Bill Walton came on the Dan Dakich podcast last week and turned in 40 minutes of listening bliss. From Jerry Garcia to Larry Bird to Dr. Martin Luther King, Walton discusses everything under the California sun. Enjoy it here... http://media.1070thefan.com/Podcasts/2155/022213_BIllWalton.mp3
By Josh Hunsucker (@jphunsucker)
I still feel this way.
It's been two weeks since Super Bowl XLVII and I can’t stop feeling like my girlfriend broke-up with me. Let me preface this entire diatribe with the fact that I know it is completely irrational. With that said, I still blame myself.
During the Giants 2012 World Series run, Murph and Mac always talked about “particles”. The mystic, fleeting, and intangible thoughts and feelings that fans have. On some level, the particles swirl together and make some sort of a karmic difference, good or bad. For example, before the NLCS game Barry Zito pitched (sorry for the lack of details, I’m an A’s fan) a woman named Inga (check out comment 63, called during both the NLDS and NLCS) and spoke about a how she envisioned Barry Zito rising to the occasion and how the stars were aligning for him. This is particles.
Fast forward to SB XLVII, I know that we (yes we) got down 28-6, but I can’t help thinking about the fact that some of my decisions heading into the game added up to some particles going against us. First of all, we went to The City for the game. Prior to that, we never left the 209 for a game. I also wore a gold satin jacket for the game for the first time all season. I even rationalized that it was like the team wearing the SB patch. Among the myriad of particles that added up against me though, not watching the game with my kids, which we had done all season, may have been the karmic back-breaker.
When I look back on all of the karmic particles that I spun in the Ravens direction, I feel like Maverick after he gunned Viper and left Hollywood and Wolfman's wing. You never leave your wingman, you should always dance with who brought you, and you never change up routine before the big game. Maverick's immortal words echo in my head every time I think about SB XLVII, “I know better than that. . . . That will never happen again.”
After the game The City felt and looked like someone had died. People wandered the Marina looking like they had just succumbed to the drunken zombie Super Bowl apocalypse. I felt dazed all night. A fight in the bar spilling over into the area I was standing couldn't pull my sullen gaze away from Steve Young begrudging praising the Ravens. I even had a random dude ask me if I needed a hug as I blankly stared at one TV showing highlights and another showing Mexican League baseball.
On Monday, I knew the first week would be bad. I knew I would feel terrible. Losing the Super Bowl is undiscovered territory for Niners fans. What I didn’t know is that this empty feeling would continue to linger for two weeks with no sign of going away. Pitchers and catchers didn’t help. The Warriors having a “great” year hasn't helped. Nothing is working. I feel as lost as Lewis and Clark if they had never found Sacajawea.
I still log onto 49ers.com or go onto the 49ers App like a sullen ex stalking their long lost love on Facebook. I can’t put my 49ers jerseys away for the spring. I keep wearing my Niners shorts to bed hoping to wake-up on Super Sunday with the chance to change my mind about going to The City. But I know its not going to happen. Where do we as Faithful go from here? How do we get through this?
Unbreak My Heart.
By Connor Buestad (connorbuestad@gmail.com)
It was 1999 and Matt Santangelo, Casey Calvary and Richie Frahm were doing damage at the Big Dance.
They played for a small Jesuit school out of Spokane, Washington that nobody had ever heard of, but these guys didn’t seem to care. Santangelo ran the point, Calvary crashed the boards and Frahm casted three bombs from the corner. It was a formula that somehow worked well enough for the Zags to knock off Minnesota, Stanford and Florida that year en route to the Elite 8, an awe-inspiring tourney run that still to this day is not forgotten by college roundball purists.
On Thursday night in Moraga, the ghost of that special Gonzaga team will be present when the Zags go on the road to face St. Mary’s College in a game to decide first-place position in the West Coast Conference. The 3,500 seat McKeon Pavilion will be filled to the gills, the game will be on ESPN2 and the level of play will be extremely high. All this is thanks in large part to the tone that ’99 Gonzaga team set during that special tourney run. In that one year, the WCC went from being an afterthought to becoming a conference basketball fans can’t take their eyes off of.
The year following Gonzaga’s magical Elite 8 run, Mark Few took over as head coach. Few has now been at the helm for 12 seasons. He has won the WCC regular season crown 11 times. Through the years, Few has coached the likes of Dan Dickau, Blake Stepp, Adam Morrison, Derek Raivio and Matt Bouldin. The Zags have yet to make it back to the Elite 8, but they are always a tough out in the NCAA tourney.
The school is undoubtedly the class of the WCC, not to mention maybe the most consistent college basketball team on all of the West Coast. Gonzaga routinely packs their raucous home gym, “the Kennel”, and has the guts to play the toughest non-conference schedule in the nation, year in and year out.
