Gwynn is: "Now show me what you got."
The head coaches of the two major local college baseball teams at USD and San Diego State have something to prove as their seasons get underway Friday. For Hill and his Toreros, the question is whether they can reclaim the mantle after an injury-ruined 2009? For Gwynn and the Aztecs, the issue is whether there is any staying power after making the NCAA playoffs for the first time in 18 years.
College baseball can be a tough sport to scout, so I can't sit here and write that I know the answers. Let others do the talking:
-- Collegiate Baseball has USD ranked 24th nationally in its preseason Top 40, with no West Coast Conference rivals ahead of the Toreros. SDSU is in "others receiving votes," well below Number 15 TCU.
-- Baseball America has the Toreros 19th and SDSU unranked in its preseason Top 25. Even scarier for the Aztecs, TCU is 11th in this publication.
-- In conference predictions by coaches and media, USD was picked first in the WCC and SDSU third in the Mountain West behind TCU and New Mexico.
Clearly, the experts believe Hill has a better chance of overcoming last year's obstacles than Gwynn does of making it to another regional. Part of Gwynn's trouble, of course, is losing pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg. But he also lost his two other weekend starters.
Both are undertaking the interesting experiment of converting all-star closers to Friday starters: Hill with Grossmont High alum AJ Griffin and Gwynn with Addison Reed. Think trying to make Heath Bell a starting pitcher and that's what you have. It'll be interesting to see if those moves work out, and whether either of these programs still have something in the tank.
---
Ah, pitchers and catchers report for pro baseball's spring training. It's a wonderful time of year.
One of the really interesting guys to watch in Peoria this year will be Lance Zawadzki, the big-hit no-field former Aztecs second baseman who batted .289 for AA San Antonio in 2009. He's the type of kid who will rip the ball in exhibition games and make you think really hard when the final cuts come down. I'm not sure he's built for Petco Park, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him as part of a trade package for another quality player who is a better fit.
I only see one available spot for Padres position players, and that will probably be filled by bench veteran Matt Stairs, unless he shows he's done. If that happens, another interesting name is OF Aaron Cunningham, who enjoyed cups of coffee with Oakland in 2008 and 2009.
---
Curious how TV ratings for the Olympics zoomed up after the Opening Ceremonies. We like the competition, I suppose, even in warm San Diego. Just about everyone I know is talking about the Winter Games. So far, I think my favorite part was watching Lindsay Vonn winning gold in the women's downhill after so many competitors crashed. It was kind of like watching NASCAR, but thankfully no one was hurt.
I think the story of these games might end up being how we're pushing the limits of the events, particularly for the women. You look at the speed of the luge run, the crashes in the downhill and even some of the accidents in the women's half-pipe, and it makes you wonder whether we humans are capable of much more.
---
I didn't watch the Tiger Woods news conference. So he apologized. Who cares what he has to say, really? What he does over the next few months or even years is what counts. It's like politicians. What they say in their speeches is almost irrelevant, it's their actions that are important. I want to see how Woods conducts himself. Over the course of time, perhaps many years, we'll be able to judge whether his affairs describe the true Tiger Woods or proved to be a youthful indiscretion.
The head coaches of the two major local college baseball teams at USD and San Diego State have something to prove as their seasons get underway Friday. For Hill and his Toreros, the question is whether they can reclaim the mantle after an injury-ruined 2009? For Gwynn and the Aztecs, the issue is whether there is any staying power after making the NCAA playoffs for the first time in 18 years.
College baseball can be a tough sport to scout, so I can't sit here and write that I know the answers. Let others do the talking:
-- Collegiate Baseball has USD ranked 24th nationally in its preseason Top 40, with no West Coast Conference rivals ahead of the Toreros. SDSU is in "others receiving votes," well below Number 15 TCU.
-- Baseball America has the Toreros 19th and SDSU unranked in its preseason Top 25. Even scarier for the Aztecs, TCU is 11th in this publication.
-- In conference predictions by coaches and media, USD was picked first in the WCC and SDSU third in the Mountain West behind TCU and New Mexico.
Clearly, the experts believe Hill has a better chance of overcoming last year's obstacles than Gwynn does of making it to another regional. Part of Gwynn's trouble, of course, is losing pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg. But he also lost his two other weekend starters.
Both are undertaking the interesting experiment of converting all-star closers to Friday starters: Hill with Grossmont High alum AJ Griffin and Gwynn with Addison Reed. Think trying to make Heath Bell a starting pitcher and that's what you have. It'll be interesting to see if those moves work out, and whether either of these programs still have something in the tank.
---
Ah, pitchers and catchers report for pro baseball's spring training. It's a wonderful time of year.
One of the really interesting guys to watch in Peoria this year will be Lance Zawadzki, the big-hit no-field former Aztecs second baseman who batted .289 for AA San Antonio in 2009. He's the type of kid who will rip the ball in exhibition games and make you think really hard when the final cuts come down. I'm not sure he's built for Petco Park, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him as part of a trade package for another quality player who is a better fit.
I only see one available spot for Padres position players, and that will probably be filled by bench veteran Matt Stairs, unless he shows he's done. If that happens, another interesting name is OF Aaron Cunningham, who enjoyed cups of coffee with Oakland in 2008 and 2009.
---
Curious how TV ratings for the Olympics zoomed up after the Opening Ceremonies. We like the competition, I suppose, even in warm San Diego. Just about everyone I know is talking about the Winter Games. So far, I think my favorite part was watching Lindsay Vonn winning gold in the women's downhill after so many competitors crashed. It was kind of like watching NASCAR, but thankfully no one was hurt.
I think the story of these games might end up being how we're pushing the limits of the events, particularly for the women. You look at the speed of the luge run, the crashes in the downhill and even some of the accidents in the women's half-pipe, and it makes you wonder whether we humans are capable of much more.
---
I didn't watch the Tiger Woods news conference. So he apologized. Who cares what he has to say, really? What he does over the next few months or even years is what counts. It's like politicians. What they say in their speeches is almost irrelevant, it's their actions that are important. I want to see how Woods conducts himself. Over the course of time, perhaps many years, we'll be able to judge whether his affairs describe the true Tiger Woods or proved to be a youthful indiscretion.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Olympics, Aztecs Basketball
I enjoy the Olympics, not so much because I'm so interested in the Nordic Combined but to provide something to watch on television's vast wasteland at the end of the evening. I actually prefer the winter games because of the unusual sports I usually don't see. That made it curious to me that early TV ratings of the Vancouver games have been so poor in Sun Belt cities like San Diego. The difference is what makes it interesting.
True, the Summer Olympics are far more San Diego-oriented than their cold-weather counterparts. Ya gotta figure there will always be some locals in water polo and beach volleyball. So it was pretty humorous last week to read in the newspaper the local connections among the U.S. athletes in BC to compete for gold. We all know about Shaun White Inc., headquartered in Carlsbad. That figure skater Rachel Flatt to this day lists Del Mar as her hometown, despite not residing here for ages, gives her a strong connection that she created herself. Everything else is a reach. Alpine skier Bodie Miller is not of the local foothills community of Alpine, but he has a child in Escondido. Fellow Alpine skier Lindsay Vonn's sister attends USD. A couple other folks have toured the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista and a few more have vacationed here and tried a fish taco.
I'm taking perverse pleasure in the lack of snow and other weather-related problems at Cypress Mountain and Whistler. As much as I enjoy the competition and the dedicated athletes, I can't stand the self-absorbed Olympic officials. Something going wrong allows me to tweak them a little bit, and God knows they're deserving. I hope it snows like crazy soon, anyway, because I do want to see a legitimate downhill.
Have you ever done this, think of how San Diego could host a Summer Olympics, and which venues could hold which sports? It won't happen in an official manner until 2024 at the earliest. London is next in 2012 and Rio de Janiero in 2016. Rumor has it that Africa is next. With a new stadium for the Chargers, it could be done. The problem would be housing the athletes. The venues would be here, and while small, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the money is getting so big that we'll be seeing scaled-down games in the future. Those TV ratings might be an earlier indicator.
No way it'll happen, of course, but it's kind of fun to think about. City officials are putting their eggs in the basket of soccer's World Cup. That's still our planet's biggest international athletic competition.
---
We learned two important things in Saturday's 10-point win by San Diego State's men's basketball team over UNLV.
1. SDSU can win the Mountain West Conference Tournament next month. Let's face it, we didn't know that before. They were close to BYU at home and New Mexico on the road but didn't get over the top on either one. Now the Aztecs look like an improving ballclub, especially with F Billy White appearing to be healthy again. Pitch in G DJ Gay finally finding comfort at the point and freshman F Kawhi Leonard aiming for the All-MWC first team and you really have something.
2. If they fall short in the conference tourney, which I think they need to win to get to the NCAA Tournament, they might have made their case for a second-straight top-seed in the NIT. Yeah, yeah, that little dance, not the big one. For something like the fourth year in a row. But don't discount the NIT this year because it could be a lot of fun. The bracket could include a pair of Pac-10 teams that never want to play SDSU at Viejas, USC and UCLA. They might be forced to come here and if they do, the Aztecs will beat them into a pulp. That would be a lot of fun to watch even if its only a consolation.
BTW, there's very little chance the Mountain West will get more than three teams in the NCAA Tournament. BYU and New Mexico are locks if they continue to win at their current rate. UNLV is more likely than SDSU because of quality non-conference victories. Many of the so-called experts who predict the NCAA brackets have only one Pac-10 team getting in. I say that based on last year's disappointing experience, there will be no way that the selection committee gives the MWC more entries than the Pac-10, which will get Cal and the two best finishers between Arizona, Arizona State and Washington. An also-ran winning their post-season tournament, like USC did last year, would roil the waters and guarantee three spots. It's all about money for the big conferences.
True, the Summer Olympics are far more San Diego-oriented than their cold-weather counterparts. Ya gotta figure there will always be some locals in water polo and beach volleyball. So it was pretty humorous last week to read in the newspaper the local connections among the U.S. athletes in BC to compete for gold. We all know about Shaun White Inc., headquartered in Carlsbad. That figure skater Rachel Flatt to this day lists Del Mar as her hometown, despite not residing here for ages, gives her a strong connection that she created herself. Everything else is a reach. Alpine skier Bodie Miller is not of the local foothills community of Alpine, but he has a child in Escondido. Fellow Alpine skier Lindsay Vonn's sister attends USD. A couple other folks have toured the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista and a few more have vacationed here and tried a fish taco.
I'm taking perverse pleasure in the lack of snow and other weather-related problems at Cypress Mountain and Whistler. As much as I enjoy the competition and the dedicated athletes, I can't stand the self-absorbed Olympic officials. Something going wrong allows me to tweak them a little bit, and God knows they're deserving. I hope it snows like crazy soon, anyway, because I do want to see a legitimate downhill.
Have you ever done this, think of how San Diego could host a Summer Olympics, and which venues could hold which sports? It won't happen in an official manner until 2024 at the earliest. London is next in 2012 and Rio de Janiero in 2016. Rumor has it that Africa is next. With a new stadium for the Chargers, it could be done. The problem would be housing the athletes. The venues would be here, and while small, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the money is getting so big that we'll be seeing scaled-down games in the future. Those TV ratings might be an earlier indicator.
No way it'll happen, of course, but it's kind of fun to think about. City officials are putting their eggs in the basket of soccer's World Cup. That's still our planet's biggest international athletic competition.
---
We learned two important things in Saturday's 10-point win by San Diego State's men's basketball team over UNLV.
1. SDSU can win the Mountain West Conference Tournament next month. Let's face it, we didn't know that before. They were close to BYU at home and New Mexico on the road but didn't get over the top on either one. Now the Aztecs look like an improving ballclub, especially with F Billy White appearing to be healthy again. Pitch in G DJ Gay finally finding comfort at the point and freshman F Kawhi Leonard aiming for the All-MWC first team and you really have something.
2. If they fall short in the conference tourney, which I think they need to win to get to the NCAA Tournament, they might have made their case for a second-straight top-seed in the NIT. Yeah, yeah, that little dance, not the big one. For something like the fourth year in a row. But don't discount the NIT this year because it could be a lot of fun. The bracket could include a pair of Pac-10 teams that never want to play SDSU at Viejas, USC and UCLA. They might be forced to come here and if they do, the Aztecs will beat them into a pulp. That would be a lot of fun to watch even if its only a consolation.
