Wildcat Wall

Can Weber pull a VCU?

2011-03-31T11:36:00.000-07:00

A friend recently texted me the following: "Can Weber State pull a VCU next year?" In other words, can Weber State make it to the NCAA Tournament and win some games? To be honest, I have been more concerned with whether or not Weber will win the Big Sky Tournament next year and win the automatic berth. But the more I got thinking about my friend's text, the more entertained I became with the question. And so I began making comparisons to what I think may be Weber State's main players next year to VCU's top nine players this year. I found a lot of similarities. (These comparisons are assuming a few things about next years WSU roster 1-WSU starting five will be LIllard, KBull, Bamforth, Mahoney, and Tresnak and 2- The next four players to significantly contribute will be Otis, Porter, Fulton, and JRich)

Sr. Leadership Out of VCU's best five players, four are seniors, and the fifth is a Jr.

WSU will likely start two seniors and three juniors next year. However, two of the juniors, Lillard and Bamforth, would be seniors next year if it weren't for inuries.

Height VCU's two tallest players to contribute significant minutes to the team are 6'9". The average height of the nine players who play the most minutes is 6'5".

Of the nine players I mentioned above, Weber's tallest two are Tresnak at 6'10" and Mahoney at 6'8" (Though I wouldn't be surprised if red-shirt freshmen James Hajek at 6'10" plays a bunch of minutes next year too). The average height of Weber's nine players I listed above, like VCU, is 6'5".

Shooting With no one over 6'9", VCU has had to find success shooting the ball to continue upsetting teams. As the NCAA Tournament has gone on, I imagine VCU's hot shooting has been no surprise to VCU fans. They have three players who shoot better than 40% from three-point range and have a team average of 37% three-point shooting. Their free throw percentage as a team is also adequate at 71%.

Weber is returning three players who averaged 43% accuracy from behind the arc, including the nation's top three-point percentage shooter in Jr., Scott Bamforth. Also, it is likely that Damian Lillard will be shooting around 40% from down-town as well. This year the cats three-point average as a team was 41%. They were also very good at their free throws, making nearly 75% of attempts from the line.

Schedule The main difference I found when looking at the two teams was the difference in their schedules. The best teams Weber currently has scheduled for next year include, San Jose State, Cal, Utah State, and BYU. This year VCU played and beat four NCAA tournament teams -- Old Dominion, UCLA, Richmond, and Wofford. VCU also played Tennessee and Wake Forrest. In my opinion, VCU's schedule is much more difficult this year than Weber's looks for next. If Weber wants to get a good seed in the NCAA tournament next year they need to beat their non-conference opponents and hope that most of them also make the tournament.

That's the extent to the comparisons I made.

One more point. The three things you always hear that contribute to success in the NCAA tournament are 1-Sr. leadership 2. Guard play, and 3. Depth. Weber will have all of these next year. Sr. leadership will come from seniors Bullinger and Mahoney, joined by kind-of seniors LIllard and Bamforth. The guard play will obviously come from NBA prospect Lillard and three-point shooting ace, Scott Bamforth. (Jordan Richardson and KBull are two excellent guards as well). It appears like Weber has the depth to compete as well. This year three freshmen played significant minutes, and from all accounts I've heard, transfer Frank Otis will be a great player as well (maybe even a starter).

All this speculation and comparison is a lot of fun to do. And watching teams like Butler and VCU make it to the Final Four gives me a lot of hope for next year's Wildcat squad as well. But when it's all said and done, what matters the most is that the 'Cats make it to and take care of business during the Big Sky Tournament, something they have failed to do in the last three years. But then again, they have never had a team like the one that they will have next year.

Diamian's Diary

2011-03-15T15:12:00.001-07:00

The Big Sky Conference has been doing a video diary on Damian Lillard's recovery from foot surgery. As I understand it, they have given him access to a Flip camcorder for him to document the recovery. Every once in a while they collect the camcorder and produce a new chapter in the series. Here is a link to Part 2 of the saga. Great Job, Big Sky, and thanks for doing this! We hope to see more stuff like it in the future.

Catching Up With Damian Lillard

2011-02-24T07:03:00.001-08:00

February 23 His freshman year, he made first team all conference honors and was part of a Big Sky championship. His sophomore year, he led the Wildcats to a regular season Big Sky title and earned the Big Sky MVP award and made AP all-american honorable mention. This, his junior year, promised to be something special for Damian Lillard. Lillard's non-conference play indicated as much. He was one of the nation's top scorers, and several sports websites had him projected to be a potential NBA first-round draft pick. On

December 16th, on the road at Tulsa, all that changed for Lillard. In the game Lillard broke his foot so badly that he would need surgery and would have to sit out the remainder of the season.

Without their leader, the Wildcats struggled to find an identity at first, losing five of their next nine games, and starting Big Sky play with a 3-4 record. Since then, the 'Cats have turned things around are currently on a seven game winning streak in league play. While he has to watch his team from the sidelines with a foot in a boot and crutches under his arms, Lillard does not hang his head or get down on himself. He continues to lead his team vocally and through his example of hard work. When Scott Bamforth hit the game-winning buzzer beater against UNC, Lillard was one of the first people on the court, hobbling to congratulate his teammate. If you haven't seen the video yet, check it out on WeberHoops.com's home page.

Luckily, it appears the NCAA will be giving Lillard his junior year back, and from all indications, his foot will be completely healed in time to make another run at a Big Sky title and an NCAA tournament berth.

Below is a Q&A with Lillard, in which he discusses how he has coped with the injury, his thoughts on this year's team, and his hopes for next season.

WeberHoops: How's the foot?
Damian Lillard: My foot is doing well. The doctors have said it's healing ahead of schedule, and it's been pretty smooth this far.

WH: How has having to sit out the season and watch your team play without you affected your approach to basketball?
DL: Being out definitely changed my approach. First of all I love the game more now because it has been taken away from me. Also, being able to watch and see what makes us successful, unsuccessful, what coaches see that players don't, and I realize how important it is for guys to hold themselves accountable.

WH: With the injured foot, are you still able to work on certain aspects of your game?
DL: Right after I broke my foot me and the coaching staff sat down and came up with ways that I could still be getting better. I have been lifting five days a week for about two months now. I started shooting on the gun from a chair to get my release up, and doing ball handling from a chair as well. I've also watched every game of my freshman and sophomore year to learn from watching myself. I have taken note of so many things I have gotten better at and still can improve on. I have been doing cardio as well. Being a leader off the court is something I have worked on as well given the fact that I can't play. I think this will help my leadership on the floor and in practice next year.

WH: How is school going for you? What's your major?
DL: My major is technical sales, which is pretty simple but it's one of the more successful degrees you can have at this university. At first I wasn't sure about it, but now that I have learned so much in this field and all the opportunities available with this major, I am satisfied with it. I have had a lot of time to work at being a better student, not that I was a bad one but I've had more time for it missing a few road trips.

WH: On your Facebook, you recently mentioned how Darin Mahoney changes games without even taking shots. Can you elaborate?
DL: The post about Darin Mahoney was just for recognition on his part. I feel like he does so much for us without scoring points. People give me so much credit for stats, but I feel like he's as valuable to our team as anyone. He makes mistakes and the coaches get on him and he never complains, not even once. I've played two and a half seasons with him and that has been consistent. How calm he is calms us as a team when adversity hits us. We have so many guys out there who are in situations that they weren't before, and I feel like they see Moe just calm as usual and we follow him. His energy he brings by making small plays that lead to our bigger plays. I want people to know that he is a big part of us being successful. And he's a great guy and teammate.

WH: In the last six games or so, I've noticed a change in the team's defensive intensity. What or who do you think is the catalyst for this?
DL: The last six games our defensive effort has been great. I think our coaches have consistently emphasized defense is going to make us successful. He demands it from us and we respond to him. Before the UNC game I did talk to the team, just letting them know what we were capable of and that it was time. I told them we can beat anybody and we have to get back to being the Weber State that we have been the last three years.

WH:. What's it going to take for the Wildcats to win the Big Sky Tournament this year?
DL: The way we have been playing is how we can win the tournament. We have played great defense and really have been sharing the ball on offense. Togetherness is going to make us successful. We have to be on the same page on both ends of the floor, we have been, so that has helped us win seven straight. If we can continue this, then we have a chance.

WH: Looking forward to next year, I keep thinking about how good the team will be. Kbull and Mahoney will return as seniors, Bamforth has emerged as a great player, the freshmen on the team keep looking better and better, and I've heard great things about Frank Otis. What kind of potential do you think you guys have next year?
DL: Thinking about next year's team gets me very excited because everyone will be a year older and more experienced. With me not playing, I think it helped some guys really get better and more confident. With that and me coming back we can be a very strong team. Next year's team has an extreme amount of potential, but potential is just potential. We have to continue to get better because we could come out and not be what were suppose to be, or we can handle our business and reach that high ceiling. We will be deep, athletic, and young but experienced

Whoopie Cushion Guy

2011-02-22T06:32:00.002-08:00

February 21
Stadiumjourney.com is a website that rates and reviews the many different professional and college stadiums and arenas throughout the U.S.

One of their most recent reviews was of Weber State's Dee Events Center. David Mortimer, the author of the review, gave the Purple Palace a pleasant four out of five

stars, mentioning things like the student section's "Turn over, Turn over, You Suck!" chant to easy access to the arena to the Whoopie Cushion Guy in the student section for his high praise.

Since Whoopie Cushion Guy, also known as Joey Puntasecca, was mentioned twice in the review and seems to be a major reason for the four-star rating, WeberHoops.com caught up with him and asked him a few questions about himself and his take on the basketball experience one can have at the DEC.