Up against Few and the Zags on Thursday will be a team in St. Mary’s who has been building a formidable program over the past decade. When head coach Randy Bennett arrived in Moraga in 2001, he inherited a team that had just gone 2-27. St. Mary’s had no football team (they still don’t), a small gym, a tiny fanbase, little funding and not much upside to speak of. Unfazed, Bennett took the challenge head on, using a creative strategy to recruit talent from the shores of Australia to come play hoops for him in the Bay Area.
Perhaps his biggest star from Australia in the early going was Daniel Kickert, who took the Gaels to the NCAA tournament in 2005. Bennett then struck it rich with Patty Mills who got SMC into the field of 64 in 2008. Today, the Gaels feature a host of impact players from Australia including Matthew Dellavadova, Jorden Page, and Mitchell Young.
Thursday’s matchup should be a high-scoring affair with tremendous guard play on both sides. Neither team is up to par with North Carolina or Kentucky when it comes to athleticism, but when it comes shooting the three, both teams can really stroke it. Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga’s Sophomore guard out of Canada, is one of the most pure shooters in America. One of Pangos’ backcourt partners just happens to be David Stockton, so you can bet Gonzaga knows how to tickle the twine. On St. Mary’s side, Dellavadova, Page, Stephen Holt and even Beau Levesque all know how to connect from long distance.
Tune into ESPN2 this Thursday at 8 Pacific, 11 Eastern, 5 Hawaiian to see the latest installment of this red hot rivalry. And, oh yes, don’t forget to pay homage to Richie Frahm by getting some shots up at halftime in your backyard. Enjoy.
(Note: A portion of this article was writtten and published by me on another site at an earlier date. This is the first time it has been on Sec925)
With the start of Spring Training just weeks away, Connor has Adrian Spinelli (@Spinelli37, www.EverythingEcstatic.net) on The Pod to discuss big league baseball. Spinelli takes listeners around the league, starting in Oakland as he breaks down the A's acquisition of Jed Lowrie. Spinelli also weighs in on Hall of Fame voting, Hiroyuki Nakajima, Josh Hamilton, the Upton Brothers, and Mike Trout.
Check it out here or on iTunes.
Josh (@jphunsucker) brings in his buddy Huss, an all-time great "Displaced Faithful," to talk all things Super Bowl XLVII.
Check it out here or iTunes.
Enjoy the Section 925 SBXLVI Mix tape here or from iTunes. GO NINERS!
Mike Carley (@BigWoaf88) calls into the Section925 Mobile Podcenter from a snowed in Minneapolis. 'Woaf gives his two cents on the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Weekend, Royce White and Mantei Te'o. Carley also chimes in on Randy Moss calling himself the GOAT, Joakim Noah leading the league in assists, and half baked ideas to make All-Star Weekend better.
Check it out here or on iTunes.
By Connor Buestad (connorbuestad@gmail.com)
For the better part of Paul McCoy’s life, no athletic feat seemed out of reach. Blessed from a young age with explosive quickness and breathtaking body control, McCoy enjoyed a remarkable high school career as a three-sport athlete in Oregon, competing in basketball, football and track. After winning the Oregon State Championship in basketball as a senior, he went on to Southern Methodist University, where he became the first SMU freshman in history to lead his team in scoring. Even at a shade under six feet tall, McCoy quickly established himself as the big man on campus. The game seemed to come easy to him, the sky was the limit.
McCoy had his sights set on a possible career in the NBA until one fateful day during his sophomore year in college. He went up hard for a layup, and an excruciating pain shot through his right knee. That’s when everything changed.
The ACL was torn, and for the past three years, McCoy has been a prisoner to a knee that has refused to fully heal. Since February 2010, he has gone under the knife four times and has been in and out of training rooms and rehab facilities.
“Paul is definitely battle tested,” explains teammate Kyle Rowley. “What’s it been? Four surgeries? Coming back from that is not easy. He’s put in a ton of work.”
After transferring from SMU, McCoy is now in his senior year at Saint Mary’s – and eager to return to the court. McCoy was expected to play for the Gaels last year, before reinjuring his knee on the second day of preseason practice. Fortunately the rolling hills of Moraga have served as a nurturing backdrop for a tireless recovery process filled with starts and stops, ups and downs.
“It’s weird, coming from SMU, this is like a totally different school,” said McCoy. “It’s more than just basketball. It’s the stuff we do outside of basketball. It’s a team. So much credit goes to Coach Bennett and how he runs things here.”
Despite his long layoff, McCoy still shows superstar qualities. Quick with a smile and always engaging in conversation, he displays a confidence level and sense of pride that rubs off on everyone he’s around. No wonder: He has succeeded in big games and huge moments. But he still wants one more chance to compete at the highest level.
Now, after years of rehabilitation and recovery, it looks like his time has finally come to return to the hardwood, this time in a Gael uniform.
“I can only control how much effort I put into it,” he said. “It’s more on Coach Bennett, having faith and trust in whatever role he gives me. At this point, with four surgeries and sitting out for three and a half years, I’ll do anything to stay on the court.”