BTW, there's very little chance the Mountain West will get more than three teams in the NCAA Tournament. BYU and New Mexico are locks if they continue to win at their current rate. UNLV is more likely than SDSU because of quality non-conference victories. Many of the so-called experts who predict the NCAA brackets have only one Pac-10 team getting in. I say that based on last year's disappointing experience, there will be no way that the selection committee gives the MWC more entries than the Pac-10, which will get Cal and the two best finishers between Arizona, Arizona State and Washington. An also-ran winning their post-season tournament, like USC did last year, would roil the waters and guarantee three spots. It's all about money for the big conferences.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
A Faster Goodbye to LT
Spare us the long goodbye, LT. Thanks for the memories, and see ya!
At the end of the Chargers playoff loss to the Jets, the saddest thing outside another blown Super Bowl opportunity was that fans could not accord LaDainian Tomlinson a proper send-off, since everyone assumes the superstar running back will not return for the 2010 season.
Just a few weeks later, I'm more than ready for him to leave and, more to the point, to cause as little angst as possible on his way out. A story this week in The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted him speaking in a very negative way about his teammates and how the locker room was not very close. That went completely against his prior comments about how this was a pretty tight bunch that he enjoyed. So which is true? Some players responded to LT's assertions by saying the "team atmosphere" seemed pretty good. There was little to suggest there was any strife, something farther down the negative side of the scale than LT was suggesting.
Now, there are things with this group of players you can criticize with their off-field antics. But much of that stuff never seemed to filter into the locker room. Even Vincent Jackson's playoff morning citation that resulted in his car being impounded drew more laughs than anything, and it was Philip Rivers who completed his travel to the stadium.
I viewed Tomlinson in recent years as a guy a bit separate from the rest of the roster. His stature was elevated to that of icon years ago, which would make him stand out if not stand apart. The last couple of seasons, particularly as he fought injuries, he really became more of a loner. He obviously felt like he wasn't a major ingredient in the mix anymore, and he might have been right.
On the heels of the morning newspaper came an afternoon online story in which he said, without a corroborating club announcement, that "I'm not coming back."
Ya think?
It probably wasn't AJ Smith who told him that. Probably a whole bunch of angry text messages from teammates during the day was a pretty good indication to LT that the time has come to cast his lot elsewhere.
My wise parents always told me to never burn my bridges when a situation ended, even if it was difficult. They were right. It's sad for LT, who meant so much to San Diegans, to be leaving with scorch marks on the path behind him.
---
Give San Diego State football coach Brady Hoke and his assistants passing grades for their first full recruiting class. By any objective standard, this class is no better than a C-plus. But considering that the Aztecs are coming off so many years of futility and community apathy, and had so many needs on the roster, grading them on the curve results in an A.
On the recruit-geeks' five-star rating system, anything three and up is pretty darn good. The new Aztecs include a whole bunch of three-star guys. The one four-star player, JC transfer DE Perry Jackson, is coming off a knee injury, so projecting his effectiveness this fall will be more difficult than usual.
The biggest eye-opener was the signing of five players from state bowl champion Oceanside High. However, only one of them, WR/CB JJ Whittaker, was nabbed from another school that anyone would respect (Arizona). The must-have Pirate was DT Thomas Molesi, who went to Oregon State because he wanted to go to college away from home. Opening the pipeline is good for the future, but the immediate impact is questionable.
Of immediate interest will be whether several JC transfer offensive linemen can make it onto the two-deep right away, or even start. I don't think they'll all be available for spring practice, but the performance of even just a couple of them will be our first clue as to how things might play out. A number of questions will be answered, such as whether last year's blockers were as weak as they appeared and have they improved at all. The JC kids sliding immediately into starting slots won't entirely be good news.
The individual signing I like the most is of JC transfer PK Abel Perez. The product of Castle Park High and Southwestern College has a booming leg who can put kickoffs into the end zone, something SDSU has lacked for ages. I don't know if he will be any good kicking FGs, but if he can force the opponent to start possessions at its own 20, he'll be worth his 217 pounds in gold.
My extremely early forecast for the Aztecs is that they'll again be on the 6-6 bowl game bubble. Getting DeMarco Sampson back for another season increases my confidence. If Hoke and his staff lead them into the post-season, those four-star guys will start coming. This time next year, we might leave the grading system behind to simply gawk. One can dream, huh?
At the end of the Chargers playoff loss to the Jets, the saddest thing outside another blown Super Bowl opportunity was that fans could not accord LaDainian Tomlinson a proper send-off, since everyone assumes the superstar running back will not return for the 2010 season.
Just a few weeks later, I'm more than ready for him to leave and, more to the point, to cause as little angst as possible on his way out. A story this week in The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted him speaking in a very negative way about his teammates and how the locker room was not very close. That went completely against his prior comments about how this was a pretty tight bunch that he enjoyed. So which is true? Some players responded to LT's assertions by saying the "team atmosphere" seemed pretty good. There was little to suggest there was any strife, something farther down the negative side of the scale than LT was suggesting.
Now, there are things with this group of players you can criticize with their off-field antics. But much of that stuff never seemed to filter into the locker room. Even Vincent Jackson's playoff morning citation that resulted in his car being impounded drew more laughs than anything, and it was Philip Rivers who completed his travel to the stadium.
I viewed Tomlinson in recent years as a guy a bit separate from the rest of the roster. His stature was elevated to that of icon years ago, which would make him stand out if not stand apart. The last couple of seasons, particularly as he fought injuries, he really became more of a loner. He obviously felt like he wasn't a major ingredient in the mix anymore, and he might have been right.
On the heels of the morning newspaper came an afternoon online story in which he said, without a corroborating club announcement, that "I'm not coming back."
Ya think?
It probably wasn't AJ Smith who told him that. Probably a whole bunch of angry text messages from teammates during the day was a pretty good indication to LT that the time has come to cast his lot elsewhere.
My wise parents always told me to never burn my bridges when a situation ended, even if it was difficult. They were right. It's sad for LT, who meant so much to San Diegans, to be leaving with scorch marks on the path behind him.
---
Give San Diego State football coach Brady Hoke and his assistants passing grades for their first full recruiting class. By any objective standard, this class is no better than a C-plus. But considering that the Aztecs are coming off so many years of futility and community apathy, and had so many needs on the roster, grading them on the curve results in an A.
On the recruit-geeks' five-star rating system, anything three and up is pretty darn good. The new Aztecs include a whole bunch of three-star guys. The one four-star player, JC transfer DE Perry Jackson, is coming off a knee injury, so projecting his effectiveness this fall will be more difficult than usual.
The biggest eye-opener was the signing of five players from state bowl champion Oceanside High. However, only one of them, WR/CB JJ Whittaker, was nabbed from another school that anyone would respect (Arizona). The must-have Pirate was DT Thomas Molesi, who went to Oregon State because he wanted to go to college away from home. Opening the pipeline is good for the future, but the immediate impact is questionable.
Of immediate interest will be whether several JC transfer offensive linemen can make it onto the two-deep right away, or even start. I don't think they'll all be available for spring practice, but the performance of even just a couple of them will be our first clue as to how things might play out. A number of questions will be answered, such as whether last year's blockers were as weak as they appeared and have they improved at all. The JC kids sliding immediately into starting slots won't entirely be good news.
The individual signing I like the most is of JC transfer PK Abel Perez. The product of Castle Park High and Southwestern College has a booming leg who can put kickoffs into the end zone, something SDSU has lacked for ages. I don't know if he will be any good kicking FGs, but if he can force the opponent to start possessions at its own 20, he'll be worth his 217 pounds in gold.
My extremely early forecast for the Aztecs is that they'll again be on the 6-6 bowl game bubble. Getting DeMarco Sampson back for another season increases my confidence. If Hoke and his staff lead them into the post-season, those four-star guys will start coming. This time next year, we might leave the grading system behind to simply gawk. One can dream, huh?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Chargers Stadium, Aztecs Hoops, Garland
I attended Wednesday's presentation by a Centre City Development Corp. consultant on the recent history of new stadium construction around the United States, basically background on how various teams and municipalities "got it done."
Here are the key points:
1. Stadiums are now too costly to finance privately by a team, or publicly by just one jurisdiction. All 11 stadiums built or renovated from 2002 on have included a mix of private and public financing, with the public part in some cases being multiple jurisdictions -- like a city and state, several counties, etc.
2. Each city is different. Officials in each town managed to make use of particular assets in their financing plans. San Diego will have to come up with its own.
3. As bad as the economy has been, some stadium projects have received financing, and more lenders are willing to take on such big projects.
4. Of the 11 stadium referendums rejected by voters -- and the Chargers project will go on the ballot -- 10 stadiums were eventually built in some manner.
The stuff presented to the CCDC was encouraging for those who want a new stadium here, but there was nothing specific presented about the Chargers plans or the proposed downtown site. The Bolts are going to have to get very creative to find a financial plan that will appeal to voters, but it can be done.
---
San Diego State men's basketball reached the big time over the weekend. Yeah, yeah, don't remind me about the 2-point loss to BYU. They gained something much better, an elite point guard who will carry the Aztecs into the future.
Coach Steve Fisher had been after LaBradford Franklin of Great Oak HS in Temecula for a while, and the kid verbally committed after taking in the crazy scene at Viejas Arena last Saturday night. From the jam-packed seats to the loud cheers to the students dressed up in white shirts, ties and bicycle helmets, Franklin was obviously very impressed with what surrounds Aztecs basketball.
On the court, he saw a team that hung right to the end with what's become an amazingly good BYU bunch that's leaving its football program in its dust. Franklin must have thought something like this, several times: "all SDSU needs is a point guard who can shoot, and they'll be a Top 25 team, too."
All that was enough, and he'll sign up in April unless another school pays him more (snicker).
Here's how his commitment pushes SDSU into the big time. Fisher for years has built his program on athletes, transfers and the forgotten. When I ran my old Web site, I wrote repeatedly that Fisher's dependence on athletes over basketball players would not push him to the top of the Mountain West, and indeed he's only won the conference regular season once in eleven seasons. Last year -- arguably his best and most accomplished team, came in fourth. This year, his athletic Aztecs, with no point guard nor true full-time center, are fifth after six conference games (and will be tied for fourth if Utah loses at Wyoming tonight). No matter how good his athletes are, they'll very rarely contend for a conference crown. Transfers are fine to a small degree but many come with issues and need to adjust to a year off. His best recruits only came to State because Fisher stuck with them while something caused others to back off: Brandon Heath's grades, Kyle Spain I think broke his leg in high school, etc.
Franklin is none of these. He's said to be a great point guard with strong on-court management skills and a good outside shot. He's coming as a true freshman and has no background issues that caused other programs to back off. His GPA is said to be 3.8.
Small time programs don't get players right out of high school like LaBradford Franklin. He's a serious basketball talent that for years, because of SDSU's complete lack of hoops tradition, Fisher couldn't get -- thus his reliance on athletes. Now he's got Franklin, whose arrival might not convert a string of NIT appearances into selections to the Big Dance, but it doesn't hurt. Now let's go get a real center next year.
---
I'm okay with the signing of journeyman Jon Garland by the Padres. One of my off-season priorities has been acquiring a front of the rotation starting pitcher, and he has a chance to be that guy. He ain't no Peavy, but he could be another Kevin Correia, which would not be so bad. If he can make 30 starts and keep his overall ERA under 3.75, GM Jed Hoyer will have struck gold. His career ERA is 4.42, but he'll have a pitcher-friendly home ballpark for the first time in his career, so such a goal is reachable.
The rotation, as I see it, looks like this: Chris Young, Correia, Garland, Mat Latos and Clayton Richard.
That's solid if Young can return to health after two injury-plagued years. There are no stoppers there unless Latos emerges, but as Black said after the Garland signing, the Padres should be able to keep games close on most nights. They ought to at least get winnable games to a bullpen led by Heath Bell and Mike Adams. That's a lot more than can be said the last couple of years.
Even if Young can't return to his old form -- and my natural skepticism says its about 50-50 -- the Padres have a bunch of young arms waiting in the wings. Okay, I'll admit it, the cynic in me also has me worried about Richard, too. I'm not sure he's all that good, but I'm willing to go into the season with him as a fifth starter with some young pups breathing down his neck.
So things aren't perfect, but they're a darn sight better than this time last year. With the Kouzmanoff trade and signing of Matt Stairs, I think this has been one heck of an off-season.