WeberHoops: So how long have you been going to Weber State Basketball Games?
Whoopie Cushion Guy: I am a junior.
WH: Why did you start wearing the Whoopie Cushion costume to the games?
WCG: Well, one of the photographers (Paul "Paul Parazzi" Turnblom) brought it (during the Idaho State home game) and had it laying down on the railing across the first row, and I was leaning on it and didn't know what it was so I picked it up and thought it was hilarious so I put it on to stand out and for something different! Weber doesn't have enough "Crazy" fans, and I like being different.
WH: What is your favorite part about the games?
WCG: My favorite part about the games is to yell really loud at the other team and try to get into their heads.
WH: What has been your favorite moment in the Dee Events Center?
WCG: My favorite moment in the Dee Events Center this season was when we broke Northern Colorado's undefeated streak.
WH: What do you think would make the Weber State basketball watching experience even better?
WCG: If there were more crazy fans like me, and the students were excited to go and watch the team, so that we could fill the student section and everyone yell really loud.
WH: What would you tell other students to convince them to come to the games?
WCG: I would show them my costume, show them how much fun I have, and share that experience with them and persuade them into coming and joining me. We are already in talks about what other costumes will show up next season!!

WSU Senior, Trevor Morris

2011-02-07T06:55:00.000-08:00

February 4 Since we've done a Q&A with several of the under-classman on this year's team and we are now already 2/3rds the way through the season, I figured it was time to get to know the Wildcat veterans a little better. This year's Wildcat team has only 2 seniors, and Trevor Morris is the only one who has been on the team for four years.

For the first three years of his career here at Weber, Morris contributed as a solid back-up to center, Steve Panos. This year Morris has been given the starting job and has not disappointed.

He has had several double-digit games, including a 16 point, 7 rebound and 2 block game in a 65-61 victory over Seattle University. His most recent heroics came in Weber's most recent home game against UM. Morris had a career-high 17 points. Against UNC he had 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal. While Scott Bamforth's half-court buzzer-beater shot got all the media attention and video posts on Facebook, maybe the next best play of the game was Morris's second block. With under a minute to play and the game tied a UNC player had what looked like an easy dunk that would have put the Bears up by two. But Morris was having none of that. He came out of nowhere and knocked the ball out of the UNC's players hands and left the guy hanging on the rim while the ball ended up in Weber's hands.

Here is the recent Q&A with Morris. Enjoy.

WeberHoops: How have you enjoyed your time in Ogden at Weber State?
Trevor Morris: I've really enjoyed my time here at Weber State. It has allowed me to explore other areas of interest that span outside of the gym. And the success that we've had as a program on the court has been an amazing experience as well.

WH: What's your major?
TMO: I'm a History Teaching major with a P.E./Coaching minor

WH: What's something about you Weber State fans might not know? Hobbies, nicknames, etc.?
TMO: Fan's might not know that Bullinger and myself are very good friends and in the off season we take trips to his home state of Wyoming and go on fishing and hiking trips.

WH: I'm dying to know. Have any of the young freshman dunked on you in practice yet? (After that monster block against UNC on Saturday, I would imagine not.)
TMO: Haha that is a good question. We have two big freshman this year in Tresnak and Hajek and they've tried but I've been lucky enough to escape being dunk on, so far at least!

WH: As a 4th year Senior on a fairly young team, how would you explain your role on the team?
TMO: I try and be a leader. As you may know, I'm not the most vocal person, so I've had to challenge myself everyday to try and talk to the new guys and just be positive, but I've always believed that one should lead my example. So i try and go out everyday, practice or game, and give it my all. Hopefully they can take some good things from that.

WH: What do you think it is going to take to go to NCAA tournament this year?
TMO: Even though we've been through a lot of adversity with some guys getting hurt and what not, we all have confidence in our own ability, and we know that to make it to where we want to be, we just have to keep working hard and getting better everyday. We learn new things about ourselves and our team everyday, so we just have to keep challenging ourselves and if we do that we'll have an opportunity to be where we want to be at the end of the year.

Jordan Richardson, WSU Freshman

2010-10-19T10:37:00.001-07:00

October 18 When considering the outlook of Weber State men's basketball, one thing is certain: as long as we have Damian Lillard leading the team, the 'Cats will be a dominant force in the Big Sky Conference. But what happens when Lillard gets his diploma? Will the 'Cats still be able to dominate? And the question that maybe we should ask that will help answer these questions is, Is there a point guard already in the program that will be able to take over and run the team the way Lillard has?

When Jordan Richardson signed his letter-of-intent in November of 2009, the Wildcats may have found the man who will be able to run the team when Lillard moves on. Richardson attended Merrill West High School in Northern California where he averaged around 22 points per game as a senior.

ESPN said the following of Richardson's skill set: "Richardson has all the physical attributes to play at the Division I level. He has a chiseled physique with solid speed, quickness, and bounce. His strong frame allows him to finish in the paint area and he loves to push it in transition." With this skill set, it is no wonder why Rahe recruited the kid. The rumors are that he will not red-shirt this year and will see some playing time. While it may be hard for him to see much time playing behind Lillard, Hughey, and JC transfer Bamforth, it will be interesting to see how Rahe plays him and how well he fits into the system as a true freshman.

Below is a short Q&A he was kind enough to take the time to do with Weberhoops.com.

Weber Hoops: How was your summer? Did you get to do anything fun?
Jordan Richardson: My summer was pretty good, I didn't really do anything interesting, was working out the whole time.

WH: How do you like college life so far? Is it anything like you expected?
JR: I like it a lot so far. It's not like anything I expected though; you are busy all the time with school and basketball.

WH: What is your favorite class so far?
JR: I really don't have a favorite class right now. lol

WH: Have you decided on a major yet?
JR: I'm going into communications.

WH: What is something about you that Weber fans probably don't know? Any hobbies or nicknames?
JR: I like to hang out with my friends and watch movies. Everybody usually calls me Jrich.

WH: Have you dunked on Trevor Morris yet?
JR: Haha no i haven't yet.

WH: I've heard speculation that you probably won't redshirt. What do you see your role being on the team this year?
JR: Well it's kind of early to know my role now. I just try to go out and work hard everyday.

WH: Now that the team is all back in Ogden and in school, do you guys get together to play ball much? How is the team looking? When do team practices officially start?
JR: Yes we play pretty much everyday. Our team is looking really good right now. Official practice starts October 15.

WH: How do you like playing with Lillard? Is there anything you think you can learn from playing with him?
JR: I like playing with him a lot. It seems like he does everything well. I can learn just knowing how to run a team and our system.
By Mark Berger
For questions, comments, or thoughts, email me at mark@weberhoops.com

Weber State Goes to Boston

2010-09-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

My little brother, Andrew, lives in Boston and was able to attend the recent Weber State v. Boston College football game. He wrote this blog for me.

WSU at Boston College

September 6 Heavy rains descended on Boston Friday night and into the early hours of Saturday morning, but by the time most New Englanders woke up, Hurricane Earl had left only clear skies, dry air and a blistering heat in its wake. The Weber State Wildcats made the 2,091 mile trek from Ogden to Boston a few days earlier to face the Boston College Eagles. BC fans didn�t seem too worried about their season opener. "I've never even heard of 'Wehbah State' before," was often said in regard to the game, "aren't they division 1?"

Turns out, they didn't have much to worry about, as the Eagles pounced the Wildcats, 38-20.

But the Wildcats didn't go down without a fight, and put on quite a game, gaining some respect from BC and its fans. Offensively they looked sharp. Despite being under constant pressure from BC's defensive line, Wildcat quarterback

Cameron Higgins played quite well completing 24/39 for 234 yards. He scrambled and found open receivers on several occasions.

Unfortunately the pass game turned out to be Weber State's only edge. The Eagle's defensive line looked a lot like the Colonial forces during the first two advances by the British Regulars at the Battle of Bunker Hill (which took place 10 miles from BC's Alumni Stadium), allowing Weber to only run 104 yards on 39 carries. On the other side of the ball, BC was able to run for 188 yards on only 33 carries. Giant holes opened up in Weber's defense allowing BC to do some serious damage on the ground. Mental errors (Weber had 9 penalties, many of them false starts) and some key turnovers, including fumbling the ball in BC territory and an interception that was returned for a touchdown, didn't help Weber either. Weber State didn't give up. With less than two minutes remaining, Weber recovered a fumble and was able to score one last touchdown. And with 19 seconds remaining, down by 18, Weber still fought on, attempting an onside kick (which didn't recover).

Overall the game was a good start to the Wildcat season. They can go back west having gained some valuable experience and with confidence that they will be a force to be reckoned with this year.

Q&A with Big Man Kyle Tresnak

2010-08-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

Kyle Tresnak To Play True Freshman Year

August 29th Last year Weber State lost center Steve Panos to graduation. And this is Trevor Morris's last year as a Wildcat. We all know and expect Darin Mahoney to be a contributor at the center position this year and next, but who has coach Randy Rahe recruited as the next generation center? The answer is 6'10" big-man Kyle Tresnak. Tresnak, like fellow teammates Byron Fulton and Blake Davis, comes to Ogden from Arizona. It appears that this 225 pound freshman will likely see some playing time as a true freshman this year as well.

Tresnak played his high school ball at Horizon High School where he proved he could score points (his season high was 30 points), block shots (10 in one game), and rebound (season high was 17). From what we've heard, WeberHoops is confident that Tresnak will be able to fit in nicely at Weber State and will continue its tradition of great centers. I plan on hearing his name mentioned along with great past Weber centers like Valeika, Allred, Patten, and Panos.

Here is the Q&A that Tresnak recently did for WeberHoops.com.

Weber Hoops: How has your summer been? Do anything fun?
Kyle Tresnak: My summer has been great. I didn't really do anything special. I just worked out and hung out with my friends.

WH: How much time have you been able to spend in Ogden so far? How have you liked it?
KT: I was in Ogden for the month of June. I loved it.

WH: What do you plan on majoring in?
KT: Business.

WH: Did you really swallow a tablespoon of cinnamon? How did that work out for you?
KT: Haha. Yes I've done it 4 times. It's not that hard to do.

WH: Can you tell us something about you that Weber fans probably don't know? Nicknames, hobbies, etc?
KT: I have a brother that is going to NAU.

