Section 925 Podcast Episode 26 - NBA Playoffs

Kevin Weeks (@kpluswax) and Mike Carley (@BigWoaf88) join Connor on the Bianca's Fresh Take Hotline in a memorable Ménage à pod. 'Woaf calls in from Minneapolis with a stadium-souvenir cup full of Gin & Tonic, while Weeks checks in from an undisclosed location in Gotham City. The trio bounce around an array of topics, all loosely related to the 2013 NBA's Conference Finals.

Click here to listen: http://section925blog.podomatic.com/entry/2013-05-21T23_53_55-07_00

“Good Kid, Mad City” – Steph Curry Captivates The Bay, One Jumper at a Time

By Connor Buestad (connorbuestad@gmail.com)

I received the text out of the blue, around 6:15pm, on a dreary late December Tuesday night.

“Dubs vs t-wolves tonite at oracle. Can you roll?"

Normally, the answer would be no. I was all the way out in the Sunset District of San Francisco, the game started in less than an hour, the Warriors were playing pretty awful, Monta Ellis had just been traded to the Bucks for a bloke named Bogut, the list of excuses went on.

But anytime you can watch Luke Ridnour run the point for the T-Wolves alongside Ricky Rubio, Kevin Love, and Michael Beasley, you have to go, right? So I did. I dragged my ass through the city, over the bridge and down to The Oracle.

By the time I got to my buddy Mike's “lower-bowl-between-the-baskets” seats, it was already early in the second quarter. Beside some fundamentally sound pick-and-roll two-man game between Ridnour and Love, the game was sloppy at best. It had a “too many games in too few nights” NBA feel to it.

It wasn’t until just before halftime that I finally received the memo that it was “Chris Mullin Night” at the Arena. This meant that Mully would have his #17 jersey lifted to the rafters during a halftime ceremony. The ‘T’ and ‘M’ from RunTMC were going to be on hand, not to mention Tom Tolbert, Al Attles, Rick Barry, and Greg Papa. A who’s who of Warrior greats. Even Sharunas Marchulenis’ face was on my ticket stub. Suddenly, this night was shaping up to be much more interesting.

We all know what happened next. A dumpster fire broke out at center court. A textbook PR nightmare. An ugly lesson of sociology. An awful night in Warrior history.

It should have just been Mully out at center court with his wife and kids, and Mitch Richmond and Timmy Hardaway, and maybe Tom Tolbert. But god forbid if Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob decided to skip out to center court with a shit eating grin on his face and take the mic “to say a few words”.

When you are the owner of a franchise, there isn’t exactly someone above you to tell you when a bad idea is actually a terrible idea. So Joe Lacob went with his gut and took the mic, just days after trading away fan favorite, Monta Ellis.

A litany of angry boos rained down from the upper deck when Lacob tried to congratulate Mullin for being one of the best Warriors of all time. Mully attempted to take the mic back and put out the fire. It didn’t work. More boos rained down.

The lower bowl decided not to boo. Maybe because they were just stoked to be sitting in the lower bowl and were in a good mood, maybe because they were close enough to Lacob’s seats to feel some sympathy for the 5’2” owner. The upper deck, meanwhile, was unmerciful.

Rick Barry stole the mic (wearing a tan corduroy blazer, no less), and basically yelled at the fans to shut up and respect Mully’s night, but to no avail.

At that moment, the “We Believe Era" of Warrior basketball seemed like a lifetime ago. The Dubs were getting their ass-kicked by the T-Wolves, Monta was gone for good, and Mullin Night was getting drowned out by drunk/angry boo birds.

What a difference a year makes.

As it stands today, Lacob’s decision to get rid of Ellis not only seems defensible, but maybe even advisable. Curry and Ellis were allegedly not getting along, and there wasn’t enough room in the Warrior backcourt for two small guards who needed to constantly be shooting. Warrior brass decided to roll the dice on Curry’s ankle and not look back. If the 2013 playoffs are any indication, this has been the smartest decision Lacob has ever made in his life.