Here are the key points:
1. Stadiums are now too costly to finance privately by a team, or publicly by just one jurisdiction. All 11 stadiums built or renovated from 2002 on have included a mix of private and public financing, with the public part in some cases being multiple jurisdictions -- like a city and state, several counties, etc.
2. Each city is different. Officials in each town managed to make use of particular assets in their financing plans. San Diego will have to come up with its own.
3. As bad as the economy has been, some stadium projects have received financing, and more lenders are willing to take on such big projects.
4. Of the 11 stadium referendums rejected by voters -- and the Chargers project will go on the ballot -- 10 stadiums were eventually built in some manner.
The stuff presented to the CCDC was encouraging for those who want a new stadium here, but there was nothing specific presented about the Chargers plans or the proposed downtown site. The Bolts are going to have to get very creative to find a financial plan that will appeal to voters, but it can be done.
---
San Diego State men's basketball reached the big time over the weekend. Yeah, yeah, don't remind me about the 2-point loss to BYU. They gained something much better, an elite point guard who will carry the Aztecs into the future.
Coach Steve Fisher had been after LaBradford Franklin of Great Oak HS in Temecula for a while, and the kid verbally committed after taking in the crazy scene at Viejas Arena last Saturday night. From the jam-packed seats to the loud cheers to the students dressed up in white shirts, ties and bicycle helmets, Franklin was obviously very impressed with what surrounds Aztecs basketball.
On the court, he saw a team that hung right to the end with what's become an amazingly good BYU bunch that's leaving its football program in its dust. Franklin must have thought something like this, several times: "all SDSU needs is a point guard who can shoot, and they'll be a Top 25 team, too."
All that was enough, and he'll sign up in April unless another school pays him more (snicker).
Here's how his commitment pushes SDSU into the big time. Fisher for years has built his program on athletes, transfers and the forgotten. When I ran my old Web site, I wrote repeatedly that Fisher's dependence on athletes over basketball players would not push him to the top of the Mountain West, and indeed he's only won the conference regular season once in eleven seasons. Last year -- arguably his best and most accomplished team, came in fourth. This year, his athletic Aztecs, with no point guard nor true full-time center, are fifth after six conference games (and will be tied for fourth if Utah loses at Wyoming tonight). No matter how good his athletes are, they'll very rarely contend for a conference crown. Transfers are fine to a small degree but many come with issues and need to adjust to a year off. His best recruits only came to State because Fisher stuck with them while something caused others to back off: Brandon Heath's grades, Kyle Spain I think broke his leg in high school, etc.
Franklin is none of these. He's said to be a great point guard with strong on-court management skills and a good outside shot. He's coming as a true freshman and has no background issues that caused other programs to back off. His GPA is said to be 3.8.
Small time programs don't get players right out of high school like LaBradford Franklin. He's a serious basketball talent that for years, because of SDSU's complete lack of hoops tradition, Fisher couldn't get -- thus his reliance on athletes. Now he's got Franklin, whose arrival might not convert a string of NIT appearances into selections to the Big Dance, but it doesn't hurt. Now let's go get a real center next year.
---
I'm okay with the signing of journeyman Jon Garland by the Padres. One of my off-season priorities has been acquiring a front of the rotation starting pitcher, and he has a chance to be that guy. He ain't no Peavy, but he could be another Kevin Correia, which would not be so bad. If he can make 30 starts and keep his overall ERA under 3.75, GM Jed Hoyer will have struck gold. His career ERA is 4.42, but he'll have a pitcher-friendly home ballpark for the first time in his career, so such a goal is reachable.
The rotation, as I see it, looks like this: Chris Young, Correia, Garland, Mat Latos and Clayton Richard.
That's solid if Young can return to health after two injury-plagued years. There are no stoppers there unless Latos emerges, but as Black said after the Garland signing, the Padres should be able to keep games close on most nights. They ought to at least get winnable games to a bullpen led by Heath Bell and Mike Adams. That's a lot more than can be said the last couple of years.
Even if Young can't return to his old form -- and my natural skepticism says its about 50-50 -- the Padres have a bunch of young arms waiting in the wings. Okay, I'll admit it, the cynic in me also has me worried about Richard, too. I'm not sure he's all that good, but I'm willing to go into the season with him as a fifth starter with some young pups breathing down his neck.
So things aren't perfect, but they're a darn sight better than this time last year. With the Kouzmanoff trade and signing of Matt Stairs, I think this has been one heck of an off-season.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Chargers: LT and Future
The tragedy of the Chargers playoff loss to the New York Jets Sunday was that fans were not given the opportunity to say a proper goodbye to RB LaDainian Tomlinson. The fans deserved the chance, Tomlinson deserved the honor, and he should have been able to thank his supporters, too.
Like many people, I saw this recently concluded season as the final one for LT as a Charger. He's past his prime, there's no doubt about it. This isn't sending away Michael Turner a few years ago to become a featured ball-carrier somewhere,it's letting a guy go away to become a backup somewhere. A backup is not necessary here.
A starter, a positive force, is what the Chargers need. If they're committed to having a mediocre offensive line, then they better have someone who can make the most of it. I think Stanford's Toby Gerhart will be an excellent NFL back, but I don't think he's the Chargers style. Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer might be. But I think there's a really good chance GM AJ Smith will take a running back with his first pick.
I don't think there will be a housecleaning, like after the playoff choke against the Patriots a few years ago. There are no Drayton Florences on this team. Vincent Jackson got pulled over before the game because he was a black guy driving a nice car with the radio too loud. He shouldn't have been driving at all on a suspended license, of course, but his 7 catches for 111 yards proved it was not a distraction.
The sloppy play, penalties, fumbles, interceptions, etc., were as much a product of the pressure placed on them by the Jets than their own immaturity. When you're getting beat, you tend to look pretty bad, and that's what happened to the Chargers. The decorum on the field was merely a sideshow.
The Chargers simply need to get better, mainly in the trenches. I've been saying it for years, and I said as this season got going that their deficiencies along the lines would prove costly in January, and that's what happened. Too bad, being right is not all it's cracked up to be.
---
One other thing to put to bed: whether the loss will dampen enthusiasm for a new stadium, a la the Padres and Proposition C. Give it a couple weeks and there will be no connection. Besides, the mayor says there will not be a vote before 2012, and there could be a Super Bowl trophy at Chargers Park by then.
The bottom line, as Mark Fabiani was quoted as saying in the paper, if a package is put together that makes economic sense for the taxpayers, then the stadium will be built, no matter what the team does on the field. I think getting such a deal together will be more difficult since East Village has already been built up, but it's not impossible.
---
Chargers unit grades:
Quarterbacks: A - Philip Rivers is not the best, but he's darn close.
Running backs: C - Not given much chance to shine, and they didn't.
Receivers: B - I also told you about Malcom Floyd.
Offensive Line: D - They can't fuel a running game or protect Rivers enough.
Defensive Line: C - The Make Shift actually did pretty well, but needs draft attention.
Linebackers: B - Depth makes things work.
Secondary: B - Corners are very good, safeties aren't the best.
Special Teams: B - Solid everywhere, great in some spots, but those misses ...
Like many people, I saw this recently concluded season as the final one for LT as a Charger. He's past his prime, there's no doubt about it. This isn't sending away Michael Turner a few years ago to become a featured ball-carrier somewhere,it's letting a guy go away to become a backup somewhere. A backup is not necessary here.
A starter, a positive force, is what the Chargers need. If they're committed to having a mediocre offensive line, then they better have someone who can make the most of it. I think Stanford's Toby Gerhart will be an excellent NFL back, but I don't think he's the Chargers style. Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer might be. But I think there's a really good chance GM AJ Smith will take a running back with his first pick.
I don't think there will be a housecleaning, like after the playoff choke against the Patriots a few years ago. There are no Drayton Florences on this team. Vincent Jackson got pulled over before the game because he was a black guy driving a nice car with the radio too loud. He shouldn't have been driving at all on a suspended license, of course, but his 7 catches for 111 yards proved it was not a distraction.
The sloppy play, penalties, fumbles, interceptions, etc., were as much a product of the pressure placed on them by the Jets than their own immaturity. When you're getting beat, you tend to look pretty bad, and that's what happened to the Chargers. The decorum on the field was merely a sideshow.
The Chargers simply need to get better, mainly in the trenches. I've been saying it for years, and I said as this season got going that their deficiencies along the lines would prove costly in January, and that's what happened. Too bad, being right is not all it's cracked up to be.
---
One other thing to put to bed: whether the loss will dampen enthusiasm for a new stadium, a la the Padres and Proposition C. Give it a couple weeks and there will be no connection. Besides, the mayor says there will not be a vote before 2012, and there could be a Super Bowl trophy at Chargers Park by then.
The bottom line, as Mark Fabiani was quoted as saying in the paper, if a package is put together that makes economic sense for the taxpayers, then the stadium will be built, no matter what the team does on the field. I think getting such a deal together will be more difficult since East Village has already been built up, but it's not impossible.
---
Chargers unit grades:
Quarterbacks: A - Philip Rivers is not the best, but he's darn close.
Running backs: C - Not given much chance to shine, and they didn't.
Receivers: B - I also told you about Malcom Floyd.
Offensive Line: D - They can't fuel a running game or protect Rivers enough.
Defensive Line: C - The Make Shift actually did pretty well, but needs draft attention.
Linebackers: B - Depth makes things work.
Secondary: B - Corners are very good, safeties aren't the best.
Special Teams: B - Solid everywhere, great in some spots, but those misses ...
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Chargers Playoff Loss, Aztecs, Padres Trade
When your absolute best and most reliable friend does something wrong, it's hard to be mad for long. When the most accurate field goal kicker in the history of the NFL misses three field goals to cost you the game, where do you direct your anger? Kaeding is the guy, today, tomorrow and next season. You can't be mad at him, you just can't.
My fears about the matchup with the Jets in particular, and overall concern about the Chargers to succeed in a playoff environment ended up being well-founded. The Jets pass rush overwhelmed the Bolts' mediocre offensive line, sacking QB Philip Rivers a couple times, pressuring him on nearly every pass play and forcing a pair of INTs. The defensive line, which held up as the Make Shift most of the past couple of month, held up reasonably well against a top-notch Jets running game, but it was not enough.
I'd rather this loss was more about the Chargers mild shortcomings than the failures of Kaeding. But despite the problems posed by 10 penalties and three recovered fumbles, the Bolts had a chance to tie the game or win. It's too bad.
Now GM AJ Smith gets to spend the off-season rebuilding the lines.
---
This will be the week which could make or break the season for San Diego State's men's basketball team, which is just 2-2 after the first couple weeks of Mountain West play. The Aztecs travel to Salt Lake City to play Utah, 2-1 in league but just 9-8 overall, and then come home to play BYU, which is off to a 3-0 MWC start.
Sweep and you're sitting pretty, especially with Colorado State and Air Force ahead on the schedule. Split, which is most likely, and you're no worse than when you started. Get swept, and the regular-season is as good as over.
I lean toward a split. Utah is playing better than its overall record right now and the Aztecs have proven to be a poor road team. Beating even a ranked BYU team at Viejas Arena, which has become nearly impenetrable for both men's and women's opponents, would be no shock.
The thing that's in the favor of the Aztecs is the emotion of how they pulled out Saturday's 67-62 win over TCU, with a comeback sparked by pushing and shoving in the second half. If that pulls some sort of fighting spirit out of these guys, that will bode well.
---
I'm okay with the Padres trade of 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff for OF Scott Hairston. My question is, isn't this the guy who was mysteriously traded away last season? Correcting a mistake is a good thing, I suppose, especially when the kind of right-handed power hitter who does well at Petco Park is involved.
I also listed as an off-season priority finally nailing down the Kouz-Chase Headley dilemma at 3B. This trade was fueled in large part by money, with an arbitration-eligible Kouzmanoff likely to get a raise of millions of dollars. I don't like money trades, but in this instance, it will free some dollars to sign a desperately needed veteran starting pitcher.
Suggestion for Channel 4 San Diego: we know Headley will make far more than Kouz' three errors at the hot corner because he will get to a few more balls. It would be cool if they were to go threw tape and come up with a "range finder" graphic to show on a Headley error whether his predecessor would have even gotten a glove on the ball.
My fears about the matchup with the Jets in particular, and overall concern about the Chargers to succeed in a playoff environment ended up being well-founded. The Jets pass rush overwhelmed the Bolts' mediocre offensive line, sacking QB Philip Rivers a couple times, pressuring him on nearly every pass play and forcing a pair of INTs. The defensive line, which held up as the Make Shift most of the past couple of month, held up reasonably well against a top-notch Jets running game, but it was not enough.