WH: What do you think about joining a team with two Arizona guys already on it?
KT: I'm excited. I played on the same AAU team with Blake Davis and watched the both of them through out my high school career.

WH: We are glad you signed with Weber State. What helped you make the final decision to come to Weber?
KT: The coaches were a main factor in my decision. They offered me my junior year and were always calling me and sending me letters. The players were also a main factor. I really felt like I could fit in when I was on my visit.

WH: Any idea on whether you will play or redshirt this year?
KT: As of now I am not going to redshirt, but I'm willing to do whatever the coaches want me to do.

WH: Have you had the opportunity to work out and play with the other in-coming freshmen? Did anyone stand out to you? Do you have any insight on what we can expect to see out of the freshman class this year?
KT: I got to play with them this June. They are solid players and great guys. We'll have to see when the season comes around.

For questions, comments, or thoughts, email me at mark@weberhoops.com

Getting to Know Blake Davis

2010-08-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

I wrote this for Weberhoops a few weeks ago and forgot to post it here. Enjoy.

August 9th It has been almost two years since redshirt freshman, Blake Davis, committed to come to Ogden to play for Coach Randy Rahe and the Wildcats. Now that his redshirt year is over, he is anxious to get out on the court and show Wildcat fans he belongs on a Division I court. And should he catch Rahe's eye, he may very well get good minutes on the court this year.

Minutes from two of the three guard positions will be mostly taken by returning veterans, Damian Lillard and Lindsey Hughey. However, it appears that the third guard position is wide open for one of this year's younger players to claim. And Davis just might be the one to do so.

When Davis committed to the Wildcats in September of 2008, Coach Rahe had good things to say. "Blake is a tough, hard-nosed. competitive kid. He plays extremely hard everyday and just knows how to play on both ends of the court." Rahe went on to describe Davis and the recruits he came with. He said, "We are really excited about having these players coming into our program. First off, they are all good students and work hard in the classroom. They are all high character individuals, good citizens and will be good teammates. Each of them has a bright future ahead of them here at Weber State.

Davis was kind enough to respond to a few questions I emailed him. Based on his responses, I think Rahe knew what he was talking about.

Weber Hoops: How has your summer been?
Blake Davis: Summer's been good, and really nice to be home with the fam.

WH: Is it true you work on a farm? How did you get that job? Have you always been a farmer?
BD: Haha. I went to Oklahoma to visit my mom's side of the family, and while I was out there, I worked on their farm. When I'm at home, I work for my buddy's mom. They have horses, goats, chickens, roosters, pigs, turkeys, and a barn, so I just keep things clean there, and do some handy work. Just pretty much anything that needs fixing.

WH: Is there something you can tell WSU fans about yourself that we don't know? Hobbies, nicknames, or anything like that?
BD: Haha. I can't think of anything.

WH: What have you been doing with basketball this summer?
BD: I've been lifting with my strength coach, shooting at my old high school, and playing at different open runs throughout Arizona.

WH: Last year you were on the team as a redshirt. This year as a redshirt freshman you will be able to play in games. How exciting is this for you?
BD: I'm very excited to be playing this year. It was hard to sit through all those games last year, knowing I wasn't going to be able to get in there and play. Now that I have gone through the redshirt year, I'm glad I did it. But now it's time to get in there and hoop.

WH: Have you had the opportunity to meet the incoming freshmen and JC transfer Bamforth yet?
BD: I met those guys while I was at Weber for June. They're really good guys, and Kyle Tresnek is actually from Arizona. I work out with him when we are home.

WH: There is going to be a lot of youth and inexperienced players on the team this year. Who do you expect to step up and contribute this year?
BD: Dame is definitely going to step up and be a key factor in our season. I also think Trev will have a good senior season and bring a lot of leadership.

WH: How do you hope to contribute this year?
BD: I hope to bring some fire and enthusiasm to the court. Do the little things to help our team win and knock down shots.

WH: Can we expect to see Rahe and the Wildcats go dancing this year?
BD: Oh yeah definitely.

Getting to Know Scott Bamforth

2010-08-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

Weberhoops.com is excited to see what Scott Bamforth, JC transfer out of Western Nebraska CC, will bring to this year's squad. The only JC transfer in this year's recruiting class, Bamforth comes highly touted. Bamforth was planning on playing his sophomore year with Western Nebraska before a season-ending elbow injury prevented that from happening. While this was most likely devastating to him, it can be seen as a positive for the 'Cats. Now, instead of having Bamforth for only 2 years, Weber will have him for 3. In Bamforth's freshman year for Western Nebraska, he played great, averaging over 18 points per game with a 45.5% field goal percentage; he shot 41% from behind the arc, sinking 88 thee-pointers; and he was an 80% free throw shooter. If this these stats carry over to DI basketball, Bamforth will be a familiar and exciting face on the court for the next three years.

I sent Bamforth a few questions via email and he was kind enough to respond. Enjoy!

Weber Hoops: How has your summer been? Did you get to do anything fun?

Scott Bamforth: My summer has been pretty good, I've just been working out and getting ready for the season to come. I've been taking some summer classes so my summer hasn't been to exciting, but I think it has been very productive.

WH: Your Facebook status says you are engaged. Congratulations! When is the wedding?

SB: Yea I am engaged and our wedding is planned for July 15th, 2011 so it should be an exciting experience in my life and we are really excited.

WH: How do you and Kendra like Ogden?

SB: Me and Kendra are excited to be out here in Ogden. We have enjoyed our summer so far. Ogden is a place that reminds us of our hometowns, which Kendra is from Denver and I am from Albuquerque, so we are familiar with having mountains really close to us.

WH: What is your major?

SB: My major is Human Performance Management.

WH: Can you tell us something about you that the Weber fans probably don't know? Hobbies, nicknames, anything like that?

SB: When I'm not playing basketball or working out, I enjoy playing video games and watching movies. I also enjoy going home and seeing my family whenever I get the chance to because they are the ones who helped me get to where I am at in my life.

WH: Last year you suffered an elbow injury. How is it feeling now?

SB: My elbow is pretty much back to 100%; it has been a long process and going through surgery wasn't the funnest thing to do but I feel I have worked hard to get back to normal and I am ready to get the season going.

WH: How do you see yourself fitting in with the team this year? What do you see your role being?

SB: This year I think we have a great chance to be very good. I think that the returning players will be ready to get back at it, especially after the hard loss that they went through at the end of the season last year. We have all been working hard, getting ready for the season and I think all of this hard work is going to pay off. I see myself fitting in really good with the team and I am willing to take on any role that I can. I can't predict what role I will have as of now, but I think that as practice starts and the season comes closer, I will be able to find my role and help the team win.

WH: There are going to be a lot of young, new players on the court this year. Do you have an idea of which ones will step up and get some playing time?

SB: I think that there are going to be a lot of new, young players who will step up and play good this year. But like I said before, as the season comes around each one of us will be able to identify our roles and we will be able to try and help this team get to where we want to go. I think that everybody on the team will have to step up if we want to win, and I think we have the talent and willingness to do that, so I am really excited.

Tourney Time

2010-03-08T12:05:00.000-08:00

Got My Tourney Tickets!

It's official. I have my two tickets for the Big Sky tournament--a ticket for the semi final round on the 9th and a ticket for the championship game on the 10th. I know it may seem somewhat presumptuous for me to buy a ticket for the championship game when I still don't know for certain that the Wildcats will be playing in it. Even my boss was giving me a hard time for requesting to take off work a little early on the 10th to see Weber play in the championship.

I guess I figured it was bad etiquette, bad luck, bad karma or something like that to not go ahead and plan on the Big Sky champions playing in the finals of the Big Sky Championship. And besides that, I do feel very confident that Coach Rahe and the boys will get it done this year. I feel good about their chances of winning the championship and going dancing for several reasons.

1. Weber State is hosting the tournament at the Dee Events Center. The Wildcat's have yet to lose a conference game at home this season. They are a perfect 8-0 in the Purple Palace. Having the largest fan base and an always rowdy student section can only strengthen the home court advantage.

2. Big Sky MVP, Damian Lillard, and Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, Franklin Session. Weber State is the best team in the league because they have the best player in the League. Lillard, though only a sophomore, leads the Big Sky in points per game. He has managed to do this while all year having to face double-teams and defensive schemes designed with the sole purpose of stopping him. Session brings non-stop energy to the team and the arena. If he gets a breakaway dunk early, you can bet on a big night from him. One thing that I have observed all season long is that if both Session and Lillard are on, the Wildcats are virtually unstoppable.

3. The Seniors. Throughout much of this season Nick Hansen and Steve Panos have been somewhat overshadowed by Lillard's ability to score almost at will. Just because they may not be the best players on the team doesn't mean that they aren't great. In fact it was their senior leadership, maturity and poise that carried this team through the last four games of the season. And it was these seniors that were instrumental in beating UNC in a high stakes game and in leading the Wildcats in a blowout of Idaho State to clinch the Big Sky title. In the UNC game the two combined for 16-19 shooting. Panos scored 29 points and Hansen scored 18 on a perfect 6-6 shooting night from behind the arc. Since that game, Hansen has been on a 3-point shooting hot streak--he's made 22 out of his last 30 attempts!

4. Coach Rahe. His nickname isn't "The Wizard of Weber" for nothing. Rahe's Wildcats have been Big Sky Champions three of the last four years. Rahe has shown a consistency of excellence here at Weber. A gambler would be a fool to bet against this two-time coach of the year.

Some may think I'm cocky or at least a fool for having spent money on a game I can't be sure the Wildcats will even be in. But that's a risk I'm willing to take. On the 10th I may have ripped my championship ticket up and thrown it away, and maybe I will find myself at home watching two teams that aren't Weber State playing for the championship on national television. But I don't think that is going to be the case. I think this cocky fool will be at the Dee Events Center watching the Wildcats take the tournament trophy and clinching a spot in the NCAA tournament where they will be doing some dancing.