The phase “that player was born to _____” gets thrown around quite a bit. But in Stephen Curry’s case, it is safe to say he was indeed born to shoot. His dad, Dell, wasn’t much of a jumper, or a passer, or a defender, but if you left him open he didn’t seem to ever miss. A journeyman in the truest sense of the word, Dell played for five different NBA teams during his career. The formula went something like this: give Dell a uniform, give him a point guard that can find him open (ie. Muggsy Bogues), and he will nail jump shots for you. Rinse and repeat.

Now, what do you get when a shooter of that caliber marries a standout ACC volleyball star? Well, you get a more athletic version of Dell. And for this, Warrior fans are grateful.

Even though Steph was born with the perfect shooter’s DNA, it was always tough to believe the younger Curry would turn himself into a top tier scorer in the NBA. Talented, yes, but not LeBron, Carmelo, or Durant talented. Having the name Curry written on his back wasn’t enough to get big college basketball programs to give him a look. Instead, he had to settle on tiny Davidson College as a proving ground for his NBA worth. Three years later, after dominating the mid-major circuit, the NBA finally came calling.

Curry’s rap for his first three years in the league was “great shooter, bad ankle”. It seemed anytime Steph found himself getting in a groove and putting up big offensive numbers, his fragile ankle would give way. He’d spend a few weeks on the injured list while he tried to find a new ankle brace that would work out better. All the while Bay Area sports talk would argue whether or not Steph “would ever get right”.

The “Stephen Curry National Coming Out Party” took place where coming out parties are supposed to take place, at Madison Square Garden. On sport's biggest stage, in a nationally televised game, Mr. Curry went unconscious for four quarters. When he awoke, the 25 year old had poured in 54 points and 11 three pointers. Even though the Knicks ended up winning the game versus the shorthanded Warriors (D Lee got suspended for fighting the Pacers the night before), the New York fans were sheepishly cheering on the three-point artist by games end. The performance was a spectacle in a very Steph Curry kind of way. It wasn’t LeBron manhandling lesser opponents; it was Steph simply mastering the art of the three point shot. Just casting up a ton of shots… and not missing.

More of the same Steph Curry heroics were put on display when the underdog Warriors took on the Denver Nuggets in round one of the playoffs. Steph single handedly turned the series into appointment television for basketball fans across the nation. The 6’3” guard whipped The Oracle faithful into a frenzy, basically shooting whenever he touched the ball, draining three after three. In game four, Curry scored 22 points, in the third quarter alone.

Now in the Western Conference semi finals, the Warriors are flying back to Oakland tied 1-1 with the experience laden San Antonio Spurs. Game 1 turned out to be one of the more gut-wrenching losses in franchise history, with the Dubs blowing a 16 point lead with four minutes left in the game. Steph Curry’s second 22 point third quarter outburst of the playoffs had gone to waste and the Charles Barkley’s of the world seriously wondered if the Warriors could overcome such an inexcusable loss.

Game 2? Well game 2 turned out to be the Klay Thompson show. The second year player out of Washington State pulled his best Steph Curry impression and made 8 of his 9 three point shots on his way to a career high 34 points. The last time the Warriors had won a game in San Antonio, Thompson was a six year old.

Now dubbed the “Splash Brothers”, the Steph-Clay combo has no shortage of confidence from their coach, Mark Jackson. Says Jackson about his youthful backcourt, “I have the greatest shooting backcourt that has ever played the game… call my bluff.”

Calling Steph Curry and Klay Thompson the greatest shooting backcourt that has ever played the game is more than a little ridiculous when you stop and think about it. But at this point, no one in Dub Nation is thinking twice about anything, not even Joe Lacob. The hopes of a Warriors trip to the Western Conference Finals rests in the hands of Steph Curry. A good pair of hands indeed.

"A Team From Berkeley Bound by Tragedy" - The Cal Bears Reach The Women's Final Four

Three of Cal’s players have had family members slain by gunfire (McClureImages.com)

By Connor Buestad | Connor@Section925.com

For as long as Barack Obama has been the President of the United States, he has stayed true to an annual tradition come every March. He takes the time to fill out a bracket.

Not only does Barack spend hours navigating through the Men’s field of 68, but he also makes sure to pencil in his predictions for the women as well. And of course, as with anything the president decides to do, he catches some flack from an opposing side.