No matter what kind of results he sees on the floor this year, though, it’s likely that the Gael community won’t soon forget the character and resolve Paul McCoy has exhibited in his quest to return to the game he loves.
By Reno Wright (@TheRealReno)
As I walked into The 'Stick on Saturday night, the chants reverberated throughout the tunnel.
"FAAAAAAAAAITHFUL"! "NIIIIIIIIIIIINERS"! It still rings in my ears even after two days.
For anyone lucky enough to have attended a 49ers game on Candlestick Point over the years, you know these cheers. You have heard them thousands of times throughout a game. But on January 12th, 2013 there was something more to these cheers. Something truly special. Being it the second round of the playoffs, playing the hated Green Bay Packers all added an oomph to the chants sung passionately around the stadium. It could also have been that everyone was extraordinarily inebriated, which they were. Eat your heart out English Premier League Soccer. Spare me World Cup final. This was NFL Playoff football in San Francisco. I was lucky enough to not only score tickets to this game (thanks to Orinda native Tania Celante and her husband Tim Losee), but also pregame field passes. Saying I was lucky is an understatement. The scene before a football game is pretty mundane usually. Players stretch and run around getting warmed up, kickers see what their range is that day, and fans just sit and watch this odd scene. But this night was nothing like that.
Jay-Z's "N Words in Paris" blasted through the speakers as the players bobbed their heads to the beat. There was some smack talk between the Niners DB's and the Packer WR's as both here going through drills near the 50 yard line. Fans were screaming their heads off already. The stadium joined in unison in a "Let's Go Niners" chant that was louder than anything I have ever heard.
I attempted to take this all in while making some small talk with former Cal coach Jeff Tedford. At one point I even found myself ripping up the grass of Bill Walsh Field and shoving it into my pocket.
A few quick notes:
-B.J. Raji is the largest man I have ever seen. It would take 3 people to put their arms around him.
-Navarro Bowman is frightening in person.
-The dude with the long blonde hair and 'stach combo is the most chill bro ever. Take a look here.
After being told at least 10 times that we had to leave the field, Tim and I finally went to our seats just as Huey Lewis and the News started singing one of the most stirring renditions of the Star Spangled Banner since Whitney Houston in 1991. Not a dry eye inside The 'Stick. Then something happened that I think launched the crowd to another level. Clyde Carson appeared on top of the dugout and starting singing Slow Down. The fans went absolutely insane. Everyone, and I mean everyone was dancing. On their seats, in the aisle, even the 49ers were dancing on the sideline.
The crowd was in a frenzy as the Niners started their first drive, and then Kap made the one poor play of his record setting night. An across the body pick six that showed his inexperience. The crowd was dead silent for a moment, before realizing that the offense looked really good before the interception. And of course Kap did what he has done all season after making a poor play. He carried the team down to the Packers' red zone and then ran it in himself for the score. Little did anyone know that that moment would be the start of something no one thought possible.
Colin Kaepernick had the night of his life. (side note: As I was watching him run all over the Green Bay defense, I was having a flashback to him doing the same thing to the Cal Bears in Reno a few years back. Then I thought how much Tedford must hate Kap. First he destroys the Bears on national television, then he outplays the best player he had ever coached. THEN I realized that Tedford didn't ever recruit Kap out of Turlock, CA. Hence why he's looking for a job now, I guess.)
The game played out better than any of the Faithful fans could have expected. When Kap hit Crabs after the Jeremy Ross fumble (felt bad for the former Bear), the woman behind me (wool here btw) and her mother both exclaimed the game was over. The momentum of the score and the crowd was going to be too much for the Pack to overcome. And they were right thanks to this man.
Atlanta based rapper 2 Chainz popped up on the dugout and starting rapping something fierce. And once again, the crowd went bananas. Dancing, singing, drinking... it was just unreal. Basically, The 'Stick hosted a hip hop concert and a football game broke out, or whatever.
After that, the Niners never trailed. And while the score at half was close, the Faithful were a confident bunch. When the Pack tied it at 24, the confidence washed away a little bit after the Niners were forced to punt. The crowd was actually quiet for the first time all game. People even started sitting down, which was unheard of for the entire first half. We needed a big play to get us back in the game, and Patrick Willis delivered.
It should be noted that the Niners did a good job of pressuring Rodgers, but his ability to escape is wildly impressive to the point of all out frustrating. It seemed every time a 49er had him dead-to-rights, Rodgers made just enough of a move to get outside the pocket and safely throw the ball away. But on this play, Patrick Willis made one of the more impressive plays I ever seen. Blitzing from his weak side spot, Willis was popped by Jon Kuhn. But PWill somehow kept moving forward and popped Kuhn back with a killer forearm. It looked like Rodgers was surprised that Willis had made it through after being hit and could not get out of the way in time. Willis dropped Rodgers for the sack and the crowd erupted into a frenzy. I could not hear a word anyone next to me was saying. The crowd was back and so were the Niners.