Lillard, Panos End Losing Streak

2009-12-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Weber State broke an 8-game losing streak to the Utes and beat the University of Utah at home with a score of 83-76. The game was a thrilling one. The Wildcats came back from a 14-point deficit midway through the first half to ultimately win by 7 points. It was a game that every fan who saw it will remember for years. It was a game that every Weber State fan should have been in attendance to see. It was a game that, unfortunately for me, I did not see.

I have been attending night school for the last two and a half years and have missed multiple WSU games because of it. Unfortunately yesterday's intense battle was one of them. But I am proud to say that in two weeks I will be done with my Master's program. I will never miss an intense in-state game due to school again! But unfortunately I will never be able to get back the games and great team and individual performances I have missed. I will never get to see Steve Panos score 20 points and grab 7 rebounds in his last game against the Utes. Nor will I get to see first hand WSU Sophomore, Damien Lillard's 28 points, 7 assists and 5 rebound performance.

Both Panos' and Lillard's performances were ones for the ages. Ones that will be ranked up there with performances from Weber greats such as Eddie Gill, Howard "The Show," and Jermaine Boyette. And I missed them!

While I did miss seeing the game, I was able to have a positive experience listening to the second half on the radio on my commute home from Salt Lake City. I love Carl Arkie. The dude is the best play-by-play guy in the state. Hands down. I would like to share one thing he said during the play-by-play that almost made me glad I was listening to the game on the radio instead of witnessing it in the Purple Palace.

Weber State's Damien Lillard had just made a 3-pointer to put the 'Cats up by 3 with about two minutes left. On Weber State's ensuing possession Lillard found himself with the ball again. He put his shoulder down, penetrated, and made a driving bank shot to put the 'Cats up by 5 points. After this happened Arkie yelled, "Oh my, Damien Lillard is hotter than Lady Gaga!" What an awesome thing to say!

Purple Pak Has Big Shoes to Fill

2009-09-01T15:17:00.001-07:00

Dave Baker on the Left poses with Cody Olson at Rice Eccles Stadium Last year

As a new athletic season at Weber State is upon us, Wildcat fans will be paying close attention to new faces and missing last year's seniors who no longer are with us. While Weber State fans and students will be missing last year's senior athletes such as former football players, Marcus Mailei and JD Folsom (Both of which are currently on NFL rosters) and basketball stars, Kellen McCoy and Daviin Davis, they are surely going to miss one David Baker, Chair of the student Purple Pak organization.

At every basketball game one could see Baker in the front row of the student section, clad all in purple, leading students in cheers, heckling opponents, and screaming at referees. For years Baker has been one of the biggest student fans the Wildcats have known. So it was not a surprise when a couple of years ago he was named as Chair of the Purple Pak.

Bev Rudd, Director of Alumni Relations and advisor for the Student Alumni Association and Purple Pak said Baker's enthusiasm as a fan also carried over to the way he carried out his responsibilities as Purple Pak Chair. Rudd said that under Baker's leadership Purple Pak enrollment increased as well as student attendance to games. She also said Baker was instrumental in beginning a tradition of taking students on road trips. "Never in the history of the school has Purple Pak attended so many away games. Dave was instrumental in filling the buses. He will be greatly missed."

Baker also said he will miss his association with the Purple Pak, "I will miss the association with the students and meeting new people on the various road trips we went on."

Now that Baker has graduated from Weber State, Rudd knows that finding someone who can build on what Baker has started will be difficult. Perhaps that is why she has named two Purple Pak Chairs to take Baker's place. Bryan Weir will be Chair of football and Louis Anderson Skillman IV will be the chair of basketball. Rudd is very impressed with both Skillman and Weir and says they are just as passionate as Baker and bring with them some great ideas for Weber State students. With these two in place as Purple Pak Chairs Rudd said, "The passion for Weber basketball lives on. We have some great guys to keep Purple Pak on track."

One of Rudd's focuses for this year is to keep the tradition of student road trips going. She already has a trip planned to go to Laramie for the Wildcats' football season opener, and she is working on other road trips for both football and basketball.

While Baker is no longer a WSU student or Purple Pak chair, he said that won't make him any less of a fan. He plans on being a season ticket holder for both football and basketball as well as attending several games on the road. "I will continue to bleed purple until the day I die. Weber state will always be near and dear to my heart."

Eyre Hands Out Grades for Big Sky Basketball Recruiting

2009-06-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

June 20th
To be thoroughly candid, this is the first time that I have ever attempted a project like this, and I hope it turns out to be fair, honest, and balanced, unlike The Bergers' favorite news media outlet; Fox. I'm sure Cheese or one of the twins will take offense to that line, but nonetheless, it is definitely true.

So, here is my disclaimer...I am a huge Weber State fan, especially basketball, and for me, it is extremely difficult to say that someone else in the conference, or state, had a better recruiting season than the Wildcats. With that being said, I am determined to be honest and impartial. For me, the best way to accomplish this feat is to see what each team needs for it to be successful. That's done by looking at what each team accomplished last season, and the teams remaining players. Recruits are supposedly to plug holes. Of course none of us know how good a player really is until the season starts. The purpose of this piece isn't to talk about players that have left a Big Sky program, or who have graduated. The purpose of this piece is to analyze each school's 2009 recruits. Some schools I will be able to talk more about, since I have been able to learn more about their respective program. Unfortunately, there are a number of programs that I haven't been able to gather much information on, so I won't be able to be as thorough as I would want to be. Regardless, I have been able to find out about each programs' recruits and will be able to grade them accordingly.

What needs to be stated is the fact that the Big Sky is improving. Last season the Conference's RPI jumped from 23 (2007-08) to 17, and if MSU would have beaten Cal State Fullerton in the bracket buster, then the Sky would have finished 16 barely edging the Big West out. Automatically, one can then assume that the Big Sky will only get better this season. You can argue this, because of two reasons. First, and most important, each Big Sky team is returning the majority of their impact players. Only Weber State lost its team leaders. Second, the Sky is starting to compete more effectively with the bigger programs. PSU's victory over No. 7 Gonzaga and Idaho State's win over Utah are clear examples of the Sky's ability to compete with bigger schools. Even though wins are a clear indicator of improvement, close victories can also be indicators. There were a number of close, or overtime games with DI majors that can also be signs of how the Big Sky is improving. Anyway, here goes:

Easter Washington D+
Former Weber State assistant Kirk Earlywine led the Eagles to an overall 12-17 record, compiling a 6-10 mark in conference play. Their conference record earned them a 7th place finish and an early offseason. EWU went through some stretches, which should be familiar to many Wildcat fans, where the team seemed to lose focus and played poorly (Coaching?). Earlywine's team has adequate talent, and actually returns 2 of the Big Sky's best players in guard Benny Valentine and center Big Baldy (Brandon Moore). Other than that the Eagles roster is composed of glue players who play their roles well at times. For Kirk Earlywine's team to compete for a tournament spot it is in desperate need of a stronger and deeper backcourt. Earlywine, due to his seasons at Weber State, recognizes the affect good guards can have on a Big Sky team. Success in the Sky happens because of a team's guards. Earlywine went out and found a number of guards who will add depth to the lineup, but they don't look to be anything special; right now. Of course, with some experience and development each recruit has the potential to being really good. None of them will ever be considered great that would be a definite exaggeration. Unfortunately for the Eagles, a number of their signed players ended up not qualifying academically, which has caused Earlywine to scrounge for players after the late signing period had ended. Earlywine was able to sign 4 guards in the early signing period, but only one of them Jeffrey Forbes qualified. Fortunately for him, he was also able to steal a player who had agreed to play for PAC-10 powerhouse Arizona, in JC transfer Tremayne Johnson. Along with Johnson EWU signed Lorin Griffin who was a teammate of Johnson. Along with Johnson and Griffin, in the this late period EWU has been able to sign Sean Fischer, Alden Gibbs, and Glenn Dean who Earlywine says "is as talented as the most talented of the Sky" (Wishful Thinking?). None of the incoming guards wowed scouts. Most scouts actually say that Earlywine has been forced into his plan B option.

To be candid, I believe it's lucky he was able to sign anyone this late. The Eagles have been a very difficult team to track. This class brings the Eagles players who actually qualified academically. F. D'Vonne Pickett PG (combo) (ESPN 72) Non-QualifierF. Jeffery Forbes PG (ESPN 70) F. Sean Fischer Combo Guard (Gonzaga Prep) F. Chris Holmes SG (combo) Non-QualifierJr. Stevie Hendrick PG (Land of Lakes CC) Non-QualifierSoph. Tremayne Johnson PF (Southwest CC) *Top Recruit*Soph. Lorin Griffin (Southwest CC) Soph. Glenn Dean

Idaho State A-
Idaho State made huge strides this past season with a fairly young team. The Bengals made it to the Big Sky tournament and beat the Utes for the first time in 40 years. Fortunately for the Bengals, Joe O'Brien's team is senior laden and will bring back 7 veteran players. The 2009-10 team would have had 9 seniors on the team; yet, former Colorado and senior to be Kal Bay left the team in April and Phillip Taylor -backup PG- has opted to red-shirt this next season in hopes of improving his academic standing. Unfortunately for the Bengals, ISU loses senior star Matt Stucki to graduation. Stucki, along with guard Amorrow Morgan were the Bengals most consistent players last season. Already, the Bengals will start the season down, since senior to be, and the best three point shooter on the team, Austin Kilpatrick, has had surgery and will not be able to play or shoot till October. No matter, the Bengals will return as one of the most dangerous and athletics teams in the Big Sky field. Coach O'Brien knew what he needed for the team to find success -a true PG-- and went out and got two players who will, hopefully, automatically make an impact. Eric Segert is being tabbed as one of the best recruits to go to Pocatello, since Ron Boone the witless blinker. Segert is a two-star recruit who is a definite long range threat. The other recruit is a JC transfer from Frank Phillips CC and will provide the Bengals with an experienced veteran PG to backup sophomore Sherrod Baldwin. If Orlando Little is cleared to play by the NCAA...LOOK OUT! This class brings toughness to the listless Bengals. Maybe Ron Boone will make the trip to the Potato Barn to watch his beloved Bengals.F. Eric Segert SGJr. Broderick Gilchrist PG (Frank Phillips CC) Jr. Orlando Little (Memphis) Hasn't been cleared to play, but looks mean and good.