Shouldn’t Mr. Obama be spending his afternoon on foreign policy rather than bracketology? Isn’t this just a publicity stunt to win over the 18-34 ESPN demographic? If it weren’t for Title IX, would Obama ever fill out a women’s bracket?

Regardless of where you find yourself in the petty debate, there is no argument when it comes to Obama’s passion and knowledge for the game of basketball. The man knows his hoops. So when he sat down with ESPN to walk America through his Women’s Final Four predictions, it meant something when he chose the California Golden Bears to be one of the last four standing. In retrospect, when one understands the story behind the 2013 Bears, Obama’s upset pick begins to start making sense.

We’ve all heard the rhetoric a million times. Turn on any press conference after an important athletic event and the word “adversity” will start to bounce around like a ping-pong ball. Every team has adversity and every good team ends up overcoming it. But what the Cal Women’s basketball team has experienced goes far beyond adversity. The Cal women have overcome tragedy.

If there was a cover girl for the Bears’ excruciating hardship, that girl would be Tierra Rogers. Now in her Senior year as a scholarship athlete at Cal, Rogers has never stepped foot on the Haas Pavillion floor.

Growing up in the Hunter’s Point district of San Francisco, Rogers was a basketball prodigy from the moment she was old enough to dribble a ball. On the playgrounds near Candlestick Park, Rogers was known affectionately as “The Lady Iverson”. There was nothing Tierra couldn’t do on a basketball court. She was so good, her father, Terray “Tat” Rogers, used to take her to the park and bet other grown men that her daughter could make more than 7 out of 10 shots from the free throw line. It wasn’t that Terray had to do it, but the money was too easy. Tierra was virtually automatic.

By high school, Tierra found herself as the best player on the best team in the nation, the Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep Irish of San Francisco. In 2006, 2007, and 2008, the Lady Irish won the State championship. For two straight seasons in ‘07-’08, Tierra’s team never lost a game. She was a can’t miss star in every sense of the word, but on Jan 12, 2008, things would never be the same for Tierra. This is when two men in hooded sweatshirts rushed at Terray Rogers in the parking lot of a basketball gym. As the gunshots sounded outside, Tierra was in the gym getting ready to play the second half of a regular season game. Terray was pronounced dead at the scene.

In many ways, Tierra was the reason her dad was doing well at the time of the shooting. If it wasn’t for her inspiring potential on the basketball court, her dad might have already been gone well before she reached high school.

Adam Rogers, Tierra’s grandpa and Terray’s dad, was murdered in San Francisco back in 1977. He had been in and out of jail and heavily involved with drugs and gangs. In his later years, Adam had rehabilitated himself to the point where he became a community activist. “Adam Rogers Playground” still stands in Hunter’s Point today for the good things he did, but he ultimately fell short of outrunning his demons.

The same story could be told of Tierra’s dad Terray. Shortly after Tierra was born, her dad was locked up in jail for his involvement with drugs and gangs. When he got out, he followed his father’s footsteps of reinventing himself as someone with a job and a positive presence in the community. Perhaps what truly kept him on track was his daughter and the athletics gifts she had that made everyone in the Rogers family so optimistic about the future.

Just months after her father was murdered outside the gym of one of her games, Tierra found herself inside Arco Arena in Sacramento. Another State Championship would be won for SHC Prep. Another undefeated season in the books. Of course, this time it didn’t feel right. Tierra wanted to quit basketball entirely. The basketball court didn’t serve as a sanctuary for her to remove herself from Tat’s death, it only made the memories more vivid.

A year later, now as a McDonald’s All American, Rogers choose to stay close to home and take her game across the Bay to play for the Bears. Tierra forged a fast bond with the Cal coach that recruited her, Joanne Boyle. Boyle promised her a fresh start. A new school, a new campus, a new home gym to play in.

