Diaper Dandies

Once again the Cats reload, but they're facing stiffer recruiting challengers. The Cats incoming class ranks behind Washington and UCLA in this writer's opinion:
Where does the resurging L.A. story leave traditional Pac powerhouse Arizona? The Wildcats return 11 of 13 roster players. But the two departures – first round draft pick Channing Frye and second round selection Salim Stoudemire – left giant voids in scoring and rebounding.
Not to worry.

Does this make me look fat?

The Wildcats new uniforms story was picked up by the LA Times, and here's what they had to say:


America's team?

While most football teams are focusing on offensive and defensive schemes, the University of Arizona is stuck on color schemes.

The Wildcats are getting new uniforms and trying to choose between blue on blue, blue on white, white on blue, white on white, and red on white.

Coach Mike Stoops is flustered because the scheme he really likes isn't in the mix.

"I like red, white and blue," he told the Tucson Citizen. "It's hard not to make those colors good. It's the very best combination you can have."

Tuscon?

Not only does the author spell the name of our fair city wrong, but the asu story comes first in this article.
Slow learners up north, I guess.

San Diego prep star set to sign with Lute

Budinger appears bound for Arizona -- and to think Zonies can't wait to head for the beach.

Cats get some press in the Bay Area

Tim Kish, Arizona Wildcat linebacker coach, shines in this piece about how the Internet has changed college football recruiting. Instead of the film-rooms of days gone by, imagine popping in a DVD of edited highlights into your laptop. Anytime. Anyplace.

"The amount of information available has probably quadrupled in the last 10 to 15 years," said Arizona linebackers coach Tim Kish, who recruits the East Bay for the Wildcats and is a 30-year coaching veteran. "That enables Division I-A coaches to obviously gather more accurate information ... and allows you the opportunity to process things faster."

They don't even have to see the kid to see the kid. Sweet.

Fall Camp Reports

Day 1
Day 3

D-line looks "massive" - These guys sound big, strong, and smart. Look for lots of sacks this year with this group.

An AP story about Kovalcheck ... Oh, and the stanford Tree.

Women's soccer? ... hey, they're showing some promise.

Wait - what's all this talk about offense?

The Sacramento Bee reports that Stoops will take a more hands-on approach to the Wildcat "offense" (next-to-last in the nation in scoring last season), even though....

"..He was hired in Tucson before last season to sharpen some of those Arizona claws, with the booster club and alumni craving any defensive presence to rekindle images of the 'Cats of old."


The theme for the offense? Same as for the defense - attack. I hope so.

Countdown to kickoff

Charles Durrenberger of the Daily Star reminds us that football practice opens on Thursday. Now that players and coaches know more of what to expect from each other they can concentrate on those little things that can be game winners or losers.
Wonder if Coach is going to wear out a path on the sidelines with all those acrobatics?

33 days.....

The Last Saturday of July

As we head into August Wilbur finally sees a blue jersey at the end of the long tunnel of summer. Just 34 days until Stoops troops take on Utah in the season opener and I gotta wear shades the outlook is so bright. The schedule is chock full of good teams, and the team and fans are all fired up. Dust off those stadium cushions, polish the binoculars, and grab the sunscreen (for you East stadium fans).

Cat backs -- With the return of every back who carried the ball last year and the addition of threee promising freshman, the running game will be a major strength this year. Did you know 4 of the 7 Cat backs are from the home state?

New unis? -- the gridCats unveil new uniforms this year, which means Wilbur and Wilma will be adding more cardinal and navy to their wardrobes.

Lute reorganizes -- basketball staff undergoes a makeover of its own, movin Geary to more of an administrative role and leaving Simon on the bench.

Follow the Money

from the Tucson Citizen Meet the Fat Cats

Simon in as Lute's third floor assistant

Can't wait until hoops.........Nov 21st.

Midnight Lute, will he run for the roses?

Horse racing: Colt named for Olson gets win in first start

Another diamond in the rough

from the Tucson Citizen Basketball: UA recruit Hill a 6-10 needle in a haystack

Call him Coach

Good news for Wildcat fans from today's Arizona Daily Star ..... Miles Simon has completed coursework for his degree and joins the Wildcat hoops staff immediately. Still waiting to hear how 4 assistant coaches meets the 3-coach NCAA maximum, though.
Congratulations to Miles - Point Guard U keeps getting better.

From the Land of the Midnight Sun...

From The Journal Advocate - Sports in Sterling CO of all places . NJC sophomore star hurler Calder Hendrickson writes weekly accounts of the summer league, and manages to toss Arizona into the mix:

"Last week I received a call from a very a good division one college baseball program, the University of Arizona Wildcats. ...It was definitely a phone call I enjoyed receiving."

Calder really impresses in this letter from Alaska, and will be a success whichever path he chooses.

Sports media Wild about the Cats, too

Here's a great article from the Citizen's Steve Rivera about all the former Cats that are showing up in print, radio, and TV. Jennie Finch, Steve Kerr, Jim Furyk et al are representing the UA with class and style. Just check out this bit about former Wildcat Rory Sabatini:

And golfer Rory Sabbatini has gained publicity for wearing military camouflage trousers on the first day of events, donating money for birdies and eagles to military causes.

Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat

Trevor Crowe debut a success

As the Indians' first-round draft, Crowe has to meet some pretty high expectations. No surprise, then, to read this about his debut with the Captains:
"You're going to like this guy. He's got a lot of old school in him," said (Jack) Mull, the hitting coach at Lake County last season.
Old school must mean hustle, intelligence, team first values.