Montana A-
Tinkle can recruit, but the question shouldn't be how good of a recruiter is he but whether or not he can coach and develop the players once they have been recruited. To be fair to Wayne, he inherited a bunch of players that excelled as under-classmen for the coach that recruited them, but were merely average as upper-classmen for Wayne. Fortunately for Tinkle, he has the services of AJ: Anthony Johnson for another year. All Tinkle needed to do was to bring in a number of players who could automatically help Johnson. He might have done that, but with Freshmen one never knows how they will turn out. Yes, Montana has, most likely, next season's Freshman of the Year on the team, but will the returning and role players contribute enough to help the Griz get over the hump? I don't think Montana fans should get overly excited yet. Of course, I'm not a prognosticator --I am a pugilist-- but in my opinion Montana has an amazing veteran player, but a lot of under-classmen that haven't been tried or haven't shown their potential as of yet. There really isn't anyone else on the Montana team that has the experience, talent, and athleticism needed to make a run. In a few years that might be different. I'm giving Montana an A- because Tinkle needed more veterans to help this years team; however, Tinkle, did get 3 recruits who should be playing next January at bigger schools and in more prestigious leagues. This class brings athleticism to the Griz. F. Eric Hutchinson (ESPN 85 C) F. Will Cherry (ESPN 80, rivals.com have him as a three-star PG) F. Thurman Woods (ESPN 79 PF) Jr.
Rassum Young: he hasn't signed, but the UM faithful are pretty sure he will, if he qualifies. (Haggerstown JC. PG)

Montana State C-
State got what they were looking for, but not what they needed. They aren't great recruits, and may not even be good enough to help a senior laden team to be more consistent next season. In the long-term (2 or 3 seasons), these recruits may develop into being great additions to the MSU program. As for next season, I don't think so. Fortunately for State, they may not need them for a few years. Due to last seasons remarkable run in the Big Sky tournament --not since Boise State virtually bought a Tournament Championship (1994 BSC), and Weber State behind Longshot Lance Allred, has a 6th seed been in a conference championship-- State should return with some confidence. MSU is a veteran team, and is recruiting hard for the 2010-11 season. MSU went out and got players that could give them needed depth, players who might develop into good role players, and height. However, MSU was looking for an instant impact player. For MSU to be successful they needed to find a player that could take Mbunga's spot, which is virtually an impossible thing to do. So instead of trying to find one to count on MSU got three "Bigs," who might combined, make a new Mbunga. Out of this class, Budinich seems to be the best recruit. Budinich is too young and raw and Swita, yes he is 7'0, but isn't even average. The purpose of this class was to bring depth to the center and power forward position. Without a strong post the Bobcats will struggle. Jeff Budinich (ESPN 70 C 6-10) Marco Bourgault 6-8 FMichel Swita (Northern Idaho JC 7-0 C)

Northern Arizona C
None of these recruits look to be overly impressive. However, "Baldras" (Coach Adras) has a tendency to get the most out of his players. Adras arguably could be the best coach in the Big Sky. He has a reputation for being a coach that gets the absolute most out of his players. Former Lumberjack Kyle Landry is a notable example of Adras's coaching abilities. Landry would have been an average glue player if it hadn't been for Adras's genius. By Landry's senior year he had developed into an all-conference player, and the leader of his team. Landry is only one example. Under Adras's tenure there are many many more. However, Adras will have an extremely difficult time rebuilding his team. Gratefully, he will have a number of his role players returning, only Josh Wilson (one of the Big Sky's best Assist men ever) graduated. For Utahn's, Stallon Saldivar should be a familiar name. Stallon prepped at Judge Memorial and played with future Wildcat Dee Crandall. Fortunately for Stallon, he will not be depended upon to contribute next season as much as the JC signees. For NAU to compete they will definitely need the services of their new JC's, and regrettably for the Jack, none of them look to be that great. None of the JC's were overachievers at their respective schools. What will make or break them is their willingness to follow their coaches instructions. Because of these recruits, I don't see NAU being a force in the Sky next season. With that being said, I wouldn't be surprised if they compete for the conference title either. Speed is what this class brings to the Lumberjacks. Not only does this class bring speed, but will be depended upon to paint the giant Paul Bunyon like Lumberjack on the NAU campus. Also, I hope they like Buffalo Wings...F. Stallon Saldivar (ESPN 80 6-0 PG) F. Reid Wallace (ESPN 78 6-6 SF) Jr. De Angelo Jones (Cochise College 6-5 SF) Jr. Isaiah Jackson (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC 6-5 SF) Jr. Julian Olubuyi (Northwest College 5-9 PG)

Northern Colorado A
UNC got exactly what they needed, and became that much deeper due to these recruits. Connor Osbourne and Emmanual Addo are being touted as the best signees in UNC history. These two players along with Unruh and Arnold will be the foundation for UNC success in the upcoming years. UNC is extremely lucky to have the services of perhaps one of the best Mid-Major coaches in Tad Boyle. Along with being one of the best recruits in UNC history, Osbourne is also, possibly, the best recruit coming out of the state of Colorado this year. Connor should be playing at a bigger program, but based his decision on coaching. He really likes Boyles style of coaching and believes that Boyle will help him develop into an excellent players. Also, he believes that UNC has the best chance of success out of all the other Colorado schools. In his opinion, UNC is the best one out of the other DI Colorado programs to make it to the NCAA tournament. Depth is the number one quality that this class gives to the Bears. I hope they like the dancing suga bears...to bad they grow during the year to the point that their uniforms no longer fit, damn that beer. Connor Obsourne (ESPN 83 6-9 C) Emmanual Addo (ESPN 81 6-8 PF) Tate Unruh (ESPN 76 6-2 PG) David Arnold (ESPN 74 6-1 PG)

Portland State B+
After losing the "Bone" to the Washington State Cougs, the Vikings did a fairly decent job of keeping most of his recruits. Two of his most sought after recruits decided to stick with their commitments and attend Portland State. Max Jacobsen and Melvin Jones look like 2 excellent recruits. However, Jones is instantly going to feel pressured to play at the same level as the 2 time first teamer and former Big Sky MVP Jeremiah Dominguez. However, with a new coaching staff, and a number of key players returning for the Vikings, I don't think Jones will be too overwhelmed. However, PSU's recent success has virtually been created on the guard line. For PSU to continue being competitive in the future, they will need instant production from their JC transfers. Personally, I think Jones is capable for the task. The quality that this recruiting class brings to the Vikings is depth. These recruits were lured to PSU by the prospect of playing in front of a sold out crowd for each of their home games...too bad for them they weren't told how many sold out means. At PSU sold-out games equals less than 2K. Then again, that's an average arena in the Big West. Chris Harriel (ESPN 74 6-4 SG) Max Jacobsen (ESPN 73 6-7 PF) Melvin Jones (Northern Idaho JC 5-10 PG) Phillip Thomas (College of E. Utah 6-7 PF/C)

Sacramento State C+
Hornets Coach Katz must not have liked his players since he is signing, virtually, a new team. Katz signed 5 JC players, four from the California system that he is so familiar with, that should make an immediate impact on the lowly Hornets. Katz's team was a determined lot, but one that definitely lacked talent and ability. Hopefully these new recruits will make the Hornets more competitive. John Dickson and Dani Lopez are Katz's Freshmen. At Mid season, Lopez was being rated as a mid 80s recruit, but once AAU ball got under way Lopez's marks began to fall. I don't know if it was necessarily his abilities, or the fact that he signed with Sacramento State that dropped his overall numbers. Dickinson; however, is being touted as one of the best pickups for the Hornets in 5 or 6 seasons. He should get minutes as a freshman. The other five are nothing special. Duro Bjegovic could turn out, but the other 4 are merely fillers. The quality that this recruitment class brings to Sacramento State is new faces. John Dickson (ESPN 79 6-5 SF) Dani Lopez (ESPN 73 6-9 C) Walter Jackson (San Joaquin 6-5 SG) Duro Bjegovic (Highland CC 6-7 PF) Alpha N'Diaye (Ohlone CC 6-8 C) David Norris (Riverside JC 6-6 SF) Sultan Toles-Bey (Fresno City College 5-10 PG)

Weber State A-
The defending conference champion Wildcats will have a difficult time replacing the current Big Sky MVP Kellen McCoy and Defensive Player of the Year Daviin Davis. Fortunately for the other members of the Big Sky these 2 players have finished their eligibility, and have graduated; however, unfortunately for the Sky, the Wizard of Weber recruited exceptionally talented players to replace these losses. In my personal opinion I think Weber State has assembled one of its best recruiting classes in a decade. The Wizard has done an excellent job of balancing his class between freshmen and JCs. How Rahe got the three JCs is shocking to me. Franklin Session, Josh Nobel, and Lindsey Hughey all were conference 1st teamers with Session and Nobel attaining MVP honors for their respective conferences. Fulton, Davis, and Coro all are good freshmen players who with good coaching and some experience can really bring toughness and effort to the team. None of these players are quitters, each of them will bring much needed depth and experience to a championship caliber team. Rahe knew that all the other teams would get better in the off-season, and for the Wildcats to continue to compete, Weber had to get some great players who could help the Wildcats stay on top by adding toughness and speed to his lineup. However the qualities the Wildcats have improved on the most through this recruiting class is rebounding and defense. The next thing that the Cats need to improve on is student attendance...Big Papa and Weir best be helping Bev, if not Willie is going to punch them.Blake Davis (ESPN 78 6-5 SG) Byron Fulton (ESPN 74 6-8 PF/C) Dee Crandall (Judge Memorial PG) Pablo Coro (First Chilean DI player) Linsey Hughey (Seminole State College)Josh Nobel (Snead State JC)Franklin Session (Saddleback College JC

Road Trippin' Wildcat Style

2009-03-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

During my spring break, my wife and I decided it would be fun to take our daughter on a road trip to Phoenix, Arizona to visit my brother and his family. On the way there we stopped in Flagstaff, home of the Big Sky's Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.