In late September of 2009, just weeks before Rogers would put on a Cal uniform for the first time, she collapsed during a routine workout and nearly died. Rushed to the hospital, doctors were able to keep the freshman guard alive, but her college basketball career would be over. At the hospital, Rogers would be diagnosed with a rare heart condition, Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia. A defibrillator was implanted and rigorous exercise was deemed out of the question. Overnight, Rogers went from a world class athlete, to someone who wasn’t allowed to run a mile in under nine minutes.

Fast forward four years and Tierra can still be found on the Cal bench, supporting her teammates. Joanne Boyle, the coach that brought Tierra to Berkeley, has since left Cal to coach at Virginia. Somehow, Tierra has stuck it out. Showing up at practices and games week after week, year after year. The University has honored her scholarship all the way through and rightfully so, as Rogers has found a way to make an indelible mark on the Cal program, even without a uniform on.

Rogers starred in high school for the Irish of Sacred Heart Cathedral in San Francisco (photo by Glenn Nelson/ESPN)

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As the Cal Bears sit in their hotel rooms in New Orleans on the eve of the Final Four, there is no doubt some reflection being paid to the greatest season in Cal basketball history. Cal has never appeared in the Women’s Final Four and outside of Stanford, it has been 25 years since a Pac 10 team has made it this deep into the tournament. And while Tierra Rogers wasn’t able to contribute in the box score to help this team accomplish so much, her intangible contribution as an unofficial trauma counselor can’t be measured. Two of Tierra’s current Cal teammates have also lost family members to gunfire.

Gennifer Brandon, Cal’s Junior interior scorer and rebounder, was a young girl living near LA when her dad was shot and killed after being mistaken for an armed robbery suspect. Greg Brandon had recently retired from the NBA, where he played for the Seattle Supersonics. The shooting sent shockwaves through the family and Gennifer’s mother began fighting a battle with alcoholism. Sooner than later Gennifer wound up in foster care. Fortunately, Brandon found her way to Berkeley where she has slowly blossomed into one of the most dynamic players in the nation. If the Bears expect to be the last team standing in New Orleans, much will be due to Brandon’s ability to change the game with her athleticism.

Perhaps the Bears’ fiercest defender also happens to be the team’s shortest player. Senior Eliza Pierre, who with feisty energy, cornrows and a pair of her signature glasses, comes off the bench for Cal and seems to wreak havoc on opposing teams’ point guards.

Sadly, Pierre has been the latest Bear to lose a loved one to murder. In the summer of 2011, Eliza received a call only to learn that her older brother Wilson had been killed in a gang-related shooting at a party in North Hollywood.

Fortunately for Brandon and Pierre, they have not needed to look far for advice on how to get through a basketball season with the unfathomable weight of murder on one’s mind. Tierra Rogers has done it. She has done it as a starting guard for one of the best  Bay Area high school basketball teams ever, and she has done it from the sidelines for one of the most inspiring college basketball teams ever. She has done it and lived to tell about it.

When the Lady Bears take the floor in New Orleans on Sunday evening, it will be a far cry from a half full Haas Pavillion. Instead, it will be under the bright lights of New Orleans arena where the NBA’s Hornets call home. It wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to believe President Obama will be tuning in via Air Force One to check in on his underdog pick that proved him right. As they pronounce in a recent viral youtube video, a team that has been to the darkest of bottoms, is now here. “The whole Cal team is here”, at least for 40 more minutes.

Cal will battle Louisville on Sunday at 3:30 on ESPN for a trip to the National Championship (McClureImages.com)

It's Opening Day

By: Josh Hunsucker (@jphunsucker)

It’s Opening Day And the new spring brings the same dream, As the green and gold faithful awake. Throw on your cap, bitter winter has given way.

Echoes of familiar cracks, Line drives in the dry and distant Arizona sun. Cold, hardened hearts warm, The season has begun.

Forget the sting of seasons past. Forget bitterness and doubt. Buy into possibility That we will be standing after the final out.

Today is our new chance To raise up together and stand. So we can shout over and over, Let’s Go Oakland.

That is why we come. That is why we stAy. That is why we cheer. And that is why they play.

It’s our year, See you at the ballpark, It’s Opening Day.