On the next SF series, Kap showed the nation why Harbaugh decided to go with him over Alex Smith. A 56 yard keeper that absolutely made the Packer D look silly. After that play, the Niner Faithful in attendance would not have a reason to sit until they got into their cars to go home. It was an amazing night of offense by the 49ers, and the cherry on top, at least for me, was the final TD by none other than Section925 favorite Anthony "Boobie" Dixon. I just hope Dixon knows that in LR6, row 19 seat 7, there was some maniac in a gold satin jacket screaming "Boobie! Boobie! gettin hot on dey azz!!!"
Needless to say, everyone in my section had no idea what I was talking about. Oh by the way, I also was able to hang out in the player parking lot after the game.
A couple more notes follow:
- Donte Whitner is incredibly nice. I happened to be standing by his car when he came out of the locker room. He was more than happy to chat with me a little bit about the game and the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. He also has terrific form when high fiving. FYI. - Crabs drives a white $400,000 Maserati. OAB. - Anthony Davis came out in what had to be an XXXXL authentic Joe Thronton jersey. - Vernon Davis signs everyone's stuff and looks happy to do it. He interacted with the fans more than anyone. - Everyone loves Alex Smith. Had a lot of people around him asking for his autograph. - Randy Moss came out in a full length fur coat. Hand to God. It was everything I hoped for from Raaaaandy.
I later got to go back out onto the field and walk around a bit. As I looked around the emptying stadium, I suddenly became overwhelmed by the whole experience. It was just unreal to be there and look around The 'Stick from the field level again. The red end zones, the red outline on the numbers, beating a playoff nemesis, witnessing a record breaking night. I suddenly had a flash back to the late 80's and 90's era when I became part of the devoted Faithful Family. Remembering those painful losses to Dallas, New York, and Green Bay, the "Owens Owens Owens" game, beating Dallas in '95, the comeback victory over the Giants in 2003.
The memories of those games were so vivid. And to be walking that same field where so much joy and heartache took place for us all those years. It was just a moving feeling. I suddenly felt like we, as the Niners fans of this era, are finally in with those old school fans from the glory years of the 80's. We are enjoying an incredible era in Niner history, and this night was one of what will be many special nights for us 49er Faithful. See you in Hotlanta...
Click to listen... Section 925 Podcast Episode 14
Connor brings Kevin (@kpluswax) back for his second go-round on the pod to preview the Niner-Packer playoff match-up at the 'Stick. St. Mary's pending road game at Gonzaga is also discussed, not to mention an update on Kevin's New York Knicks. Other personalities mentioned include Omar "Broadway O" Samhan, David Lee, Greg Popovich, Chuck Klosterman, Patty Mills, Amare Stoudemire, Aaron Rodgers and Bob Rosenblum.
By Connor Buestad | Connor@Section925.com
San Francisco isn’t supposed to still have this much tradition left in it.
It was supposed to be lost somewhere during the Dot Com boom and bust. Or at a martini bar in a gentrified yuppie hideout, or at a Mark Zuckerberg keynote address on internet privacy, or at an Orange Friday at AT&T Park. The seven by seven stretch of real estate bordered by the Bay and Ocean Beach is thought to have become too blue for it’s own good. Too liberal, too progressive, too obsessed with 3G, 4G and 5G. Too far from its roots.
In a city of transplants and tech mercenaries, the notion of being from San Francisco, has developed an increasingly foggy definition. Ask a post grad on polk street who’s “from San Francisco” where they went to high school, and the zip code usually won’t start with 941.
To be certain, not all of the tradition has gone by the wayside. Not even close. It is still there, still burning as hot as ever, it just requires one to look a few layers below the surface, like inside a 55 year old gymnasium near the corner of Fulton and Masonic.
The first time Sacred Heart Cathedral and Saint Ignatius (both private Catholic high schools in San Francisco) played against each other, the year was 1893, or maybe it was 1891, but no one seems to be exactly sure. Fittingly, the game was held on Saint Patricks Day, on the corner of 8th and Market. The Irish of SH beat the Wildcats of SI by a final score of 14-4. Leather helmets may or may not have been worn and the forward pass may or may not have been invented at this point. The game was believed to be a cross between football and rugby. Admission to the game was five cents even.
World War I came and went, Babe Ruth did his thing for the Yankees, and eventually history gave way for the arrival of The Greatest Generation.
For the six years between 1939 and 1945, America was at war. Up and down the hallways of SI and SH, conversation didn’t consist of SAT scores and safety schools, but rather when and where you and your buddies were headed off to fight for your country. The era was ripe with pride and love for country and the football, basketball and baseball fields held less relevance in the grand scheme of things as they do today. To call the era tumultuous would be an understatement. America’s history was hanging in the balance.