I'd rather this loss was more about the Chargers mild shortcomings than the failures of Kaeding. But despite the problems posed by 10 penalties and three recovered fumbles, the Bolts had a chance to tie the game or win. It's too bad.
Now GM AJ Smith gets to spend the off-season rebuilding the lines.
---
This will be the week which could make or break the season for San Diego State's men's basketball team, which is just 2-2 after the first couple weeks of Mountain West play. The Aztecs travel to Salt Lake City to play Utah, 2-1 in league but just 9-8 overall, and then come home to play BYU, which is off to a 3-0 MWC start.
Sweep and you're sitting pretty, especially with Colorado State and Air Force ahead on the schedule. Split, which is most likely, and you're no worse than when you started. Get swept, and the regular-season is as good as over.
I lean toward a split. Utah is playing better than its overall record right now and the Aztecs have proven to be a poor road team. Beating even a ranked BYU team at Viejas Arena, which has become nearly impenetrable for both men's and women's opponents, would be no shock.
The thing that's in the favor of the Aztecs is the emotion of how they pulled out Saturday's 67-62 win over TCU, with a comeback sparked by pushing and shoving in the second half. If that pulls some sort of fighting spirit out of these guys, that will bode well.
---
I'm okay with the Padres trade of 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff for OF Scott Hairston. My question is, isn't this the guy who was mysteriously traded away last season? Correcting a mistake is a good thing, I suppose, especially when the kind of right-handed power hitter who does well at Petco Park is involved.
I also listed as an off-season priority finally nailing down the Kouz-Chase Headley dilemma at 3B. This trade was fueled in large part by money, with an arbitration-eligible Kouzmanoff likely to get a raise of millions of dollars. I don't like money trades, but in this instance, it will free some dollars to sign a desperately needed veteran starting pitcher.
Suggestion for Channel 4 San Diego: we know Headley will make far more than Kouz' three errors at the hot corner because he will get to a few more balls. It would be cool if they were to go threw tape and come up with a "range finder" graphic to show on a Headley error whether his predecessor would have even gotten a glove on the ball.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
World Cup, Whittaker
Big news Tuesday if you're a soccer fan. It's just been announced that San Diego is one of 18 cities as finalists to hold World Cup matches if the United States is selected as host country in 2018 or 2022.
That's still not a sure thing and it's still far away, but it's progress.
---
I don't know if this will start a dam bust, but this week's commitment of Oceanside High's JJ Whittaker to the San Diego State football team is huge. He becomes the fifth Pirate to announce he's coming to SDSU, and in so doing, he decommitted from another up-and-coming program at Arizona. Aztecs fans are also hot for Oside defensive tackle Thomas Molesi, who remains committed to Oregon State. But for how long? The other kids must really be on him. Molesi has repeatedly said he wants to go away to college, which is only natural for someone his age. Hopefully he makes the right decision for his own sake, whether that means staying home or not.
That's still not a sure thing and it's still far away, but it's progress.
---
I don't know if this will start a dam bust, but this week's commitment of Oceanside High's JJ Whittaker to the San Diego State football team is huge. He becomes the fifth Pirate to announce he's coming to SDSU, and in so doing, he decommitted from another up-and-coming program at Arizona. Aztecs fans are also hot for Oside defensive tackle Thomas Molesi, who remains committed to Oregon State. But for how long? The other kids must really be on him. Molesi has repeatedly said he wants to go away to college, which is only natural for someone his age. Hopefully he makes the right decision for his own sake, whether that means staying home or not.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Chargers and Jets, Coyell, Dillon Baxter
As good as the Jets looked in beating up on the Bengals this weekend, aren't you glad the Chargers don't have to face the Ravens?
Yep, as expected, those teams coming out of the wildcard round of the AFC playoffs look awfully dangerous, Jets included. In fact, the Ravens appeared so good in crunching the Patriots Sunday that they look quite capable of beating the Colts in Indianapolis. That would be way cool, allowing the Chargers to host the AFC Championship Game -- if they indeed make it that far -- but the idea right now of that team being the roadblock to the Super Bowl ... oh, shudder. Especially when you know the Ravens have already won at Qualcomm Stadium this season.
I think the Chargers have the NFL's best collection of skill talent, but I worry that the Jets are going to keep the ball on the ground the whole game and try to keep Mark Sanchez from throwing more than 20 passes. The strategy worked to near perfection as the rookie completed 12 of 15 throws for 182 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
It helped quite a bit that Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones combined for 169 yards on 36 carries. I'd like to say they can't do that against the Bolts, but I won't go that far. They might with the league's top rushing attack going against the Make Shift. That scares me. There's also talk that the Jets blitz-happy defense will be eaten alive by QB Philip Rivers. That's possible, too. But imagine them sending pass-rushers around T Marcus McNeill, who struggled at Tennessee, and right side colleagues Brandon Dombrowski and Jon Runyan. That scares me, too.
The Chargers ought to be good for enough big plays on offense and defense to survive. The odds are better than not. But the margin suddenly looks dangerously slim.
---
Wouldn't it be nice to see Don Coryell make the Pro Football Hall of Fame? The former Chargers and San Diego State head coach made the final 15, from which the honored will be chosen on Feb. 6.
Coryell is already a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, which he richly deserves. He revolutionized the college game while at State -- really, what we saw during the 1980s and 1990s and into the 2000s before the Spread took over were versions of his offense. He then moved into the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals before returning home to San Diego. In those days, as now, taking the Cards to the playoffs twice in five seasons should alone be enough to make the Hall of Fame.
The offensive system had already been introduced to the pro game by the time Coryell arrived, thanks to Al Davis and John Madden, but it really became popular when QB Jim Hart and RB Terry Metcalfe cranked up the Cardinals offense after that franchise had been awful for years, and QB Dan Fouts took "Air Coryell" to new heights here. Oldsters can tell you how bad the Bolts were in the early 1970s before he arrived.
---
Darn, why did I have to live through an SDSU team blowing a huge lead to lose to Wyoming, again!? You can point to all kinds of reasons for the football and basketball meltdowns, but players counting their chickens before they hatched were a biggie. I'm tired of this kind of crap. Really, how stupid can you be? If the players wonder why SDSU athletics have little local support, its because setbacks like Saturday's collapse against a lesser team have become the expected.
If it sounds like I'm losing patience, I am. Quickly.
---
Advice for Dillon Baxter, the Mission Bay HS star who might de-commit from USC in the wake of coach Pete Carroll's pending departure to Seattle:
1. It's not like USC won't attract a good coach to replace Carroll. Even if you're unsure about the head guy, your position coach will almost certainly be of high quality.
2. That said, the NCAA's hammer is coming down on the Trojans because of violations committed under Carroll. The NCAA could come down hard, or could turn squishy when up against a powerful program. Who knows? But if you stick it out, be prepared to be banned from at least one bowl game while you're there.
3. If you really want to play for Carroll, maximize your potential and he'll draft you in a couple of years.
4. It's less than a month until letter-of-intent day, but time is on your side. That's only the first day for you to sign. You can make your decision when YOU want to, not when someone else says you do.
5. Give Brady Hoke a shot, but don't go to SDSU unless you can get some of your fellow de-commits, especially Palomar CC T Brice Schwab, to go with you. It's too bad you're not a year younger, because at this time in 2011 the Aztecs will be a legitimate option on their own.
6. Keep your eye on what's important: whether you like the coaches and teammates, the environment of the campus, and a school that won't sell you short on academics. If you're as good a football player as everyone thinks you are, the bright lights will come.
Good luck, whatever decision you make.
Yep, as expected, those teams coming out of the wildcard round of the AFC playoffs look awfully dangerous, Jets included. In fact, the Ravens appeared so good in crunching the Patriots Sunday that they look quite capable of beating the Colts in Indianapolis. That would be way cool, allowing the Chargers to host the AFC Championship Game -- if they indeed make it that far -- but the idea right now of that team being the roadblock to the Super Bowl ... oh, shudder. Especially when you know the Ravens have already won at Qualcomm Stadium this season.
I think the Chargers have the NFL's best collection of skill talent, but I worry that the Jets are going to keep the ball on the ground the whole game and try to keep Mark Sanchez from throwing more than 20 passes. The strategy worked to near perfection as the rookie completed 12 of 15 throws for 182 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
It helped quite a bit that Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones combined for 169 yards on 36 carries. I'd like to say they can't do that against the Bolts, but I won't go that far. They might with the league's top rushing attack going against the Make Shift. That scares me. There's also talk that the Jets blitz-happy defense will be eaten alive by QB Philip Rivers. That's possible, too. But imagine them sending pass-rushers around T Marcus McNeill, who struggled at Tennessee, and right side colleagues Brandon Dombrowski and Jon Runyan. That scares me, too.
The Chargers ought to be good for enough big plays on offense and defense to survive. The odds are better than not. But the margin suddenly looks dangerously slim.
---
Wouldn't it be nice to see Don Coryell make the Pro Football Hall of Fame? The former Chargers and San Diego State head coach made the final 15, from which the honored will be chosen on Feb. 6.
Coryell is already a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, which he richly deserves. He revolutionized the college game while at State -- really, what we saw during the 1980s and 1990s and into the 2000s before the Spread took over were versions of his offense. He then moved into the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals before returning home to San Diego. In those days, as now, taking the Cards to the playoffs twice in five seasons should alone be enough to make the Hall of Fame.
The offensive system had already been introduced to the pro game by the time Coryell arrived, thanks to Al Davis and John Madden, but it really became popular when QB Jim Hart and RB Terry Metcalfe cranked up the Cardinals offense after that franchise had been awful for years, and QB Dan Fouts took "Air Coryell" to new heights here. Oldsters can tell you how bad the Bolts were in the early 1970s before he arrived.
---
Darn, why did I have to live through an SDSU team blowing a huge lead to lose to Wyoming, again!? You can point to all kinds of reasons for the football and basketball meltdowns, but players counting their chickens before they hatched were a biggie. I'm tired of this kind of crap. Really, how stupid can you be? If the players wonder why SDSU athletics have little local support, its because setbacks like Saturday's collapse against a lesser team have become the expected.
If it sounds like I'm losing patience, I am. Quickly.
---
Advice for Dillon Baxter, the Mission Bay HS star who might de-commit from USC in the wake of coach Pete Carroll's pending departure to Seattle:
1. It's not like USC won't attract a good coach to replace Carroll. Even if you're unsure about the head guy, your position coach will almost certainly be of high quality.
2. That said, the NCAA's hammer is coming down on the Trojans because of violations committed under Carroll. The NCAA could come down hard, or could turn squishy when up against a powerful program. Who knows? But if you stick it out, be prepared to be banned from at least one bowl game while you're there.
3. If you really want to play for Carroll, maximize your potential and he'll draft you in a couple of years.
4. It's less than a month until letter-of-intent day, but time is on your side. That's only the first day for you to sign. You can make your decision when YOU want to, not when someone else says you do.
5. Give Brady Hoke a shot, but don't go to SDSU unless you can get some of your fellow de-commits, especially Palomar CC T Brice Schwab, to go with you. It's too bad you're not a year younger, because at this time in 2011 the Aztecs will be a legitimate option on their own.
6. Keep your eye on what's important: whether you like the coaches and teammates, the environment of the campus, and a school that won't sell you short on academics. If you're as good a football player as everyone thinks you are, the bright lights will come.
Good luck, whatever decision you make.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Chargers Playoff Worries, SDSU Puts Up
I know a lot of Chargers fans are pricing out plane tickets to Miami, but I'm probably the one guy in town who remains skeptical about their chances of making the Super Bowl.
My worry isn't Indianapolis, against whom the Chargers are comfortable. The Bolts certainly never fear playing the Colts on the road. If they make it to the AFC Championship Game, then I'm happy to take my chances.
I'm worried about that first playoff game, most likely against the Patriots or Ravens.
The Patriots are still the Patriots even without WR Wes Welker -- maybe not what they once were, but still a serious threat. The Ravens have won at Qualcomm already this season, and took three of their last four games after struggling in November. Both are the kind of big, strong teams that the Chargers sometimes struggle with.
I do think the Chargers are the best team in the best conference, so if they can get past a potential first-game matchup problem, they might not only get to the Super Bowl, but win it.