Oakland's Kardiac Kids Get Set To Defend Their AL West Crown

By Connor Buestad (connorbuestad@gmail.com)

On Monday night in Oakland, the 2013 version of the Oakland Athletics will get back in the saddle and embark on another 162 game journey. They are coming off one of the most exciting seasons in franchise history in which they somehow stole the bacon from the Texas Rangers and Anaheim Angels to capture the American League West Championship Trophy. With last season’s dramatic run now in the rearview, Bob Melvin and his troops are set to open yet another chapter in A’s history when they host the visiting Mariners and 175 million dollar man, "King" Felix Hernandez.

Many would argue that the two spiritual leaders of last year’s magical club were Jonny Gomes and Brandon Inge. For better or worse, those two are now gone, Gomes to the Red Sox and Inge to the Pirates. The gentlemen replacing Gomes and Inge will be Chris Young and Jed Lowrie. Young comes over from the Diamondbacks and gives the A’s another athlete in an already deep outfield. A seven year vet in the big leagues, Young is a proven threat to steal bases as well as hit his share of longballs.

Lowrie, meanwhile, comes to the A’s from the Houston Astros where he hit 16 homers last year. Before that Lowrie performed admirably in the pressure cooker that is Boston. The shortstop’s presence is especially welcome in Oakland when one considers the struggles Japanese import Hiro Nakajima has shown on American soil.

Despite his uncanny ability to charm Billy Beane in his welcoming press conference in Oakland, not to mention his unabashed love for In-N-Out Burger, Nakajima's performance in the Cactus League left much to be desired. Those hoping Ichiro 2.0 would be arriving in Oakland have been let down thus far, judging by Hiro’s sub .150 Spring batting average and disappointing defense at shortstop.

Of course, the argument could very well be made that Hiro just needs some time in the States to get his feet wet. Hopefully this turns out to be the case. As for now, he is starting the regular season on the Disabled List with a faulty hamstring.

Eric Sogard on the other hand, was scorching hot during the spring season. In 46 at bats, the unassuming Arizona State product tallied 23 hits. Hitting coach Chili Davis was even rumored to have politely asked Sogard to save some singles for the games that count. Nevertheless, he has hit himself into the A’s starting lineup and that’s where he shall remain until he starts to cool off.

The Buster Olneys and Tim Kurkjians of the world have been raving about the 2013 Athletics' depth and rightfully so. An everyday outfielder on most big league teams, Young will start the year on the bench to give way to the likes of Coco Crisp, Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Reddick. Pound for pound, the A’s don’t stack up to the Anaheim Angels of the world with Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Erik Aybar, and Josh Hamilton, but if they can hang their hat on a competitive advantage as they enter 2013, it would most definitely be depth.

On the hill, the A’s will once again feature an uber young, albeit talented group of pitchers. At one point last year, down the stretch mind you, the A’s were trotting out a five man pitching rotation of all rookies. One would think a year of experience could only help this youthful bunch.

Atop the rotation will be Brett Anderson. The laid back lefty proved last year that he has a penchant for pitching in big games, even despite coming back from Tommy John Surgery. Behind him will be the electric right hander Jarrod Parker, as well as Tommy Milone and A.J. Griffin. And don’t let us forget about Bartolo Colon. The well fed right hander who was popped for PED’s last year will be serving a suspension to begin the year, but he will be thrown into the fire upon his return. Perhaps the biggest question mark involving the A’s pitching staff is whether Grant Balfour will be able to avoid injury following a stressful workload in 2012. The Australian’s health will be paramount to the A’s success in tight AL west contests down the stretch.

It’s not every year that Billy Beane is afforded the opportunity to present A’s supporters with a legitimately competitive team who are in “win-now” mode with no thoughts of rebuilding. With Billy in the front office and Bob Melvin on the dugout steps, there is no reason to belive the A’s can’t once again defy the odds and repeat as AL West Champs. Chapter 1 of a 162 page book will be played out tomorrow in Oakland. Buy the ticket and take the ride...