While staying in Phoenix we learned that the Wildcats were going to be playing in San Diego, a 5-hour drive away. So we decided to make that an excuse to visit my other brother who lives on the military base there. We bought tickets to the NIT game and got to watch SDSU beat our team pretty bad. But we still had lots of fun anyway.

Check out some of the pics of the game below:

Pictures of my family road trip

2009-03-25T17:50:00.000-07:00

On our way to Phoenix to visit my brother and his family, we took a little break from nine hours of driving to visit NAU's bookstore in Flagstaff. I bought a hat and a shirt on clearance and took a pic by this cool trailer.

Coach Rahe after the game was awesome. He came out and met with us fans, thanked us for all our support, and took about 50 pictures with us. I was lucky enough to be in this picture. I'm standing between my two favorite people: my wife and Coach Rahe!

The Cox Arena holds about the same amount of fans as the Dee, but the way it is built makes it very loud. The concession stands are outside too. It's a pretty cool venue.
When I took this picture, these girls could barely contain themselves. They were so excited to be taking a picture with the dreamy Steve Panos.
We had great seats. 4th row right behind the Wildcat bench.

WSU has the best team and the best fans

2009-03-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

This basketball season has been awesome so far. I've really enjoyed the resurgence of the student section and the Purple Pack. Thanks to you all for making the games that much more enjoyable. And a big thanks to Bev and Dave for their roles in it all.

March is Madness for the Big Sky Too

2009-03-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

Sometimes as Weber State fans we are so focused on what our University does to make our sports experiences better. We are always concerned with what marketing is doing, what our Sports Information Director is up to, and what the overall university support in our teams is. Often we get so caught up with our school and its efforts that we forget about those from the Big Sky Conference who work so hard to ensure that we are enjoying a quality product, whether it be on Big Sky TV, the Altitude, or in person at conference tournaments. If ever a fan wants to do a little research on Big Sky Conference sports and teams, I would highly recommend checking out the Big Sky’s website, their blog, or their new Twitter page. The Big Sky provides tons of news, information, and updates.
Because I believe the Big Sky is so important to our Weber State basketball experience as fans, I thought it would be interesting to do a short interview with Jon Kasper to find out exactly what he and the conference do behind the scenes and what they are doing to prepare for the Big Sky Championship tournaments.
I found his responses to my questions very informative and enlightening. I think you will too.

Wildcat Wall: What is your job title for the Big Sky?

Jon Kasper: First off Mark, thanks for your interest. I’m always happy to answer questions from our fans. Most people don’t understand what exactly we do here, or don’t know that our offices are located on Historic 25th Street in beautiful Ogden.
My job title is Assistant Commissioner for Media Relations

WW: How long have you worked for the Big Sky?

JK: I started at the Big Sky in September in 2004, so I’ve been here about 4 ½ years.

WW: What are some of your general duties in your job?

JK: We have a small staff, so we are all involved in a lot of different things. My main responsibilities are overseeing the media relations department, which includes myself, Autumn Wehr and our intern Tanner Gooch. I’m the main contact for football, men’s basketball and women’s golf, and oversee the other sports, which Autumn and Tanner handle. Our duties include selecting Players of the Week, publishing weekly notes, updating the content on www.bigskyconf.com, www.bigskytv.org, as well as our blog. (www.bigskyconference.blogspot.com, and our new Twitter page. We’ve produced some video highlight packages this year. We also administer the All-Conference selections, handle the certificates that student-athletes and coaches receive. We have working relationships with all of the sports information directors in our league, and work with media who cover the Big Sky. I also help work with television networks that cover our league. I also oversee the golf championship, and assist at other championship events. It honestly seems like there is something new and different every week.

WW: Do you get to go to many of the men's basketball games around the conference?
JK: Because of the economy, I haven’t traveled much this year. We are very cognizant of money at all times in the Big Sky. I try to attend all of Weber State’s home conference games so I can see each team in person once. I’ve also attended one game at Idaho State and one Montana non-conference game while I was in Missoula for a playoff football game. I get the sports package on Dish Network, so I try to either watch or tape all of the basketball games featuring Big Sky teams. I also spend a lot of hours watching our teams on Big Sky TV.

WW: This year has been a very exciting season for Big Sky men's hoops. What are your thoughts on how it all played out, and what are your thoughts on how Weber State did?

JK: I guess I’m a little bit surprised at the success of Weber State, but who knew Damian Lillard was going to emerge like he has, and players such as Nick Hansen, Kyle Bullinger and Kellen McCoy were going to perform as they have. I think Randy is a terrific coach and always has his teams well-prepared and ready to play. With all of the talent Portland State has and especially after the upset of nationally-ranked Gonzaga, I think a lot of people felt like the Vikings were the team to beat. The Vikings are a very dangerous team, and I wouldn’t be at all surprise to see them win the championship next week. Yeah, I know Weber fans don’t want to hear that. The emergence of Anthony Johnson has been vital to Montana’s success. I was surprised to see Idaho State struggle like it did, especially early in conference play on offense. Idaho State played a brutal non-conference schedule, but I thought with the talent the Bengals had they would win a couple more of those games. Idaho State has found its groove at the right time, and could surprise a lot of people. I know that’s another thing Weber fans don’t want to hear, but I really think Idaho State is a talented club, and a tough matchup because of its overall size. It’s good to see Northern Colorado continue to improve and make it to the tournament for the first time. The Bears are another dangerous team playing well right now. Montana State isn’t playing very well right now, but let’s not forget that the Bobcats are the only team to beat Weber State and earlier in the season MSU won road games at Oregon State and Colorado.

WW: The quarterfinals are tomorrow and the rest of the Big Sky Championship will be on the 10th and the 11th in Ogden. Do things get more hectic around the office when the Big Sky playoffs begin?

JK: They don’t call this time of the year “March Madness” just because of the games on the court. This is very busy time of year. I haven’t slept much in the last couple of weeks. I spend a lot of time the last week of the men’s and women’s season trying to figure out the scenarios. All the teams want to know what they have to do to get in the tournament, get a certain seed, secure a home game, and host the championship. I was up until 4 a.m. one night working on men’s scenarios. Today started at 7:30 a.m. with a conference call. Commissioner Fullerton and I spoke with a member of the NCAA Committee who is responsible for overseeing our conference. We do our best to present information to the committee throughout the year to help our teams gain respectable seeds. We do all of the credentials for the tournaments, and that’s what I’ve been working on most of the morning. I’ve also been in contact with Altitude and ESPN, working with them to make sure they have everything they need. Saturday morning I’ll fly up to Missoula for the quarterfinal game featuring Montana and Montana State. Before that, I’ll watch the Montana-Portland State women’s game that will determine who hosts the women’s tournament. After the games, I’ll write up stories on both quarterfinal games, update the brackets, and begin working on the championship release. Sunday morning I’ll fly back to Ogden, finish up my release, and start doing the last-minute checks. One nice thing about having the tournament in Ogden is I get to sleep in my own bed and don’t have to travel on Monday.

Normally, I spend Monday traveling to the men’s site, and then go right from there to our women’s tournament on Thursday morning. At least I get a few more days at home this year. Our Associate Commissioner Ron Loghry oversees the championships, so he is very busy working with Weber State and potential women’s hosts. There is a lot of planning that goes into the championships. Teams have to select hotels, banners need to be made, and officials need to be selected and their travel has to be arranged. We want the championships to be a great experience for the student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans.

WW: It looks like this will be a very competetive tournament. Any predictions on who will win?

JK: I’ve learned not to make predictions in this job. We’ve got nine schools and we love them all the same. It irritates me when fans think we favor one school over another. I see that all the time on the message boards. Believe me; if we favored one school over the other we wouldn’t have our jobs long. We want to see all of our student-athletes, coaches and universities succeed. When it’s a non-conference game, we’re always rooting for our teams. If it’s a playoff game – like the Weber State/Cal Poly football game – we were all ecstatic that the Wildcats won. At the same time it was disappointing because we knew that since Montana and Weber State were playing the next week, one of our teams would have to lose.

OK, I’ll bend a little bit. I think all of the four teams who advance here to Ogden have a chance to win the championship. (Now that’s going out on a limb.)

There is no doubt Weber State has the advantage of playing on its home court in front of the Purple Pak. Weber seems so focused. Weber had nothing to play for Tuesday against Montana State, but went and played like the No. 1 seed was on the line. If Portland State hits its 3-point shots the Vikings will be really, really tough to beat. If Montana’s outside shooters are hitting to help Anthony Johnson they are tough to beat, especially because the Grizzlies are playing so well on defense. Idaho State and Northern Colorado are also playing very good basketball right now.

WW: I know you are a UM guy, but your wife is a Weber girl. Who is your family pulling for during the tournament?