---
There was quite a bit of talk about Nick Canepa's column in The San Diego Union-Tribune, a sort of "told you so" piece about GM AJ Smith and coach Norv Turner. I've backed Turner from the get-go. My issue with Smith is he ignores the line of scrimmage until there's a crisis, then he tries to plug the leaks. Sometimes, like this year, it works. If the Bolts are de-railed by the Patriots or Ravens, it will be because they aren't Super Bowl caliber in the trenches.
---
Tuesday night's contest between San Diego State's basketball team and 15th ranked New Mexico was a "put up or shut up" match for the Aztecs. That they won by 10 points, 74-64, even with Billy White going down to a high ankle sprain in the first half and some foul trouble, shows they're ready for business after early stumbles.
The game against the Lobos was their 15th, plenty of time for new players to jell. Early losses to Saint Mary's and Pacific came while everyone was learning their roles. A more recent setback at Arizona State was just something that happens on the road sometimes. Fine, but by the beginning of conference play, it's a matter of whether or not you're good enough. It appears the Aztecs are.
---
A few weeks ago, I said the Aztecs would lose no more than three games the rest of the season. The loss in Tempe was one, and it was something I accounted for in my thinking. So we're on track. On the other hand, that means the Aztecs have to go 14-2 in a tough Mountain West Conference. Still could happen. We'll find out Saturday just how hard the road games will be when they play at Wyoming.
---
After the turmoil of a 7-9 non-conference schedule, I think the USD men have a solid shot at third place in the West Coast Conference behind Gonzaga and Saint Mary's. The competition will be Portland and, surprise, Loyola-Marymount. Bigger surprise, LMU might be the stiffer competition.
The Pilots have really tailed off after their 5-0 start. The Lions, however, have won six straight games, with victims including pretty good teams in Notre Dame and Long Beach State.
The Toreros host Portland next week but don't travel to LMU until the end of the month. Those are the first two of four games between USD and their competitors that will be critical to conference tournament seeding.
My worry isn't Indianapolis, against whom the Chargers are comfortable. The Bolts certainly never fear playing the Colts on the road. If they make it to the AFC Championship Game, then I'm happy to take my chances.
I'm worried about that first playoff game, most likely against the Patriots or Ravens.
The Patriots are still the Patriots even without WR Wes Welker -- maybe not what they once were, but still a serious threat. The Ravens have won at Qualcomm already this season, and took three of their last four games after struggling in November. Both are the kind of big, strong teams that the Chargers sometimes struggle with.
I do think the Chargers are the best team in the best conference, so if they can get past a potential first-game matchup problem, they might not only get to the Super Bowl, but win it.
---
There was quite a bit of talk about Nick Canepa's column in The San Diego Union-Tribune, a sort of "told you so" piece about GM AJ Smith and coach Norv Turner. I've backed Turner from the get-go. My issue with Smith is he ignores the line of scrimmage until there's a crisis, then he tries to plug the leaks. Sometimes, like this year, it works. If the Bolts are de-railed by the Patriots or Ravens, it will be because they aren't Super Bowl caliber in the trenches.
---
Tuesday night's contest between San Diego State's basketball team and 15th ranked New Mexico was a "put up or shut up" match for the Aztecs. That they won by 10 points, 74-64, even with Billy White going down to a high ankle sprain in the first half and some foul trouble, shows they're ready for business after early stumbles.
The game against the Lobos was their 15th, plenty of time for new players to jell. Early losses to Saint Mary's and Pacific came while everyone was learning their roles. A more recent setback at Arizona State was just something that happens on the road sometimes. Fine, but by the beginning of conference play, it's a matter of whether or not you're good enough. It appears the Aztecs are.
---
A few weeks ago, I said the Aztecs would lose no more than three games the rest of the season. The loss in Tempe was one, and it was something I accounted for in my thinking. So we're on track. On the other hand, that means the Aztecs have to go 14-2 in a tough Mountain West Conference. Still could happen. We'll find out Saturday just how hard the road games will be when they play at Wyoming.
---
After the turmoil of a 7-9 non-conference schedule, I think the USD men have a solid shot at third place in the West Coast Conference behind Gonzaga and Saint Mary's. The competition will be Portland and, surprise, Loyola-Marymount. Bigger surprise, LMU might be the stiffer competition.
The Pilots have really tailed off after their 5-0 start. The Lions, however, have won six straight games, with victims including pretty good teams in Notre Dame and Long Beach State.
The Toreros host Portland next week but don't travel to LMU until the end of the month. Those are the first two of four games between USD and their competitors that will be critical to conference tournament seeding.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The Decade's People in Local Sports
We San Diego sports fans were treated to the exploits of a lot of interesting people over the past decade. Here's my look at some who played a major role in the local sports scene from 2000 to 2009:
LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees - The running back from Texas Christian and quarterback from Purdue came seemingly as a package deal in the 2001 draft and double-handedly rose the Chargers from the near-dead. Both were immensely talented and, perhaps more important, were quality people. The Chargers began the decade 1-15. By 2002, when Brees took over, they improved to 8-8 and by 2004 were in the playoffs. Tomlinson rushed for more than 12,000 yards, caught more than 500 passes and scored 153 touchdowns to make himself a cinch first-ballot Hall of Fame selection. Brees was run off after the Bolts slipped to 9-7 in 2005, but he made himself a fixture in New Orleans and might himself be enshrined in Canton one day.
Trevor Hoffman - "Hells Bells" has moved to Milwaukee, but there's some interesting stats about the all-time baseball saves leader. His 591 saves are the most ever, of course. Of those, 552 came with the Padres, which is still the most ever. The Yankees Mariano Rivera is second on the all-time list with 526 as of the end of the 2009 season. Some things you won't know if you're not a stat freak are that his career ERA of 2.73 is second among active pitchers behind Rivera, his ratio of walks and hits to innings pitched is also second to Rivera, and his ratio of hits allowed for every nine innings pitched of 6.884 ranks first for active players and fifth all-time. 326 of his saves came in this decade, if my addition is correct. You have to figure he has another year or two left in him, and it would be really nice to see him retire as a Padre.
Jimmie Johnson - The El Cajon native won NASCAR's championship four straight years, and always seemed to be back home the next day visiting a school and handing out gifts. He's like the guy who always returns the shot in tennis or ping-pong, he just drives without mistakes and let's his opponents fail. Now he's the first driver to be the AP Athlete of the Year.
John Lynch - It is easy to criticize 1090 XX Sports, but I think if we didn't have this guy, we might not have any local sports on the radio dial. We didn't when XTRA 690 was scrapped early in the decade, and it was Lynch who stepped up and made a deal with 1090 to put sports on the radio other than the horrible ESPN station that had no local content. His station has been extremely inconsistent and hard to listen to, but it's to his credit that it's there in the first place. No one said he was a programmer and I think some people have taken advantage of him by not working as hard as they could. He's someone who knows how to make something happen, and he did with local sports.
John Carroll - the head coach of the highly successful football team at Oceanside High, Carroll has succeeded legends like Herb Meyer and John Shacklett as the face of the local prep game. This year's team was clearly his best, with Division 1 players across the lineup, especially on defense. But he has generally won without overwhelming talent and depth. You won't read this anywhere else because he keeps a low profile, but Sean Doyle of Cathedral (former USDHS), is close to being on the same level.
Candice Wiggins - There are stories of kids who survive the sins of their parents, and then there are stories of those who thrive. Wiggins, the former La Jolla Country Day star from Poway, is one of the latter. Her father, former Padres second baseman Alan Wiggins, was a hard-headed drug addict who died of AIDS. Her mother must have been pretty special, because she raised some pretty special kids, of whom Candice is the best known. Local girls basketball was never better than when she played, and the level of talent has diminished greatly when she left. Even with a bunch of great competition, she was the best. She now plays with Charde Houston of San Diego High for the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, and is spending her off-season playing for a team in Greece.
Shaun White - He's to this decade's kids what Tony Hawk was to those who grew up in the 90s, a legend in athletic pursuits a lot of us geezers don't really understand. The Carlsbad product won a gold medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics and is a favorite to win at least another in Vancouver in 2010. Indeed, recent performances indicate that he's stepping up his game. He's claimed a stratospheric celebrity status that might even surpass Hawk's.
Mark Fabiani - Everyone above is notable for success. Not Fabiani. The former special counsel to President Clinton has been tasked for most of this decade with coming up with a site for a new Chargers stadium, and so far he's failed. I cannot imagine why this guy remains employed by the Spanos family -- and no one should take this personally because I've talked to him a few times and he is personable and friendly with reporters. Perhaps the fact that the Chargers aren't building a new facility now isn't his fault, but he has yet to succeed, either. The proposed downtown site, news of which I broke over the summer with Mark's help, now looks like a bust, too, for reasons not quite so apparent at the time. It seemed like a good idea. Oceanside and Escondido never seemed liked good ideas. The pursuit of a new stadium, after more than half the decade, appears to be back at square one.
LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees - The running back from Texas Christian and quarterback from Purdue came seemingly as a package deal in the 2001 draft and double-handedly rose the Chargers from the near-dead. Both were immensely talented and, perhaps more important, were quality people. The Chargers began the decade 1-15. By 2002, when Brees took over, they improved to 8-8 and by 2004 were in the playoffs. Tomlinson rushed for more than 12,000 yards, caught more than 500 passes and scored 153 touchdowns to make himself a cinch first-ballot Hall of Fame selection. Brees was run off after the Bolts slipped to 9-7 in 2005, but he made himself a fixture in New Orleans and might himself be enshrined in Canton one day.
Trevor Hoffman - "Hells Bells" has moved to Milwaukee, but there's some interesting stats about the all-time baseball saves leader. His 591 saves are the most ever, of course. Of those, 552 came with the Padres, which is still the most ever. The Yankees Mariano Rivera is second on the all-time list with 526 as of the end of the 2009 season. Some things you won't know if you're not a stat freak are that his career ERA of 2.73 is second among active pitchers behind Rivera, his ratio of walks and hits to innings pitched is also second to Rivera, and his ratio of hits allowed for every nine innings pitched of 6.884 ranks first for active players and fifth all-time. 326 of his saves came in this decade, if my addition is correct. You have to figure he has another year or two left in him, and it would be really nice to see him retire as a Padre.
Jimmie Johnson - The El Cajon native won NASCAR's championship four straight years, and always seemed to be back home the next day visiting a school and handing out gifts. He's like the guy who always returns the shot in tennis or ping-pong, he just drives without mistakes and let's his opponents fail. Now he's the first driver to be the AP Athlete of the Year.
John Lynch - It is easy to criticize 1090 XX Sports, but I think if we didn't have this guy, we might not have any local sports on the radio dial. We didn't when XTRA 690 was scrapped early in the decade, and it was Lynch who stepped up and made a deal with 1090 to put sports on the radio other than the horrible ESPN station that had no local content. His station has been extremely inconsistent and hard to listen to, but it's to his credit that it's there in the first place. No one said he was a programmer and I think some people have taken advantage of him by not working as hard as they could. He's someone who knows how to make something happen, and he did with local sports.
John Carroll - the head coach of the highly successful football team at Oceanside High, Carroll has succeeded legends like Herb Meyer and John Shacklett as the face of the local prep game. This year's team was clearly his best, with Division 1 players across the lineup, especially on defense. But he has generally won without overwhelming talent and depth. You won't read this anywhere else because he keeps a low profile, but Sean Doyle of Cathedral (former USDHS), is close to being on the same level.
Candice Wiggins - There are stories of kids who survive the sins of their parents, and then there are stories of those who thrive. Wiggins, the former La Jolla Country Day star from Poway, is one of the latter. Her father, former Padres second baseman Alan Wiggins, was a hard-headed drug addict who died of AIDS. Her mother must have been pretty special, because she raised some pretty special kids, of whom Candice is the best known. Local girls basketball was never better than when she played, and the level of talent has diminished greatly when she left. Even with a bunch of great competition, she was the best. She now plays with Charde Houston of San Diego High for the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, and is spending her off-season playing for a team in Greece.
Shaun White - He's to this decade's kids what Tony Hawk was to those who grew up in the 90s, a legend in athletic pursuits a lot of us geezers don't really understand. The Carlsbad product won a gold medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics and is a favorite to win at least another in Vancouver in 2010. Indeed, recent performances indicate that he's stepping up his game. He's claimed a stratospheric celebrity status that might even surpass Hawk's.