"Tales from Tobacco Road" - A Duke Alum Recounts Life in Krzyzewskiville

By John Crowell,  Class of ’08

33 years ago, when the legendary Mike Krzyzewski first stepped foot on the Duke University campus, no one could have predicted that he would build a college basketball empire inside a tiny 9,000 seat gym in Durham, North Carolina. There were no national titles at Duke. There was no Grant Hill, Christian Laettner, J.J. Redick or even DeMarcus Nelson. Today, Duke proudly hangs banners from 4 NCAA Championships, 15 Final Four Appearances, and countless ACC Championships at the crown jewel of college basketball venues, Cameron Indoor Stadium. This article will take you on a journey to a place you may have never seen or heard of before. A place where students endure one of the harshest environments on planet earth. The conditions are grueling. Temperatures can reach as low as zero degrees. An average day may consist of rain, snow, sleet and bitter winds. There are no restaurants, no vendors, and no source of readily available nourishment. An individual may consistently fight hunger and thirst with Natural Light and ChexMix.  This, my friends, is Krzyzewskiville.

Day 1

6:30AM - A familiar blue hue is reflected within the tent of a Cameron Crazy. The sun has risen above the gothic architecture at Duke University, casting majestic shadows among Krzyzewskiville (K-Ville). With the ascending sun comes rising temperatures. From the bitter cold and damp night, comes a humid, sweat filled morning in an 8-person tent. Cell phone alarms sound and chatter breaks out. It is time for the Crazies to take on the day and head off to class to earn their degree.

For many freshman Crazies, there is no time to shower or change as their dormitories are located 2 miles away on a separate campus. In droves they file towards the Old Chemistry building as most enter Duke with Pre-Med or Engineering aspirations. The stench of the average Crazy is palpable. As a freshman, every academic course is in the morning and a considerable distance from home, leading to afternoon showers and naps. Unfortunately for some, this blissful moment may be delayed when returning for a check-in at K-Ville is required.

12:30AM - An ear piercing crackle emits from outside of Cameron Indoor followed by a blue coated individual on a megaphone calling for a mandatory check-in. This person is the Line Monitor. They are fellow colleagues at Duke of all classes, from freshman to seniors. However, to many they are viewed as reincarnations of the Blue Devil himself. Armed with the power to “bump” tents and give “warnings”, they are no better than the parking police. Emboldened by their artificial power, they cause panic among the Crazies.

12:35pm - In the distance, a gangly student, having never taken a full running stride, races awkwardly toward the check in. Papers are flying, books are crashing to the concrete and unfamiliar muscles are pulsating. “Tent 31, Tent 31!” proclaims the Monitor. At last, the Crazy arrives in a sweat, gasping for oxygen in the crisp winter air. He presents the Monitor with his student I.D. and a check mark is made, confirming their presence.

This ritual is performed all throughout the day at intervals even the best of engineers cannot predict. The only solution is to have one member in the party remain at the tent at all times. Tempting fate by leaving the tent unmanned could result in the loss of a coveted tent position, or even worse, stadium seating (or standing room only in this case).

5:30PM – As the sun arches across the gray sky, temperatures begin to decline and darkness sets upon the campus. Dinners are finished, showers are completed and homework is organized for the upcoming evening.  The Crazies must now return to K-Ville for the night.

7:00PM – What happens next is a sight to behold. One by one Crazies return to K-Ville and an incredible transformation occurs. What was once a tranquil and barren landscape now turns into a bustling town. Roars of laughter erupt inside of a tent as a story about an uneducated Tar Hole is told. Not far away, the nostalgic sound of ping pong balls careening off red solo cups can be heard long into the night. All the while, dedicated students huddle under the lamps lining K-Ville, surrounding the extension cords which supply a lifeline to their bulky laptops.

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Day 30

Fast forward four weeks and students are still camping out in line. Arduous days have passed. Grass has turned into mud.  The orchard of tents sway meekly in the wind as the past month has taken its toll. Tarps overlay broken tents, piles of beer cases lay amongst the rows and many other signs of a battered community are displayed. But a scent of excitement is in the air as K-Ville is about to embark on another remarkable transformation.

There are parts of the basketball universe that tailgate before big games – in Durham, North Carolina there is the 24 hour party to tip-off of the world’s best rivalry. As the day before the game progresses, K-Ville’s population grows vigorously with the advancement of more Crazies. Tents are abandoned and the grounds become rich with students, fans and relatives. There is a glorious influx of Natty Ice, pizza, red solo cups and glee. Games of beer pong, flippy cup, kings and many other inventive games are taking place.