As heated as the rivalry between Sacred Heart and Saint Ignatius was in the 1940’s it obviously paled in comparison to the realities of war overseas. Many products of the two proud schools lost their lives serving their country, but two stood out as special young men.
The Bruce Mahoney Trophy was established in 1947 to memorialize the death of Bill Bruce of Saint Ignatius and Jerry Mahoney of Sacred Heart. Bruce served as the student body president for SI, graduating in 1935. During his tenure as Wildcat, he was also a standout football player. Mahoney was an All-City football and basketball player at SH and also went on to be an accomplished boxer during his time in the service. Both men died while members of the Navy during WWII, Bruce in an airplane crash, Mahoney in a sinking submarine.
Since 1947, these two San Francisco cross-city rivals have duked it out for the right to hold the fabled Bruce Mahoney Trophy. Each year, the two schools play a football game in the fall at Kezar Stadium. Once the home of the San Francisco Forty Niners, Kezar is an historic venue that sits on the southeast corner of Golden Gate Park. The winner goes up 1-0 in the three game Bruce Mahoney Series that also includes basketball and baseball.
Come winter, the first time the two schools meet in basketball counts toward the Bruce Mahoney Series. If the series moves to 1-1, the first baseball contest of the Spring, held at Pac Bell Park, ultimately decides who takes home the trophy for the Summer.
While the football and baseball games between these two schools are wondrous events in their own right, it is on the basketball court where the Bruce Mahoney rivalry reaches it’s most fevered pitch.
Fittingly, the Bruce Mahoney basketball game takes place in the heart of San Francisco, inside War Memorial Gymnasium on the campus of USF. Built in 1958, the 5,300 seat facility seeps with history and nostalgia. Some call it “The House That Bill Russell Built” as it opened it’s doors two years after Russell left the Hilltop for a hall of fame career for the Boston Celtics. For the Bruce Mahoney game, literally every seat is accounted for. Students from both schools pack the upper levels, the last rows ducking to avoid the low ceiling.
At this point, of course, the football game has already been decided months ago. Now, the trophy is on the line in earnest. For the crop of seniors down 1-0 in the best of three Bruce Mahoney series, every possession takes on a do or die significance. The 10 players on the court carrying the bragging rights and expectations of a sea of fellow students and proud alumni. A palpable tension fills the air, every basket cheered passionately, every foul call argued vehemently.
Much like the Axe in the Cal-Stanford Big Game, the fabled Bruce Mahoney trophy serves as a constant reminder of what’s at stake. In the 65 years the trophy has been in existence, St. Ignatius has won the series 45 times, compared to just 20 wins for Sacred Heart. Sacred Heart won the trophy last year, however, and were looking to build momentum and close the gap with a repeat series win in 2013. If they wanted to retain the trophy in 2013, they would need to not only beat SI in hoops, but they would also have to win on the diamond.
On this night, St. Ignatius would prevail over Sacred Heart by a score of 56-46. Trevor Dunbar ran the show for the Wildcats all night from the point guard position. A wizard with the ball in his hands, Dunbar repeatedly drew oohs and ahhs with his uncanny dribbling skills. Led by Khalil James, Sacred Heart never seemed to back down and proved fun to watch. Undersized, the Irish did yeoman's work on the glass all evening to keep the game in question deep into the fourth quarter.
After the final buzzer sounded at War Memorial and the Wildcats of St. Ignatius climed into the stands to greet their fellow students, yet another small chapter of the Bruce Mahoney series was etched in history. More important than who won and who lost on Tuesday night, was that the history and tradition between these schools grew one game stronger, and for that, San Francisco should be proud.
Click to listen... Section 925 Podcast Episode 13
Long time listener, first time caller Kevin (@kpluswax) hops on the Bianca's Fresh Take hotline from his digs in NYC. The 925 native dishes and swishes on his two favorite teams, the Knicks and the Niners. Weeks also delves into an array of topics including Jets and Giants, Boobie Dixon, Sonny Dykes, Jeremey Lin, David Lee, Rasheed Wallace, JR Smith and a whole lot more.
Click to Listen... Section 925 Podcast Episode 12
Twitter legend @BigWoaf88 makes his first Section925 Podcast appearance and does not disappoint. "Woaf" dishes on his love for the Cowboys, Bulls, and Dodgers, while also diving deep into the current sports scene in general.
Other topics include the Niners QB quandry, Notre Dame's resurrection, Luke Ridnour's illustrious NBA career, MJ, B-Diddy, John Starks, and much much more.
By Connor Buestad (connorbuestad@gmail.com)
Granted it wasn’t the Olympics, or a WCC bout against the Zags, or even a Division I opponent, but if Matthew Dellavedova sees an opportunity to take a charge, you can bet he’s going to take it.