JK: It’s weird how the world works. My family is originally from North Dakota, and we moved to Montana when I was 14. I attended Montana and ended up living there for 10 years, working at the Missoulian as a sportswriter, where I learned to be very objective. I wouldn’t be in this position today if the conference didn’t think I could be objective. My mom, dad, brother and sister all moved to Ogden in 1996, so now we’re all back in the same city. My brother took many of his classes at Weber State, but his degree is from Utah State. My sister is a freshman at Weber State. My wife Mackenzie is close to getting her degree from Weber State. My father-in-law Bob Hunter is a Weber State alum and an adjunct professor. My father-in-law actually helped design the old “Go W” logo back when he was a student. I have a lot of purple in my family now, and most of them are probably rooting for Weber State. Some of them don’t care at all that there is a tournament coming up. Mackenzie takes a lot of photos for us, and does graphic design for us. Like me, she respects all of the teams in our conference. She’s developed friendships with many of the people in our league. I think she’s neutral, but I can’t control her. I know she knows a lot of you crazy Mountain Dew-guzzling Purple Pak guys from high school. She and our beagle Annie are excited the tournament is in Ogden so I will be home and not on the road. What I’m pulling for is the community of Ogden, the students of Weber State, and other sports fans throughout Utah to come out, support Weber State and support our tournament. I believe winning sports programs can really bring a community together and create civic pride. Tuesday and Wednesday night are a chance to forget about the problems of the world for a few hours and come out and support some great collegiate student-athletes. I know they would all love to play in front of 12,000 fans on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Wildcats have rich history

2009-03-04T14:35:00.000-08:00

I am a huge fan of Weber State basketball. I hold season tickets, I often attend the coach’s luncheon at Ligori’s and I write a blog for a fans website. It really bothers me when I tell someone how my number one hobby is Weber State basketball and they give me a funny look or make a snide comment like, ‘Weber State? Don’t you mean Harrison High?’ I just don’t get it. I’ve attended most of the home games this year and have been disappointed to see it filled over half-capacity only three times. I think most residents of the greater Ogden area just aren’t aware of what they have up on the hill. Maybe they are not aware of the history and success of Weber State basketball.

In the last 10 year the ‘Cats have gone to the NCAA tournament three times. In 1999 they stunned the nation by upsetting third seeded University of North Carolina. I’m pretty sure that is more appearances and wins in the tournament than other division 1 programs in Utah.

On March 10-11, because the ‘Cats became Big Sky champions, Weber State will host the Big Sky Championship where the winner will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. The Dee Events Center holds 11,666 people. Let’s get the community excited about our amazing basketball program and get them to come to the game and fill the Dee to capacity.

I am proud to say I live in Ogden, home of the Weber State Wildcats. I hope the community is too. And I hope we can all show up to the tournament and help our team make it to the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years.

wsu v psu

2009-02-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

My Daughter Loves WSU!

2009-02-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

I was at my parent's house the other day and my daughter came up to me with this wildcat claw on. I thought it was pretty awesome that she wanted to show me how she loves the 'Cats too.

Mahoney is the Man

2009-02-17T07:52:00.000-08:00

It’s been a while since I was able to attend a WSU basketball game, but yesterday (Valentine’s Day) I convinced my wife that we should celebrate our love by attending the Portland State game. The game was one of the most fun games I’ve seen in a long time. Lilliard, Panos, and Davis got a dunk a piece; we got to chant “Waters Sucks”; and the student body had a half dozen hilarious sings poking fun things such as Dominguez’ run in with the law in Mexico and PSU’s poor 1-15 record at the Dee.

But the most entertaining part of the night to me was Weber’s tenacious defense. I especially enjoyed watching freshman, Darin Mahoney. The dude had two blocked shots, two steals, and nine points.

It is so cool to see how good we are this year and at the same time see how many promising freshman and sophomores we have. Needless to say, I think Weber State basketball is going to be good for a long, long time. And Mahoney and his tough defense are going to be a big reason why.

The Little Bus That Could - By Eric Neff

2009-01-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

Each time I step onto a Weber State bus two things automatically go through my head. First, will we actually make it to our destination, and second, are the cheerleaders coming with us? After our last road trip, an exasperating journey to White Trash Missoula for an FCS playoff game, I have doubted the ability of Weber State’s buses to get fans to their intended destinations. A night in Deer Lodge Montana will do that to you. Deer Lodge is not the most glamorous spot in Montana, hell in all honesty, I wouldn’t doubt if Montanans have erased it from off their maps. It’s very similar to a black hole, but not one that could hold back the stellar efforts of the GREYGOOSE!! However, last night that very same super bus, failed the students of Weber State. Granted, every superhero needs a night off once in a while. Unfortunately, that night was last night. As I stepped onto the bus, my thoughts automatically returned me to that fateful night in Deer Lodge: Jimmy was sick from eating too much candy, crazy lady slapped Bev, and worst of all Weber had lost the football game to the hated White Trash Grizz.

Throughout this week, which preceded the first road trip since that fateful event, I have been paralyzed by apprehension and fear. I am one who believes in facing my fears, and thus signed up for the annual road trip to the WSU/ISU basketball game. However, my fears wouldn’t easily subside, as the memory of the last road trip flooded my mind. But, to my utter most relief, once I arrived in the parking lot of the Alumni Center, I spotted the mighty Grey Goose, and realized that this Super bus was to be our transportation to Potatoville. The fear subsided, and the excitement mounted, as we were about to embark on our expedition to the first of two rivalry games with the ISU Potatoes.

Unfortunately, despair was to overcast our hopes and excitement. Willie Page and I both let out a sigh once the Grey Goose started faltering. If the mighty Grey Goose wasn’t able to get us to Potatoville, then what were the devoted students of Weber to do, besides, the Cheerleaders were with us this time (even though none of us had a chance with any of them), and it was after all ISU, our hated, despised, and easily beatable rivals. Even though the rivalry is practically once sides, especially in football, we all knew that tonight’s game would be huge, and that the boys in Royal Purple needed the support of their fans. Yet, the Grey Goose, though it tried, would not be taking us to Potatoville. Bemoaned by the inability of the Grey Goose, another hero would step up on the “BIG STAGE, though it had two fouls,” for the Cats on this fateful night…

Like the little engine that could, one of the regular shuttle buses was used as our transportation. This little bus couldn’t go over 67mph, didn’t have enough seats, was grudgingly chilly as cold air slipped in through cracks, and overheated in riverside; yet, it refused to be denied. At 7:10 the Shuttle Bus that Could entered the LOLT Arena parking lot full of fanatical Weber State fans. Because of the late arrival, the rabid fans were unable to express their appreciation to the little bus that could, but that didn’t matter, all the bus wanted was a Weber State victory on this normal, cold, dingy, and ugly Idaho night. Though small in number, this small group would be louder than the 3,200 ISU fans, and help drive the Wildcats onto victory in a classic Over Time game between the two rivals. By the way, the cheerleaders, especially the dancers, who were on the bus, were really hot! BVB is definitely one lucky duder.

After a long night of struggling, the little bus brought back those faithful and appreciative Weber State fans. On this night we had witnessed two of the greatest spectacles of in Weber State history: A come from behind win on our rivals’ court, and the shaping of a hero…in the form of the Shuttle Bus that Could.

Coach Rahe at the Wildcat Luncheon

2009-01-12T12:19:00.000-08:00

Every other week Wildcat Club members and other Weber State University supporters meet inside Lagori’s restaurant in Ogden to listen to WSU coaches report on the teams they coach. Today at the luncheon five coaches addressed supporters. The coach that stole the show—Men’s basketball coach Randy Rahe.

I paid $6.75 for my lunch and to hear the coaches. I would have paid $10.00 just to hear Rahe, even if that price didn’t include a meal. Rahe was awesome. Besides reporting on the Wildcat’s improbable road victories over Portland State and Eastern Washington, he was chuck full of hilarity. Among other things, he shared a personal conversations he had with a referee during the road trip, and he also detailed for those in attendance the pathetic state of Portland State’s basketball facilities. (Last year the ‘Cats actually had to share a locker room with a bunch of naked PSU professors. Yikes.) He talked about his superstitions as a coach. He said he has a lucky road tie and a lucky home tie. “The guys are getting tired of seeing them,” he said. He also said he finally found a hotel to stay at in Washington as he will not return to a hotel if the previous time his team stayed there they lost.

Besides being quite hilarious, Rahe was also very impressive. He makes sure his team stays hungry, prepared and humble. During the lunch he said there are no stars on his team. “We just have a bunch of good basketball players who play well together,’ he said. He expressed concerns about his team getting too confident and comfortable with the recent road sweep. “We’re going to get after them these next two days to make damn sure that doesn’t happen.”

Rahe also said that he enjoys coaching in the Big Sky because for his team there is no margin for error. Any team can beat any team on any given night. That is, according to Rahe, what makes every week so much fun.

First Time Ever-By Rod Eyre

2008-11-18T15:31:00.000-08:00

On November 22, 2008 you might be able to witness something that has never been seen before. An event of this magnitude can only be compared with Haley’s Comet, or the reincarnation of the Buddha. It’s even as exciting as the streaking incident of 2004. 40 years of Weber State football misery will transform into bliss this Saturday afternoon as the Weber State football team will be aiming for their first ever sole Big Sky Championship.

A win will, in all likelihood, ensure the Cats of a FCS playoff seed, the likes of which has never been experienced by the Weber State faithful, nor the Ogden community. Will you be there to watch witness it?

Granted, Utah and BYU will be playing, but lets be honest with ourselves, does either team have a shot at claiming an NCAA Championship through a legitimate Playoff? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding no (by the way, I hope the Utes win). The Holy War will happen again next season; unfortunately for many, being able to watch Weber State, for the first time, claim a perfect record against Big Sky foes will not.

Weber eventually will match this feat again some season- it might come as soon as next season. Instead of wishing your would have been there in years to come, JUST BE THERE. Wouldn’t you rather be one of the faithful fans in the crowd this Saturday to watch the Cats do it for the first time claim a spot of history! I know I do, and I will be there.

Much like the Dee, Stewart Stadium has been more empty than full lately. For the first time in history Weber State University can boast a student body of over 20,000, but what’s the purpose of bragging about such a fete if none of them support the institution? Ogden city, for the first time in decades, is vibrant and growing, but where is the community? Don’t they know that there is a university in their midst that is clamoring for their support? Ogdenites and Wildcats: students, alumni, or hapless dropout, support your school. Fill the stands this Saturday at noon and honor the accomplishments of this team, they have earned your support, and need it desperately to continue their run towards a National Championship! BE THERE!!