Mark Fabiani - Everyone above is notable for success. Not Fabiani. The former special counsel to President Clinton has been tasked for most of this decade with coming up with a site for a new Chargers stadium, and so far he's failed. I cannot imagine why this guy remains employed by the Spanos family -- and no one should take this personally because I've talked to him a few times and he is personable and friendly with reporters. Perhaps the fact that the Chargers aren't building a new facility now isn't his fault, but he has yet to succeed, either. The proposed downtown site, news of which I broke over the summer with Mark's help, now looks like a bust, too, for reasons not quite so apparent at the time. It seemed like a good idea. Oceanside and Escondido never seemed liked good ideas. The pursuit of a new stadium, after more than half the decade, appears to be back at square one.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Many Decade Highlights at Torrey Pines
I've never been a big fan of golf. Of the more genteel past-times, I've always preferred tennis to both watch and play. However, I have to say that over the past decade, many of the local sports highlights have taken place on the links at Torrey Pines Golf Club. Consider:
-- the U.S. Open simply being here was a thrill, and then Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate go and kick it up a notch with their exciting playoff. A couple days after the tournament, people went bananas at a sale of memorabilia at a Miramar warehouse and several people needed to be hospitalized.
-- Phil Mickelson became the first three-time winner of the Buick tournament when he survived a three-way playoff with Frank Licklighter and Davis Love III.
-- Woods posted a four-stroke win in the Buick following knee surgery.
-- John Daly and Woods both also won in three-way playoffs. Daly's came when there were six other players just a stroke behind after four rounds, and Woods' victory made him the first four-time winner.
-- Woods extended the second-longest tournament winning streak in PGA history to seven with yet another Buick victory.
Golf been berry berry good to us.
Some other highlights:
-- the development of the Chargers franchise from 1-15 in 2000 to annual AFC West champion and Super Bowl contender,
-- the development of San Diego State men's basketball from arguably the worst major program in the nation to an annual 20-game winner and post-season entrant,
-- three appearances by local teams in the Little League World Series, by Oceanside, Rancho Buena Vista and this year's championship by Chula Vista's Park View,
-- Stephen Strasburg comes to SDSU's baseball team from West Hills High as a fat and lazy hurler with a decent fastball and leaves as a strapping and dominant power pitcher who becomes a first round draft pick and college baseball's Player of the Year,
-- USD's men's basketball team wins the West Coast Conference tournament in a championship upset over Gonzaga in a madhouse at the Jenny Craig Pavilion and presses Stanford hard in the NCAA tourney,
-- and a couple years later comes back to upset UConn in the first round of the Big Dance,
-- Tony Gwynn's retirement ceremony and enshrinement in the baseball Hall of Fame along with Trevor Hoffman's achievements. Jake Peavy's Cy Young.
Some of my favorite moments of the decade came in the first few years when I was covering high school sports:
-- Monte Vista topping star-laden El Capitan in a tense and well-played baseball semifinal match at Southwestern College,
-- In boys basketball, Lincoln downing Christian with a three at the buzzer in the first game of a semifinal doubleheader at Cuyamaca College only to be followed with a huge upset by Bishop's over Horizon in the nightcap thanks to a three-quarter court shot at the buzzer,
-- In girls basketball, Mount Carmel going to overtime to dethrone El Camino.
-- In football, Helix outscoring Ramona in a playoff game with future Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and Dartmouth's Jason Bash trading long touchdown runs.
Got some more?
-- the U.S. Open simply being here was a thrill, and then Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate go and kick it up a notch with their exciting playoff. A couple days after the tournament, people went bananas at a sale of memorabilia at a Miramar warehouse and several people needed to be hospitalized.
-- Phil Mickelson became the first three-time winner of the Buick tournament when he survived a three-way playoff with Frank Licklighter and Davis Love III.
-- Woods posted a four-stroke win in the Buick following knee surgery.
-- John Daly and Woods both also won in three-way playoffs. Daly's came when there were six other players just a stroke behind after four rounds, and Woods' victory made him the first four-time winner.
-- Woods extended the second-longest tournament winning streak in PGA history to seven with yet another Buick victory.
Golf been berry berry good to us.
Some other highlights:
-- the development of the Chargers franchise from 1-15 in 2000 to annual AFC West champion and Super Bowl contender,
-- the development of San Diego State men's basketball from arguably the worst major program in the nation to an annual 20-game winner and post-season entrant,
-- three appearances by local teams in the Little League World Series, by Oceanside, Rancho Buena Vista and this year's championship by Chula Vista's Park View,
-- Stephen Strasburg comes to SDSU's baseball team from West Hills High as a fat and lazy hurler with a decent fastball and leaves as a strapping and dominant power pitcher who becomes a first round draft pick and college baseball's Player of the Year,
-- USD's men's basketball team wins the West Coast Conference tournament in a championship upset over Gonzaga in a madhouse at the Jenny Craig Pavilion and presses Stanford hard in the NCAA tourney,
-- and a couple years later comes back to upset UConn in the first round of the Big Dance,
-- Tony Gwynn's retirement ceremony and enshrinement in the baseball Hall of Fame along with Trevor Hoffman's achievements. Jake Peavy's Cy Young.
Some of my favorite moments of the decade came in the first few years when I was covering high school sports:
-- Monte Vista topping star-laden El Capitan in a tense and well-played baseball semifinal match at Southwestern College,
-- In boys basketball, Lincoln downing Christian with a three at the buzzer in the first game of a semifinal doubleheader at Cuyamaca College only to be followed with a huge upset by Bishop's over Horizon in the nightcap thanks to a three-quarter court shot at the buzzer,
-- In girls basketball, Mount Carmel going to overtime to dethrone El Camino.
-- In football, Helix outscoring Ramona in a playoff game with future Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and Dartmouth's Jason Bash trading long touchdown runs.
Got some more?
Sunday, December 27, 2009
San Diego Sports Rising Toward Next Decade
Maybe I'm mathematically challenged but to me, 2010 ushers in a new decade. The purists say the new decade begins with a one. Poppycock, we're just placing the one in the tens column and doing so for the first time, so it's a new decade and that's all there is to it.
So, as the year/decade come to an end, there will be a series of posts that look back on the previous 10 years, the highs, the lows and some of the people who made the San Diego sports scene what it is. The first five years, of course, included my attempt at operating SanDiegoSportsTown.com, which gave me a close look at everything that was going on around here and provided some perspective when I became a more casual observer in the succeeding years.
I will say this. I like where we are heading into 2010 much better than going into 2000. If there were a president of San Diego sports, that person would be overwhelmingly re-elected. Things are really looking up. Consider where we were 10 years ago:
-- the Chargers had Ryan Leaf at quarterback and were in the midst of a period in which they and the Bengals were the worst franchises in the NFL,
-- the Padres were barely a year removed from a World Series appearance and were heading downhill.
-- the SDSU football team was headed for collapse and the basketball programs were among the nation's worst,
-- all of the USD athletic programs were mired in mediocrity.
Happily fast-forward to the present:
-- the Chargers have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl behind a team that's still relatively young and with better line play has room for improvement,
-- the Padres have promising new ownership and an interesting foundation of young players to build around,
-- the SDSU football program is on the comeback trail and the basketball programs are now annual conference contenders and post-season participants,
-- all of the USD athletic programs are mired in mediocrity (but the middle of the decade was so good that .500 is no longer acceptable).
Things aren't perfect. As noted last week, the annual PGA tournament lost its sponsor and marquee player, the women's tennis tourney is no longer and the Holiday Bowl will struggle to maintain relevance. But I trust the Century Club and Holiday Bowl folks to come through, because they always do, and everything else is just so good right now.
I'll come back Monday or Tuesday with a list of some of the decade's memorable moments.
So, as the year/decade come to an end, there will be a series of posts that look back on the previous 10 years, the highs, the lows and some of the people who made the San Diego sports scene what it is. The first five years, of course, included my attempt at operating SanDiegoSportsTown.com, which gave me a close look at everything that was going on around here and provided some perspective when I became a more casual observer in the succeeding years.
I will say this. I like where we are heading into 2010 much better than going into 2000. If there were a president of San Diego sports, that person would be overwhelmingly re-elected. Things are really looking up. Consider where we were 10 years ago:
-- the Chargers had Ryan Leaf at quarterback and were in the midst of a period in which they and the Bengals were the worst franchises in the NFL,
-- the Padres were barely a year removed from a World Series appearance and were heading downhill.
-- the SDSU football team was headed for collapse and the basketball programs were among the nation's worst,
-- all of the USD athletic programs were mired in mediocrity.
Happily fast-forward to the present:
-- the Chargers have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl behind a team that's still relatively young and with better line play has room for improvement,
-- the Padres have promising new ownership and an interesting foundation of young players to build around,
-- the SDSU football program is on the comeback trail and the basketball programs are now annual conference contenders and post-season participants,
-- all of the USD athletic programs are mired in mediocrity (but the middle of the decade was so good that .500 is no longer acceptable).
Things aren't perfect. As noted last week, the annual PGA tournament lost its sponsor and marquee player, the women's tennis tourney is no longer and the Holiday Bowl will struggle to maintain relevance. But I trust the Century Club and Holiday Bowl folks to come through, because they always do, and everything else is just so good right now.
I'll come back Monday or Tuesday with a list of some of the decade's memorable moments.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Rating the San Diego Sports Franchises
There are so many of those "Rate My ..." sites on the Internet these days I thought it would be a fun thing here in the holidays to rate our local teams and other sports efforts. So, from one to 10, from bad to good, here we go:
9 - Holiday Bowl. They live right, there's little else that can be said. Arizona-Nebraska is a great matchup that sold out within hours of the teams being announced. The game never fails to entertain. Next year, they sink in the pecking order, but that's a problem to be dealt with later. For now, enjoy one of the premier bowl events in the nation.
8 - Chargers. There's not much more to prove for the Bolts, annual division titlists and Super Bowl contenders. They have just have to get to the final game and win one. Unlike 1994, making it will not be an upset and they'd have a chance to win. Yes, the lines still need improvement, a deficiency that might be costly next month, but everything else seems to work.
7 - San Diego State men's basketball. They're kind of like the Chargers although the Aztecs are somewhat flying under the local radar. No question there's work ahead for Coach Steve Fisher, who needs a reliable point guard and a regular with a consistent outside shot. But you can't knock annual 20-win seasons and tournament appearances. To get to an 8 like the Bolts, they have to win an NCAA Tournament game.
7 - USD baseball. The Little Team That Could is ranked again in the preseason, all you need to know about a program mired in mediocrity when Coach Rich Hill took over. The Toreros have been regular-season wonders in beating top programs like Texas, but have performed poorly in the NCAA Regionals. Hoping last season was but a hiccup.
6 - San Diego State women's basketball. I would have been tempted to place the Lady Aztecs a notch or two higher before the season, but there is something wrong internally with Coach Beth Burns' team. G Jerica Williams quitting is a sign to me that there were some personality clashes early in the season, leading to a couple surprising blowout losses. Let's hope that this week's romp over Loyola-Marymount is a sign that Burns has put things back together.
6 - Poinsettia Bowl. That sixth draw out of the Pac-10 is turning into a bit of a dud, especially when you figure such a team has to face the second- or third-place team from the suddenly powerful Mountain West Conference. As predicted on this blog on bowl announcement day, the game would be a rout in favor of the Utes, and it was. Attendance is a problem, with both schools this year only selling half their allotments and local fans saving their money for the Holiday Bowl. On the other hand, the last two games, TCU-Boise State and Utah-Navy, have been stellar.
6 - USD men's basketball. Coach Bill Grier maximizes his talent, enough to get the occasional win over a name school like Oklahoma. Trouble is, there's not enough talent on this squad and while he's been able to attract recruits, none are exciting. The Toreros are no longer the consistent program they were under Brad Holland and if the West Coast Conference season doesn't go well, they'll be at a crossroads.
5 - USD football. Never would have rated the Toreros this low back in the high-flying Jim Harbaugh days, but they're coming off a 4-7 season, 3-5 in the Pioneer Football League. Coach Ron Caragher had two great years following Harbaugh, but the trend is now heading in the wrong direction. Chalk up part of the problem to injuries. But another losing season next year will put Caragher on the hot seat.
5 - San Diego State baseball. Okay, now that Strasburg is gone, show us what you've got. The college baseball Player of the Year carried the Aztecs to their first regional in a ridiculous 19 years, obscuring the fact that they only finished fourth in the Mountain West Conference, which is not the power it has become in football and basketball. Can Addison Reed do a Strasburg impersonation? We'll see.