The Sonoma State Seawolves did the honors of kicking off the 2012-2013 campaign in Moraga last weekend, and by halftime the score was 48-24 in favor of the Gaels. This didn’t stop Dellavedova, St. Mary’s Senior Captain, from quietly setting the tone for what is expected to be a special year of West Coast Conference basketball in Moraga.
From the last row of 3,500 seat McKeon Pavillion, I could see the play develop beautifully with a bird’s eye view. A Sonoma State guard saw a clear path to the basket from the left wing, while Dellavedova was at the top of the key. As the two players broke toward the basket, a collision was immenent. Sure enough, Dellavedova arrived at the point of contact just in time, bit down on his signature mouthpiece, and proceed to get runover by a Division II backup.
What looked to be a textbook charge taken by Dellavedova, ended up being overturned by the officials during the ensuing timeout. The St. Mary’s bench could do nothing but laugh it off. Regardless of the botched call, the play confirmed something much more important. Dellavedova is back in Moraga for his swan song, and he still loves acquiring floor burns.
Coming off a historic year in which St. Mary’s won both the WCC regular season and tournament titles, the Gaels come into this season with arguably their deepest, most experienced team ever. Even with the news that Randy Bennett’s squad is being investigated by the NCAA for a possible recruiting violation, hope and promise spring eternal in Moraga. Picked in preseason polls to finish third in the WCC this year behind BYU and Gonzaga, the level of small school college hoops has never been higher on the west coast and SMC will be right in the thick of it all.
The Gaels first two wins of the season, first against Sonoma and then on the road against the always tough Utah State Aggies, have revealed a St. Mary’s team filled with talent, depth, personality and substance. As enjoyable as the Frank Allocco Jr./Brad Millard era of Flex Cuts and Bronco half court sets was, Randy Bennett has slowly developed a program that oozes with talent and raw athletic ability. They may have had to outsource their recruiting to Australia to do it, but St. Mary’s has finally found themselves on even ground with the Gonzaga’s and BYU’s of the world, and I’ll be damned if it isn’t fun to watch.
St. Mary’s has lost two key players from last year’s squad that fell to Purdue in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The biggest loss was undoubtedly Rob Jones. A DVC alum, Jones was the Gaels’ second leading scorer and a physical presence around the basket. The Gaels also said so long to Clint Steindl, a long armed marksman from Australia who, when hot, was known for his ability to tickle the twine from beyond the arc. Luckily, Randy Bennett did what he always does, he reloaded the Gael roster with a new crop of exciting talent.
St. Mary’s will feature a bench this year that consists of five capable backups, two of which are experienced transfers. Sporting a thick frame and six foot eleven inches of height, Matt Hodgson will bring a dynamic skill-set to Moraga. Born and raised in Queensland, Australia, Hodgson spent his first two years of college playing ball for Southern Utah University. Like all the Australian’s Bennett recruits, Hodgson is noticeably skilled for a man of his size. A southpaw, Hodgson is not afraid to let fly with a lefty three bomb from time to time.
James Walker III comes to St. Mary’s off the Junior College hoops circuit. The Long Beach native began his career playing for Utah State in the WAC. Feeling inhibited by the Aggies half court style offense, Walker came back home to California to play his Sophomore year at Citrus JC. All he did there was win the California Junior College Player of the Year award while leading his team to the JUCO Final Four. Almost more importantly, Walker brings with him a Southern California swagger that has endeared him with the St. Mary’s student section. From his well cropped faux hawk to his Allen Iverson arm sleeve, to his checkered socks, it appears Walker has brought a welcomed slice of Silver Lake up north to the East Bay.
Also on the St. Mary’s bench, and perhaps just as hip, is Jorden Page. A redshirt Junior, Page is yet another Gael in the long line of Aussie imports. Similar to Patty Mills, the slight-of-build Page takes a silky smooth approach to the game. Page never seems to be over exerting himself out of the court, but instead buzzes around the court looking for ways to get his bigger teammates involved. Like Walker, Page brings his own sense of style to the hardwood, most recently rocking what appear to be a pair of leggings under his oversized Adidas shorts.
Rounding out this year’s Gaels Bench Mob are Senior Kyle Rowley from Trinidad and Redshirt Freshman Jordan Giusti from San Ramon. Rowley comes in at 7’0” and 280 and is tatted to the nines. By the looks of him, it is clear he has been around the block in the WCC and has been through some wars. If and when he is called upon to offer a hard foul in a key situation, Kyle Rowley will be ready and waiting.
Jordan Giusti, on the other hand, will serve as happy-go-lucky backup point guard. Giusti has been through some wars himself, those of the North Coast Section variety during his time at San Ramon Valley High School. If anything can prepare him for going up against Mark Few’s defense up in Spokane, Washington, it is Frank Allocco’s in Concord, California. The left handed guard plays with a ton of positive energy and will be a great asset for the Gaels off the bench.