Weber State: Playing to Make History

2008-11-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

This Saturday Weber State plays host to Eastern Washington in a game, that if Weber wins, will ensure the Wildcats stand alone as Big Sky Champions. WeberHoops founder sent out an email to some website loyalists that does a good job of summing up Weber State’s football season and outlaying the importance of this Saturday’s game.

Here is the email:

Your Weber Update:

Weber State's football team is having possibly or already the greatest season in school history with 1 game to go before the playoffs. Weber has already won the Big Sky title which was the first since 1968 (back when John L Smith was on the Weber football team.)

WSU is 7-0 for the first time ever, having never even gone 5-0. 9-2 overall with losses to Hawaii (36-17 final after being up 17-7 at the half) and Utah (37-21). In the Utah game, WSU's QB Cam Higgins threw for over 300 yds, 2 TD passes and 0 INT's. This yr against Utah's D, only Oregon State has been able to do as good as Weber's QB. TCU didn't even score 21 in Salt Lake. Higgins is just a soph but is a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, its the Heisman of Div I FCS aka I-AA.

If WSU wins out they have a chance to get one of the 4 seeds of the 16 team playoffs starting Nov 29. Currently Weber is ranked 8th in the nation in Div I FCS.

National championship game is in Chattanooga, TN, Dec 19.

Cody O

Wouldn’t it be great if Weber was able to host a playoff game and go on to become national champions? But first thing is first, in order to increase their chances of a top four seed in the playoffs and of hosting a game, they need to take care of Eastern Washington.

And people from the greater Ogden area have no excuse not to come:

1- Tickets are half off for adults and only $1 for kids.
2- The game is at noon. The Holly War starts at 4:00 PM, so there is no conflict of schedule with that.
3- If we win, everyone is going to rush the field! How often have Weber football fans been able to do that? This is a once-in-a-forty-years opportunity!
4- The first 2500 fans to show up at the stadium will receive free Wildcat t-shirts.

So no excuses not to come. If you are not a Weber State fan, it is time to become one. Weber State football is on the verge of making history, and I want to say I was there to see it happen.

Good Week For Weber. Bad Week For Me.

2008-11-13T16:08:00.000-08:00

What a depressing week it was for me! More specifically, what a depressing weekend it was for me! Last Saturday could have become one of the greatest Weber State sports memories of my life, but alas, it wasn’t and won’t be.
I had the chance to make two great memories for myself, but instead found myself buried under books and papers, trying to get caught up with my classes.

First of all, I could have made the trip with two of my brothers, several friends, and over 2,000 fans to Idaho State to see the Wildcats rip the Bengals to pieces, clinching their first Big Sky Championship if a very, very long time. As I watched the highlights on the news, read the stories in the papers, and watched Cheese’s highlight video on weberhoops.com (That video is seen below), I became irate at the fact that for some reason Weber State chose this year, when I’m too busy to even sleep, to be good at football! It just sucks. And it depresses me. However, there is some hope as Weber’s offense next year looks to return almost everybody and Mac extended his contract another four years. Maybe they’ll win the Big Sky next year at home and I will be able to rush the field like a mad man.

Since I wasn’t able to make the trip to Pocatello and was at home with my one-year-old daughter, I thought maybe if I could dig in and get my papers written, I’d have the chance of taking my daughter to see her first Weber State basketball game at the Dee that night. Unfortunately, that memory never happened. I just had too much to do. We will have to make that memory another day. The good news here is I did buy season tickets and I will have a whole month of no classes in December, where I will surely be able to take her to a game and witness the miracle of purple slowly filling her veins.

Weber State Whips Poor Portland State at Home

2008-11-09T16:38:00.000-08:00

Cheese made it out to the Weber-PSU game and edited up his footage a bit and added some sweet music from Taking Back Sunday. He also made the trip the Pocatello, where he caught some great footage of the blowout game and the Big Sky Championship celebration! He should be done with that video in a few days.

Victory Dew--By Rod Eyre

2008-10-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

It was an unseasonably warm January night, in 2003. Fresh off another basketball victory, just one in a string of 17, a group of Wildcat fans gathered obsequiously in a circle by a tree with a small purple spot on it. The tree looked inconspicuous and common, but this tree was no ordinary tree, it was special. Much like the Liberty Tree, this tree signified reverence and awe, as it represented the achievements of Weber State and the common student.

Next to the tree sat a dilapidated red cooler, a circle formed round it, while a giant of a man, one of Weber’s most rigid and loyal, eagerly started plucking, what could have passed as manna to the Israelites, chilled cans of Mountain Dew. Fervently each fan gripped their dew, and keenly opened the can in the midst of the mild night air. Something great was on the horizon, one could sense it in the air, as a breeze of anticipation and optimism surged past them. Slowly each person heaved their green treasure upward into the night sky, as words of praise and approbation were uttered towards Supaman and the Pride of the Purple and White. With the toasts complete, and under the chant of “WEBER STATE, WEBER STATE, Great, Great, Great,” each fan with ravenous delight guzzled their Dew. A tradition had been born! The Victory Dew had arrived!

Zealously Weber fans assemble round the red cooler, at the conclusion of each home victory, as students, fans, and Dave Baker form a circle, in the hallow area in front of the Victory Tree, and salute the accomplishments of the WSU basketball team with words of adulation; devouring Dews. Under such humble beginnings this proud and lasting tradition was conceived. Since that time it has been erected into a lasting tradition treasured by numerous fans and devotees of the Purple and White. As the underlings of the Big Sky, Bengal fans, jealously watch in disarray and impotence. GO CATS!!!

Changes to Weberhoops Website

2008-10-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

This year has been a big year of big (and hopefully good) changes for Weber State’s number one fan-run website. First off, as you have probably noticed, we changed our name from wsubball.com to weberhoops.com. This was an effort to come up with something easier to remember. Plus we wanted to get Weber’s name in the URL.

Weberhoops has also changed the name of Berger’s Blog to Wildcat Wall. This was done for two reasons. First, we wanted a name that would be more associated with Weber State. (But don’t worry. Though name is no longer in the title of the blog, I will still be providing my insight on Weber State sports on a regular basis.) The second reason for changing the blog name is because Weberhoopos has acquired the talent and insight of two new Weber State sports enthusiasts who will be contributing to the blog. Eric Neff will join me in blogging, and Phil (mostly known as Cheese) will be creating videos to include on Wildcat Wall.

I’d like to quickly introduce these two Weber Fans to Weberhoops’ visitors.

It is no exaggeration to refer to Eric Neff as the true Weber State insider. I challenge anyone out there who knows someone who is associated with Weber State to ask that person if he or she has heard of Eric. I can guarantee you if they don’t personally know him, they have at least heard his name, or know someone who has. Not only did Eric graduate from Weber, he was also involved in Student Government, the fraternity scene, and many other school organizations. We are very much looking forward to the news and insight he will be able to provide us through his many contacts on campus.

Cheese is one of the biggest Weber State sports fans I know. He is currently attending Weber State, pursuing a degree in Business Administration. He recently obtained a camcorder and began making videos, highlighting Weber State sports and Ogden, Utah. Here is a link to his first video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOXzDlcFHGw It’s a highlight of Weber’s recent trouncing of Montana. It will be great to not only get his videos on Wildcat Wall but to also see them available on YouTube.

I hope you enjoy the new entertainment and information available from Eric and Cheese! They should have plenty to write about and record as this is turning out to be the best football season in years and as WSU basketball is looking just as promising.

Response to Lame Ute Fans and the Media

2008-09-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

I was shocked when on my way home from the Weber-Utah football game Saturday night, an angry Ute fan called a local radio station, complaining about Coach Ron McBride’s actions during the game—particularly the fourth quarter. This caller was saying McBride was classless for “running up the score” in the fourth quarter. He said Coach Whittingham put in his second and third stringers in the fourth quarter out of respect for McBride, and McBride’s leaving in his starters for the whole game was an ungracious way to lose to the kind-hearted Whittingham and his Utes.

HA!

Anyone who has ever read my blog knows that I am very much both a Wildcat and a Ute fan. But I just about died when I heard this and other similar arguments coming from the media and fans alike.

First off, how is it even possible to “run up the score” if you are losing? Ridiculous. And if you are going to bring up running up a score as classless, we need only to point out Utah’s “classless” sloshing of the Wyoming Cowboys last year. Were the Wildcats supposed to succumb to a 30 point loss? Of course not.

Whittingham didn’t pull out his starters out of respect for Mac. He pulled out his starters because he has to face a Pac-10 team this Thursday that just knocked off the number one ranked team in the nation last week.

One thing these fans and media obviously have forgotten is that Mac is a head football coach for a football team that is not the Utes. All week long I had to listen to media people ask Mac about what he thought about the Utes and their chances to be BCS busters. They asked him about how he recruited as Utah’s head coach. They asked about his coaching philosophy when he was a Ute. They asked him questions about current players on Utah’s roster. They asked him questions about anything other than the team he actually coached for.

I understand most of the people in Utah could care less about the Wildcats and they wanted to hear Mac’s thoughts on div I-A football. But come on! I heard two separate interviews Mac did, one on kall 700 with Bill Riley and the other on kfan with David James. Neither one asked Mac a single question about his Wildcat team. Talk about disrespectful.

And then after the game, because McBride’s boys were able to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter against Utah’s reserves, making the game look close than it really was, people are getting all butt-hurt. Why would Mac do such a thing to the Utes? We thought he liked the Utes!

HA!

It’s like it never crossed their minds that Mac takes his job at Weber State seriously. It’s like they think Mac isn’t competitive, that he isn’t a good coach.

McBride said after the game that he came to win. And he showed that by fighting to the very end. He could very easily have pulled out his starters in preparation for a big conference game against Montana this Saturday. Maybe he should have to prevent possible injuries. But I think Mac was sending a message, not to the Utes, but to his team, that he wants to make sure they have no quit in them and that if they are good enough to play competitively against the 17th ranked team in the nation, they sure will be able to compete against Big Sky powerhouse, Grizzlies. He was building their confidence. And this Saturday we will see if it worked. I suspect it did.