8:00PM (Rivalry Eve) - As the students "party on Wayne", out comes the man himself. Below his office building, Coach Krzyzewski, in all his magnificence, gathers a crowd of awe stricken Crazies around himself and the team. He then calms the rabid fans and delivers an inspirational speech that drives a tingle up your spine. One final gesture towards the parking lot as Domino's Pizza arrives by the truck load and the real party commences.

The 6^th man has just been emboldened and raised to a herculean level of pride. All through the night, music echoes off the stone walls, sending out a resounding message for miles that Duke is ready and UNC better be wary. Tents are thrashed as an animalistic mentality erupts. Men beat their chests and women dance around jovially. It is truly a site to be had.

The night passes and the sought after day has finally arrived. The weather is perfect as the sun beams down on Cameron Indoor creating a radiant and pulsating aura. GAME DAY. The Crazies ritually paint themselves blue and white in preparation for battle. The rest cannot be described in words. The atmosphere inside that building versus UNC can only be truly appreciated in person.

Standing sideways in the bleachers with arms extended, the Crazies are now inside. The journey is complete and now it is time for Carolina to go to Hell.

GO. DUKE.

John Crowell's Definitive Guide to Surviving Krzyzewskiville

• Tent: The quality depends on the size of your group, your affinity for tents, and cost. There is a low survivability rate of tents after "Tent Diving" before the game.
• Chairs and Tables: It's your new home for a month, make it comfortable.
• Electronics: Extension cords, computers, ipads, etc. Education is still required when tenting.
• Snacks: Food is available nearby, but sometimes that's just too far. Always have a supply of munchies around.
• Walkie-Talkie: Because cell phones are boring.
• Bedding: Face it, you're going to be living in a tent for 4-6 weeks, get comfy. Air mattresses are critical to survival in K-Ville.
• Warmth: It's not the Midwest, but it gets damn cold, and damp, and muddy, and rainy, and then sunny, and crisp like Thanksgiving morning, or then lightning and thunder. Who knows. It's North Carolina. Sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, sweaters, jackets, beanies, uggs, other people. Anything you can do to stay warm.
• Booze: And lots of it. The best warmth is often found within a cold Natty Lite... or 15. It also adds to the entertainment value. A lot of time is spent sitting idly, so why not crack a 24 rack and invent some games.
• Friends... Good Friends: This may seem obvious, but you will get to know your peers at Duke quite quickly. Cannibalism no, but it is not a far cry from some of the intense moments you'll have in K-Ville. The tent police are strict and you must work together to stay alive in line, literally and figuratively. There is no greater test of friendship than a month in Krzyzewskiville.

Section 925 Podcast Episode 22

Kevin (@kpluswax) hops back on the pod with Connor (@fake_boestad) to recount his trip to Cajun Country for the Super Bowl and and his experience inside MSG when Steph Curry went off for 54 points. They also discuss the recent sanctions levied upon the Gaels of St. Mary's.

Check it out here or on iTunes.

Bill Walton Delivers one of the Best Podcasts of All Time

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

"Talking Bourbon Street Karmic Super Sunday Superdome Letdown Blues"

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.

"A Rivalry Renewed" - Saint Mary's and No.5 Gonzaga Square off in Moraga

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)

Section 925 Podcast Episode 19

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.

Section 925 Podcast Episode 18

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.

Section 925 Super Bowl XLVII Mix Tape

Enjoy the Section 925 SBXLVI Mix tape here or from iTunes. GO NINERS!

Section 925 Podcast Episode 17

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.

Battling a Knee Slow to Heal with a Spirit That Won’t Die

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.

"Semper Fi" - Reno Wright Soaks in Playoff Pigskin at The 'Stick

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...

Section 925 Podcast Episode 14

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.

San Francisco's Bruce Mahoney Game – “A Tradition Unlike Any Other”

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.

Section 925 Podcast Episode 13

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.

Section 925 Podcast Episode 12

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.