So far during this young season the Gaels starting lineup has consisted of Dellavedova, sharpshooting Junior Stephen Holt, Junior Beau Levesque, Sophomore Brad Waldow and Senior Mitchell Young. Save for Rob Jones, SMC returns all of their starters from a year ago. It is assumed the offense will again go through Dellavedova and with good reason. Like a great leadoff hitter in baseball, as Dellavedova goes, the SMC Gaels go.
As always, standing in the way of the Gaels winning another WCC title are the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Currently ranked 19th in the nation, the Zags are the undisputed favorites to win the conference. Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell Jr. are two of the best shooters you will ever see, while Elias Harris and David “Don’t Call Me John” Stockton are also great players in their own right. The Zags are scheduled to come to town on February 14th, in what figures to be the best basketball game held in the Bay Area all winter.
Thanks to their continued success as a national program, St. Mary’s will be featured during ESPN’s traditional “Feast Week” over Thanksgiving. The Gaels have been invited to head down to Anaheim to play in the DIRECTV Classic featuring Cal, Xavier, and Georgia Tech. The overwhelming majority of prognosticators are picking the Gaels and Bears to square off in the final.
Considering the proven leadership of Randy Bennett, the experience of Matthew Dellavedova, and a talented, albeit eclectic supporting cast, expectations have never been been higher for College Hoops in Lamorinda. The road has been paved to the Georgia Dome for the 2013 Final Four. Now let's see how far the Gaels can travel down it...
Click to listen... Section 925 Podcast Episode 11
Jalila Sparks, Stanford alum and sports aficionado, joins Connor to preview the Cardinal's pivotal game at #1 Oregon. The two also dive into the women's sports landscape, discussing Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, et al.
Click to listen... Section 925 Podcast Episode 10
Connor brings his buddy Spinelli back inside the Section 925 Podcenter for a half hour chat. The two chop it up on topics ranging from the LA Lakers slow start, the Warriors quest for an 8 seed, the Knicks throwback roster, the Giants title run, the Raiders struggles, the Jeff Tedford era, and the SMC Gaels hoop season.
By Connor Buestad (connorbuestad@gmail.com)
If you have ever found yourself in a conversation with a University of Oregon student or alumnus, one thing becomes abundantly clear from the get-go. Duck fans are obsessed with their football team.
Void of a professional sports franchise for hundreds of miles, the small town of Eugene treats its football team like a precious crown jewel. Football as religion is typically reserved for SEC country, but Autzen Stadium is more like a place of worship as opposed to a venue to watch a sports event. Oregon football players are treated like royalty and the holy grail of sportswear companies, Nike, treats Chip Kelly like a Messiah.
For the past three years, little Eugene has been the epicenter of west coast football. In 2010 they lost in the Rose Bowl to Ohio State, in 2011 they lost in the National Title Game to Auburn, and last year they went back to the Rose Bowl and beat Wisconsin. Dion Jordan was on the team all three years. Not a bad run by anyone’s standards.
When I first met Dion Jordan, it was on the turf where he grew up. Youngblood-Coleman Playground in San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunter’s Point District. It was early August and Jordan was just days away from heading back up to Eugene to begin Fall camp and the 2012 season. If I wanted to talk to him, he suggested I meet him at his hometown football field. Fair enough.
The football field at Youngblood Playground is the home field for the San Francisco Brown Bombers Pop Warner football team. With ages ranging from 7 and under (Tiny Mite) and fifteen and under (Midget), the Bombers are one of the most accomplished Pop Warner programs on the west coast. Today was the first week of practice for the 2012 campaign, and it certainly didn’t look like the coaching staff had made cuts yet. Seemingly every inch of the 100 yard gridiron was occupied by an undersized kid in an oversized helmet.
Out at mid-field, amongst all the madness of a Pop Warner practice, Jordan stood calmly, quietly offering tidbits of advice to San Francisco’s next generation of pigskin superstars.
“I love being out on the football field,” Jordan explained. “Even though it is a violent and crazy game sometimes, I’ve always thought of the football field as my sanctuary. A place where I can clear my head and just focus on playing and having fun.”
Standing at 6 foot 7 and weighing 240 pounds, it is almost striking how long and athletic Jordan looks in person. Slated to be a first round pick in next Spring’s NFL draft, Jordan looks every bit like a San Francisco 49er. At one point one of the Brown Bomber Tiny Mite’s ran up to Jordan and asked him point blank, “Are you in the NFL?” You couldn’t blame the 7 year-old running back for asking.
Now in his Senior season, Jordan is again leading the Ducks’ defense in sacks. With 4.5 speed in the 40 and an awe-inspiring wingspan, virtually all the Mel Kiper Juniors of the world agree Jordan is a can’t miss NFL Defensive End in the making. However, five years ago, Jordan’s NFL dream looked to be over before it started.