4 - San Diego State football. The Aztecs came a long way in Coach Brady Hoke's first year, and a strong recruiting class is being put together. This coaching staff knows what it is doing, and the results will show in time. It still amazes how low this program sank under Hoke's predecessors. To think how close they came to a bowl game in 2009 is stunning.
4 - USD women's basketball. The Lady Toreros are coming off two strong runs in the WCC Tournament, one which got them to the NCAAs, and have compiled two straight 19-13 records. Yet, Coach Cindy Fisher hasn't seemed able to build on her success, with the Toreros only 6-6 heading into Christmas. Just like the men, they seem capable of more, and the low rating expresses my desire for them to step up their game a notch.
3 - Padres. New General Manager Jed Hoyer has his work cut out for him. As said before, I like the foundation of young players, but it's only a base, not a finished product. Right now, they're only capable of challenging for .500 next year, which is not good enough considering the high cost of attending games and inconvenient stadium location. I'm willing to watch Hoyer build this franchise up, but mostly from in front of my television.
3 - Golf. The Century Club lost Buick as a sponsor and now goes into next month's event at Torrey Pines without scandal-plagued Tiger Woods. Good luck with that. On the other hand, we did finally get the LPGA back with a September tournament.
0 - As in no professional tennis tournaments.
Arrows Up: Chargers, SDSU men's hoops, SDSU football.
Arrows Down: SDSU women's basketball, USD football, USD women's basketball.
---
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my readers!
9 - Holiday Bowl. They live right, there's little else that can be said. Arizona-Nebraska is a great matchup that sold out within hours of the teams being announced. The game never fails to entertain. Next year, they sink in the pecking order, but that's a problem to be dealt with later. For now, enjoy one of the premier bowl events in the nation.
8 - Chargers. There's not much more to prove for the Bolts, annual division titlists and Super Bowl contenders. They have just have to get to the final game and win one. Unlike 1994, making it will not be an upset and they'd have a chance to win. Yes, the lines still need improvement, a deficiency that might be costly next month, but everything else seems to work.
7 - San Diego State men's basketball. They're kind of like the Chargers although the Aztecs are somewhat flying under the local radar. No question there's work ahead for Coach Steve Fisher, who needs a reliable point guard and a regular with a consistent outside shot. But you can't knock annual 20-win seasons and tournament appearances. To get to an 8 like the Bolts, they have to win an NCAA Tournament game.
7 - USD baseball. The Little Team That Could is ranked again in the preseason, all you need to know about a program mired in mediocrity when Coach Rich Hill took over. The Toreros have been regular-season wonders in beating top programs like Texas, but have performed poorly in the NCAA Regionals. Hoping last season was but a hiccup.
6 - San Diego State women's basketball. I would have been tempted to place the Lady Aztecs a notch or two higher before the season, but there is something wrong internally with Coach Beth Burns' team. G Jerica Williams quitting is a sign to me that there were some personality clashes early in the season, leading to a couple surprising blowout losses. Let's hope that this week's romp over Loyola-Marymount is a sign that Burns has put things back together.
6 - Poinsettia Bowl. That sixth draw out of the Pac-10 is turning into a bit of a dud, especially when you figure such a team has to face the second- or third-place team from the suddenly powerful Mountain West Conference. As predicted on this blog on bowl announcement day, the game would be a rout in favor of the Utes, and it was. Attendance is a problem, with both schools this year only selling half their allotments and local fans saving their money for the Holiday Bowl. On the other hand, the last two games, TCU-Boise State and Utah-Navy, have been stellar.
6 - USD men's basketball. Coach Bill Grier maximizes his talent, enough to get the occasional win over a name school like Oklahoma. Trouble is, there's not enough talent on this squad and while he's been able to attract recruits, none are exciting. The Toreros are no longer the consistent program they were under Brad Holland and if the West Coast Conference season doesn't go well, they'll be at a crossroads.
5 - USD football. Never would have rated the Toreros this low back in the high-flying Jim Harbaugh days, but they're coming off a 4-7 season, 3-5 in the Pioneer Football League. Coach Ron Caragher had two great years following Harbaugh, but the trend is now heading in the wrong direction. Chalk up part of the problem to injuries. But another losing season next year will put Caragher on the hot seat.
5 - San Diego State baseball. Okay, now that Strasburg is gone, show us what you've got. The college baseball Player of the Year carried the Aztecs to their first regional in a ridiculous 19 years, obscuring the fact that they only finished fourth in the Mountain West Conference, which is not the power it has become in football and basketball. Can Addison Reed do a Strasburg impersonation? We'll see.
4 - San Diego State football. The Aztecs came a long way in Coach Brady Hoke's first year, and a strong recruiting class is being put together. This coaching staff knows what it is doing, and the results will show in time. It still amazes how low this program sank under Hoke's predecessors. To think how close they came to a bowl game in 2009 is stunning.
4 - USD women's basketball. The Lady Toreros are coming off two strong runs in the WCC Tournament, one which got them to the NCAAs, and have compiled two straight 19-13 records. Yet, Coach Cindy Fisher hasn't seemed able to build on her success, with the Toreros only 6-6 heading into Christmas. Just like the men, they seem capable of more, and the low rating expresses my desire for them to step up their game a notch.
3 - Padres. New General Manager Jed Hoyer has his work cut out for him. As said before, I like the foundation of young players, but it's only a base, not a finished product. Right now, they're only capable of challenging for .500 next year, which is not good enough considering the high cost of attending games and inconvenient stadium location. I'm willing to watch Hoyer build this franchise up, but mostly from in front of my television.
3 - Golf. The Century Club lost Buick as a sponsor and now goes into next month's event at Torrey Pines without scandal-plagued Tiger Woods. Good luck with that. On the other hand, we did finally get the LPGA back with a September tournament.
0 - As in no professional tennis tournaments.
Arrows Up: Chargers, SDSU men's hoops, SDSU football.
Arrows Down: SDSU women's basketball, USD football, USD women's basketball.
---
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my readers!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
San Diego Sports Moments of 2009
The Top 10, as I see them:
1. Chula Vista Park View Little League Wins World Series: The Bombers were on the verge of elimination at some point every step of the way, but when the dust cleared, they were the best group of 11, 12 and 13-year-old baseball players on the planet. The South Bay was energized, and the rest of San Diego County captivated, by their spirited play. Their impact was made obvious by the reception the players received upon their return, when they were accorded rock star status for more than a week. It was the first local team to win a Little League championship since the 1961 El Cajon-La Mesa Little League. Aside from indoor soccer, it was the first national or world championship for a local team since the 1973 SDSU mens' volleyball squad.
2. San Diego State men's basketball vs. Saint Mary's: One of the three or four greatest nights in the history of Aztecs athletics in terms of what was at stake, the players ability to come through in the clutch and fan participation. If you weren't thereon March 25, you really, really missed something special. Can't forget Billy White's dunk or Patty Mills being forced to dribble the ball off his leg.
3. San Diego Chargers beat Indianapolis in the playoffs: Darren Sproles ran wild over the Colts in a 23-17 OT win at Qualcomm Stadium on Jan 12. The running back gained 328 total yards, including 178 on kick returns and 105 rushing. Key play was a late sack of Indy QB Peyton Manning near his own goal line, setting up a short punt that the Bolts converted to a game-tying field goal with 31 seconds left.
4. Stephen Strasburg: I'm not sure how you pick just one single event, but here goes. On Mar. 27, he took the mound in Fort Worth with temperatures in the mid-40s and a stiff breeze, facing Number 16 TCU. He proceeded to pitch 8 innings, allow just 2 runs and strike out 14 Horned Frogs. He allowed just 3 hits and 1 walk as the Aztecs raced to an 11-5 victory. It was a night that called for toughness, and he had it. No complaints about the no-hitter against Air Force, being drafted first or the $140,000 donation, either.
5. Everth Cabrera's Fireworks: Independence Day was perhaps the coming out party for the Padres youth. In a televised game that overshadowed that weekend's return of the Dodgers' Manny Ramirez from a 50-day drug suspension, Cabrera was spectacular defensively at shortstop and drove in three runs during a 7-4 win by the Friars. A month later, he hit a walk-off grand slam against Francisco Rodriguez of the Mets. The Padres also saw promise from outfielders Kyle Blanks and Will Venable.
6. Jeff Moorad Buys Padres: The local major league baseball team had stagnated under owner John Moores and conditions were not going to improve under an owner who had moved out of town. His divorce made things worse and prompted the sale. Good for us fans, sucks for them, of course, since you don't want to wish that on anybody. Moorad has provided some fresh energy and a new direction that appears positive on the surface. If it translates to the field, all the better.
7. West Hills Upsets Mt. Miguel in CIF Girls Division II Basketball Final: This is why people love March Madness. The Matadors were routinely the section champions and the Wolf Pack had never been. Mt. Miguel beat them by 11 the first time they played last season. So, of course, on March 6 they go down to the final seconds at the Jenny Craig Pavilion tied at 44, and Wolf Pack junior Sherika Miller scooped up a loose ball, drove to the basket and flipped up a shot that somehow went in with 1.3 seconds remaining.
8. Chargers Stand Turns Around Season: The Chargers were 4-3 and riding a two-game winning streak, but still chasing the Broncos when they traveled to the Meadowlands to face the Giants on Nov. 8. No one at the time imagined the Chargers would be where they are now, comfortably in first place in the AFC West and aiming for the second seed in the playoffs. The reason why they're where they are now is they didn't fold when an interception return set the Giants up at the Chargers 4-yard line in the fourth quarter. After allowing pressure on QB Eli Manning all day, a Giants lineman was called for holding. The Giants only got a field goal, and the Chargers drove for the game-winning touchdown. The rest, as they say, is history.
9. Girls High School Cross-Country National Championship: It made nary a blip on the local radar last weekend, but it did make national news as Megan Goethels of Rochester, Mich. and Chelsey Sveinsson of Dallas finished the Morley Field course in identical times of 17:07. Goethals led most of the 5K race but fell behind Sveinsson late during a pouring rainstorm. The Michigan girl had a great finishing kick and pushed ahead with five meters remaining and won by mere inches.
10. SDSU Women's Basketball Wins in NCAA Tournament: Beth Burns' Aztecs hosted the first two rounds of the women's NCAA Tournament and used the home court advantage to defeat DePaul 76-70, with unstoppable G Jene Morris tying her career high with 35 points. The home court advantage was the real deal, the victory ran the Aztecs home record to 15-0 that season before they fell to Stanford two nights later.
Other cool things: Eastlake High School's football team making Qualcomm Stadium for the first time and defeating Vista for it's first CIF crown despite playing most of the game without star Tony Jefferson ... Oceanside winning its sixth straight Division II title and having all the Southern Section teams above them in consideration for the state bowl lose, giving both the Pirates and Francis Parker bids ... Brady Hoke's SDSU football team nearly pulled off a miracle, coming within two quarters, or two minutes if that's how you want to look at it, of going to a bowl game. It wasn't to be, with last-minute losses to Wyoming and UNLV, but the coaching staff is recruiting much better than anyone at State in years, possibly enough to land a bowl bid next year ... SDSU's mens' soccer team hit the big time in September with a 4-2 win over sixth-ranked old nemesis UC Santa Barbara, and also scored big wins over Stanford and Cal (twice). They also twice tied UCLA, once when the Bruins were ranked second in the nation.
I'm sure I forgot something, or things. Feel free to comment and jog my memory!
1. Chula Vista Park View Little League Wins World Series: The Bombers were on the verge of elimination at some point every step of the way, but when the dust cleared, they were the best group of 11, 12 and 13-year-old baseball players on the planet. The South Bay was energized, and the rest of San Diego County captivated, by their spirited play. Their impact was made obvious by the reception the players received upon their return, when they were accorded rock star status for more than a week. It was the first local team to win a Little League championship since the 1961 El Cajon-La Mesa Little League. Aside from indoor soccer, it was the first national or world championship for a local team since the 1973 SDSU mens' volleyball squad.
2. San Diego State men's basketball vs. Saint Mary's: One of the three or four greatest nights in the history of Aztecs athletics in terms of what was at stake, the players ability to come through in the clutch and fan participation. If you weren't thereon March 25, you really, really missed something special. Can't forget Billy White's dunk or Patty Mills being forced to dribble the ball off his leg.
3. San Diego Chargers beat Indianapolis in the playoffs: Darren Sproles ran wild over the Colts in a 23-17 OT win at Qualcomm Stadium on Jan 12. The running back gained 328 total yards, including 178 on kick returns and 105 rushing. Key play was a late sack of Indy QB Peyton Manning near his own goal line, setting up a short punt that the Bolts converted to a game-tying field goal with 31 seconds left.
4. Stephen Strasburg: I'm not sure how you pick just one single event, but here goes. On Mar. 27, he took the mound in Fort Worth with temperatures in the mid-40s and a stiff breeze, facing Number 16 TCU. He proceeded to pitch 8 innings, allow just 2 runs and strike out 14 Horned Frogs. He allowed just 3 hits and 1 walk as the Aztecs raced to an 11-5 victory. It was a night that called for toughness, and he had it. No complaints about the no-hitter against Air Force, being drafted first or the $140,000 donation, either.
5. Everth Cabrera's Fireworks: Independence Day was perhaps the coming out party for the Padres youth. In a televised game that overshadowed that weekend's return of the Dodgers' Manny Ramirez from a 50-day drug suspension, Cabrera was spectacular defensively at shortstop and drove in three runs during a 7-4 win by the Friars. A month later, he hit a walk-off grand slam against Francisco Rodriguez of the Mets. The Padres also saw promise from outfielders Kyle Blanks and Will Venable.
6. Jeff Moorad Buys Padres: The local major league baseball team had stagnated under owner John Moores and conditions were not going to improve under an owner who had moved out of town. His divorce made things worse and prompted the sale. Good for us fans, sucks for them, of course, since you don't want to wish that on anybody. Moorad has provided some fresh energy and a new direction that appears positive on the surface. If it translates to the field, all the better.
7. West Hills Upsets Mt. Miguel in CIF Girls Division II Basketball Final: This is why people love March Madness. The Matadors were routinely the section champions and the Wolf Pack had never been. Mt. Miguel beat them by 11 the first time they played last season. So, of course, on March 6 they go down to the final seconds at the Jenny Craig Pavilion tied at 44, and Wolf Pack junior Sherika Miller scooped up a loose ball, drove to the basket and flipped up a shot that somehow went in with 1.3 seconds remaining.
8. Chargers Stand Turns Around Season: The Chargers were 4-3 and riding a two-game winning streak, but still chasing the Broncos when they traveled to the Meadowlands to face the Giants on Nov. 8. No one at the time imagined the Chargers would be where they are now, comfortably in first place in the AFC West and aiming for the second seed in the playoffs. The reason why they're where they are now is they didn't fold when an interception return set the Giants up at the Chargers 4-yard line in the fourth quarter. After allowing pressure on QB Eli Manning all day, a Giants lineman was called for holding. The Giants only got a field goal, and the Chargers drove for the game-winning touchdown. The rest, as they say, is history.
9. Girls High School Cross-Country National Championship: It made nary a blip on the local radar last weekend, but it did make national news as Megan Goethels of Rochester, Mich. and Chelsey Sveinsson of Dallas finished the Morley Field course in identical times of 17:07. Goethals led most of the 5K race but fell behind Sveinsson late during a pouring rainstorm. The Michigan girl had a great finishing kick and pushed ahead with five meters remaining and won by mere inches.
10. SDSU Women's Basketball Wins in NCAA Tournament: Beth Burns' Aztecs hosted the first two rounds of the women's NCAA Tournament and used the home court advantage to defeat DePaul 76-70, with unstoppable G Jene Morris tying her career high with 35 points. The home court advantage was the real deal, the victory ran the Aztecs home record to 15-0 that season before they fell to Stanford two nights later.
Other cool things: Eastlake High School's football team making Qualcomm Stadium for the first time and defeating Vista for it's first CIF crown despite playing most of the game without star Tony Jefferson ... Oceanside winning its sixth straight Division II title and having all the Southern Section teams above them in consideration for the state bowl lose, giving both the Pirates and Francis Parker bids ... Brady Hoke's SDSU football team nearly pulled off a miracle, coming within two quarters, or two minutes if that's how you want to look at it, of going to a bowl game. It wasn't to be, with last-minute losses to Wyoming and UNLV, but the coaching staff is recruiting much better than anyone at State in years, possibly enough to land a bowl bid next year ... SDSU's mens' soccer team hit the big time in September with a 4-2 win over sixth-ranked old nemesis UC Santa Barbara, and also scored big wins over Stanford and Cal (twice). They also twice tied UCLA, once when the Bruins were ranked second in the nation.
I'm sure I forgot something, or things. Feel free to comment and jog my memory!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Does Chargers Super Bowl Equal Stadium? Plus SDSU Hoops
Are we in 1998 again?
In that glorious year, the Padres pitched their way into the World Series and fans showed their appreciation by voting to approve a complicated deal between the franchise and city to build Petco Park.
Now, 11 years later, we find ourselves with the Chargers in need of a new stadium and might have a chance to energize the electorate the same way their baseball brethren did. The Bolts 20-17 victory over the Cowboys in Dallas, in a game that wasn't as close as the final result, established themselves as favorites along with the undefeated Colts to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys were as big a challenge as the they've had in a couple of months, and they came answered.
The fear coming into Sunday was the Chargers would be exposed as pretenders, with deficient lines or poor secondary play. No one is perfect, but those units played well enough to win. The final Chargers offensive possession too more than seven minutes off the board in the fourth quarter and resulted in Nate Kaeding's clinching field goal. They did it mostly running against a pretty good defense that knew the ball would remain on the ground. It seems like earlier in the season the Bolts couldn't run the ball even if the other team dropped 11 into pass coverage.
The Chargers are now solid contenders, not pretenders. And you know their history against the Colts, whether home or in Indianapolis. If they do go to the Super Bowl, and thrill the local fans, they might have a chance to get a ballot measure passed that includes taxpayer financing of their new digs. The Chargers now say taxpayer money will be needed if they're to build downtown, which appears to be the only available spot left in the county. In normal circumstances, they would have no chance. Coming off a Super Bowl appearance, such a proposition might pass.
"Might" is they key word. The argument in favor of spending taxpayer money on a new football palace is that it keeps the team in town -- the NFL is THE premier sports league and a franchise brings San Diego a significant national presence it can't afford to lose, and that the project will renew a blighted area, bringing tax dollars into city coffers that will cover for the initial capital expenditures.
All well and good, but the economy is down and city finances are in poor shape. It's hard to justify paying for a stadium, no matter how it pencils out, if libraries are being closed.
But you know those arguments. Here's two more:
1. The downtown site is quite close to Petco Park. The redevelopment of the East Village has essentially already occured, so any redevelopment or economic benefits of a new stadium will run into the law of diminishing returns.
2. Petco Park and the surrounding redevelopment might be fine for city coffers, developers and real estate agents. It's a lovely thing if you have a lot of extra cash immune to the economic downturn and can pay for $35 game tickets, $20 parking and expensive junk food. Otherwise, while Petco has been a pretty place to watch the Padres, it's been an economic drain on the average San Diego resident. How Average Joe feels about doing the same thing regarding the Chargers is questionable. The one escape valve the Bolts have is that the NFL has already priced itself out of reach of most common men. But it is common men who will be casting votes some day to fund a new stadium.
Yeah, it might be 1998 again, but the results of any resulting election might be different. If we can make the results of the Super Bowl different from the Padres WS experience, most of us would take it.
---
In the history of San Diego State athletics, Arizona has often been a marker. In football back in the 1970's glory days, the Aztecs struggled to beat good Wildcats teams in frequent meetings until they broke through in 1977 and 1979, the two best seasons in that decade.
Saturday, the basketball team finally broke through after years of frustration by crushing the Wildcats 63-46. SDSU won comfortably even though they didn't appear to play their best in front of a sellout crowd at Viejas Arena. There were a lot of sloppy turnovers and plenty of missed shots from close to the basket. The Aztecs could have won by 30. But no matter, the Cats never came close to making it a game. This isn't vintage Lute Olson Arizona -- they're now 4-5 with a very young team -- but they were the most athletic team on the schedule so far this year. That the Aztecs matched that athleticism, and raised them by a lot, is heartening for the rest of the season. Only Arizona State, next Saturday in Tempe, and UNLV can offer similar threats athletically.
The Aztecs are now 8-2. I'll make a dramatic prediction. They won't lose more than three games the rest of the regular season. They'll fall to either Arizona State or Drake, one of the UNLV games and one of the BYU games. No one else will touch them. Their top substitutes would start on most Mountain West teams. That gives them a final regular-season record of 25-5. That looks right, at least for now.
In that glorious year, the Padres pitched their way into the World Series and fans showed their appreciation by voting to approve a complicated deal between the franchise and city to build Petco Park.
Now, 11 years later, we find ourselves with the Chargers in need of a new stadium and might have a chance to energize the electorate the same way their baseball brethren did. The Bolts 20-17 victory over the Cowboys in Dallas, in a game that wasn't as close as the final result, established themselves as favorites along with the undefeated Colts to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys were as big a challenge as the they've had in a couple of months, and they came answered.
The fear coming into Sunday was the Chargers would be exposed as pretenders, with deficient lines or poor secondary play. No one is perfect, but those units played well enough to win. The final Chargers offensive possession too more than seven minutes off the board in the fourth quarter and resulted in Nate Kaeding's clinching field goal. They did it mostly running against a pretty good defense that knew the ball would remain on the ground. It seems like earlier in the season the Bolts couldn't run the ball even if the other team dropped 11 into pass coverage.
The Chargers are now solid contenders, not pretenders. And you know their history against the Colts, whether home or in Indianapolis. If they do go to the Super Bowl, and thrill the local fans, they might have a chance to get a ballot measure passed that includes taxpayer financing of their new digs. The Chargers now say taxpayer money will be needed if they're to build downtown, which appears to be the only available spot left in the county. In normal circumstances, they would have no chance. Coming off a Super Bowl appearance, such a proposition might pass.
"Might" is they key word. The argument in favor of spending taxpayer money on a new football palace is that it keeps the team in town -- the NFL is THE premier sports league and a franchise brings San Diego a significant national presence it can't afford to lose, and that the project will renew a blighted area, bringing tax dollars into city coffers that will cover for the initial capital expenditures.
All well and good, but the economy is down and city finances are in poor shape. It's hard to justify paying for a stadium, no matter how it pencils out, if libraries are being closed.
But you know those arguments. Here's two more:
1. The downtown site is quite close to Petco Park. The redevelopment of the East Village has essentially already occured, so any redevelopment or economic benefits of a new stadium will run into the law of diminishing returns.
2. Petco Park and the surrounding redevelopment might be fine for city coffers, developers and real estate agents. It's a lovely thing if you have a lot of extra cash immune to the economic downturn and can pay for $35 game tickets, $20 parking and expensive junk food. Otherwise, while Petco has been a pretty place to watch the Padres, it's been an economic drain on the average San Diego resident. How Average Joe feels about doing the same thing regarding the Chargers is questionable. The one escape valve the Bolts have is that the NFL has already priced itself out of reach of most common men. But it is common men who will be casting votes some day to fund a new stadium.
Yeah, it might be 1998 again, but the results of any resulting election might be different. If we can make the results of the Super Bowl different from the Padres WS experience, most of us would take it.
---
In the history of San Diego State athletics, Arizona has often been a marker. In football back in the 1970's glory days, the Aztecs struggled to beat good Wildcats teams in frequent meetings until they broke through in 1977 and 1979, the two best seasons in that decade.
Saturday, the basketball team finally broke through after years of frustration by crushing the Wildcats 63-46. SDSU won comfortably even though they didn't appear to play their best in front of a sellout crowd at Viejas Arena. There were a lot of sloppy turnovers and plenty of missed shots from close to the basket. The Aztecs could have won by 30. But no matter, the Cats never came close to making it a game. This isn't vintage Lute Olson Arizona -- they're now 4-5 with a very young team -- but they were the most athletic team on the schedule so far this year. That the Aztecs matched that athleticism, and raised them by a lot, is heartening for the rest of the season. Only Arizona State, next Saturday in Tempe, and UNLV can offer similar threats athletically.
The Aztecs are now 8-2. I'll make a dramatic prediction. They won't lose more than three games the rest of the regular season. They'll fall to either Arizona State or Drake, one of the UNLV games and one of the BYU games. No one else will touch them. Their top substitutes would start on most Mountain West teams. That gives them a final regular-season record of 25-5. That looks right, at least for now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)