After growing up in San Francisco, Jordan’s family moved to Chandler, Arizona where he would play his high school football. With breathtaking speed and dominating length and height, Jordan starred as a wide receiver and eventually grew into a Pac-10 blue chip recruit at wide-out. Following a game during his senior year, Jordan was involved in a gruesome car fire accident inside his friend’s garage. Jordan was airlifted to the hospital and was lucky to survive the life-threatening episode. Luckily, former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti honored Jordan’s scholarship offer, and he set off to play receiver for the Ducks.
If there is one constant theme that surrounds Chip Kelly’s Oregon football team, it is the program’s unquenchable thirst for speed. There is speed at every position, even quarterback and offensive line. If you aren’t fast, you don’t play at Oregon. In Jordan’s case, with so much speed on Oregon’s offensive skill positions, he was moved to Defensive End early in his career.
“I enjoyed wide receiver, but my speed really allows me to do well in Oregon’s fast-paced style of defense,” said Jordan. “Coach Aliotti (defensive coordinator) wants us to be extremely fast on the defensive side of the ball and we try to take pride in that.”
As far as Jordan’s NFL hopes, starting to learn a brand new position in the middle of college was a risky proposition, but the fact was that it was best for the team. And for the soft-spoken Jordan, if it was best for the team, he was willing to do it.
“The reason why guys come to Oregon is because they want to win National Championships,” says Jordan. “People think guys come because of the Nike uniforms or the locker rooms, but it’s not that. It’s the chance to play on the best team, with the best players. Coach Kelly is really competitive and recruits the best guys he can, and great players want to be a part of that.”
Now in his Senior year, Jordan is leading a team that has a legitimate shot at bringing the U of O its very first football National Championship. As Jordan carries the weight of Oregon fans’ hopes and dreams, he certainly doesn’t let it show outwardly. His violent defensive position on the field has produced the likes of Bill Romanowski and John Randle, but somehow Jordan exudes the quiet calm of a buddhist monk rather than a crazed hitman. Out on the field Jordan drives blindsided quarterbacks face-first into the turf, but off the field he is rarely caught without a relaxed smile on his face.
Jordan makes it clear that he is focused on bringing an historic Championship to Eugene, but he also admits to striving toward his lifelong goal of the NFL. When I asked him if he watched the NFL combine last February to compare himself to the best draft prospects of 2012, Jordan quickly grinned. “I did. I watched the combine closely,” laughed Jordan. “I actually made a little chart of what guys at my position were doing. How fast their 40 time was, how much their bench press was. I wanted to work toward being at the highest level out there.”
When Jordan takes the field next Saturday against the California Golden Bears, he will be back home in the Bay Area in front of his hometown friends and family. An Oregon degree in Sociology, a National Championship ring, and a handshake on stage with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell all wait in the wings for the skinny kid from south side of San Francisco. If it is up to Dion Jordan, he will tackle all three accomplishments with a full head of steam. Once number 96 gets going, he’s not easy to stop.
By: Josh Hunsucker (@jphunsucker)
Despite the booming Bay Area sports scene, world titles and all, we've be admittedly slacking. But not without good cause. Anyway, I'm back for your Niners pleasure with a quick Week 8 preview.
Let's get the un-pleasantries out of the way. The 49ers and Cardinals don't like each other. Especially Joe Staley. The feeling is mutual for the Cardinals D-Line.
The funny thing is, just like Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, they've got a lot in common but are pitted as enemies. Both bolster stout defenses, good special teams, an array of offensive weaponry at the skill positions, quarterbacks that are enigmatic (that the closest I can go, obviously big edge for Alex here), and good coaches. And just like Pat and Billy, they are out to kill each other tonight.
I would be remiss to say that the Niners D isn't likcing their chops at an Arizona offensive line that is missing their starting tackles and on pace to give up 80 sacks. I predict a big day for Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks. Let's see if Zona can effectively counter with screens or quick stuff.
On offense this week will be a another stepping stone week. The offense has taken a few steps back over the last couple weeks but we'll see if Frank Gore can continue to run strong and if Mike Crabtree can build on his already strong season. PS Alex Smith, Vernon Davis is on the team.
Niners 20-10.
Connor brings Mike Carozza of WhatProsWear.com into the Section925 Podcenter to discuss the American Pastime. The two discuss the Oakland A's AL West triumph and also preview the MLB playoffs. Topics covered include Miggie Cabrera's Triple Crown, Chipper Jones' swan song, the Greg Maddux era of Atlanta Braves baseball, the merits of Colin Cowherd, Stephen Strasburg's shortened season, the Tim Lincecum-Buster Posey feud, and much more...
Read MoreJosh and Andy revel in the A's unbelievable run to the AL West Championship and an MLB playoffs featuring both the A's and Giants. Andy mulls over the Giants pitching rotation and seeks Josh's advice on who should be his "casual A's fan" favorite player. Josh rants on the A's "House Money" season, then both slip into the inevitable Battle of the Bay Part Duex scenarios.
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