Scouting the Cats

From GridIronGateway.com: Scouting the Pac 10: Arizona

Always like reading good news about the home team.

On the recruiting trail

Don't be surprised if LA's Dorsey High lineman Cleveland Jones buys into Stoops' gameplan here:The coveted recruit says:
"'I just liked the whole vibe down there,' said Jones, citing the feeling he got from the 'Zona coaching staff, campus and atmosphere."
Please, please sign Coach Stoops to the same lifetime offer we gave Lute. First we're going to LA...then Seattle...then Tempe...then YYYeeeeaaaaahhhhh.

Secondary is now primary....

This from The Arizona Daily Wildcat:

"UA pair up for top defensive back award
UA football players Darrell Brooks and Antoine Cason have been named to the preseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the top defensive back in the nation.
Brooks, a senior safety, returns for his fifth season with the Wildcats after leading the team in tackles a year ago with 73. Brooks, a returning team captain, was also named a finalist for the Ronnie Lott Award, given to the collegiate defensive player who has the greatest impact both on and off the field.
Cason, who made an immediate impact during his true freshman campaign last season, returns to the UA after leading the Wildcats with four interceptions and finishing second on the team in tackles to Brooks with 70.
Cason, Brooks, red-shirt sophomore cornerback Wilrey Fontenot and senior safety Lamon Means all return to the Wildcats' defensive backfield, considered one of the UA squad's strongest units.
Brooks and Cason were among five Pacific 10 Conference nominees, while Arizona is also one of seven teams, joining Alabama, Ohio State, West Virginia, Florida State, Miami and Texas, to have two players on the preseason list. "

Man, I'm just itching for that first kickoff, and I know Pae feels the same way. Road trip to Utah, anyone?

Once you play for Lute, Tucson owns you

Q&A: Corey Williams

Stoudamire: I'm more than a shooting guard

....and I'm modest too

Salim, steal of the draft

Q and A with Salim Stoudamire from the Atlanta paper

Radar golf

New dad Barcelo continues hot streak and qualifies for the British Open in the process. Wilbur and his family remember Richard in the mid-70's running the bases as a batboy for our Handyman T-ball team.
Congrats, Radar - you're living the dream - and ours, too

.........and he wants everyone to know that U of A is a much better school than ASU

UA/NASCAR Link: '04 champ is ex-Cat - Kurt Busch recalls McKale's nosebleed section

Wilbur's back from the beach

Took the family and the week off and spent it chillin' in Oceanside, and now it's time to catch up on the Home Team:

Kovalcheck and Bell back - for the "voluntary" team workouts this summer.

Baseball team hit by draft, transfer - but Lopes is still here to coach!

Roseville connection - Batcat recruits from Nocal. Anyone else we know from Roseville?

Larry Brown remembers San Antonio

Probably because he got pelted with avocados when he was the Denver Nuggets coach in the old ABA. According to this story:
"I had made this comment that the only thing I liked about San Antonio was the guacamole dip, and for eight days they kept playing that sound bite... "
Fans - you gotta love 'em.

Nice balk

Titans win opener on controversial balk call - well, only if you're an asu fan. The Devils did bounce back in the second game of the Super Regional against CSF.

You still suck, Sparky.

The Daily Camera: Baseball

From Boulder of all places, comes this story of another recruit, this time baseball. (It's in there, just keep reading):

"The Wildcats had eight players chosen on the first day of the draft and were a top-10 program nationally. Sedbrook had a stellar season at Dixie after being drafted by the Rockies in a draft-and-follow situation. He hit .303 for the Rebels and had seven doubles, five triples and three home runs while starting every game. "

Now batting for Arizona....

Softball recruit Samantha Bannister

Softball star sees school of choice fall in NCAAs, and Samantha is chomping at the bit to get here and help out. She's from that pretty little town of Petaluma CA, which brings back memories of buckets of clams, mussels, and an Anchor Steam by the river.

UA baseball coach won't 'jump ship'

From the Republic via the Citizen comes good news for Wildcat baseball fans. Indicators are the Coach Andy plans to continue UA's meteoric rise in college baseball and is not considering leaving for greener ($$) pastures. Texas A&M is reportedly offering a package worth $500K for their new coach, roughly 6 times what Lopes earns here. His reason?

"I have been doing this for an awful lot of years, and it is not about how much money you make," Lopez said. "It is about your lifestyle and the people you are working for, and I really like it here, my family likes it here, and I love working for Jim Livengood."

Just the right values for a coach to have and to instill in his players.
So what's it gonna take to fill up Sancet/Kindall field? I'm just as guilty as the next guy for not showing up at any home games for quite awhile. And "no beer" has nothing to do with it. For me, it's the heat.
Couple early afternoon games with no shade at all in the park and there's not a hat out there that will keep you from burning. I'm sure our students in the Architecture (hat tip to Jeff) and Design departments could come up with some ingenious, cost-effective designs to help shade the fans and players. Make it a semester project or something. Anything, just get some shade out there.

And thanks to coach and the Cats for a record-setting year. If it's any consolation, I didn't miss a game on the radio.

Hoops

Character just 1 reason for Frye's draft rise, from the Arizona Republic, that radical paper to the north. Channing has worked hard to shed his "too soft" image, which will reap rewards ($$) at the next level.

Speaking of levels, looks like the Sun Devils will be dropping a few after Ike-Ike leaves for greener pastures and winning teams. Rob Evans for President! - of asu.

Men and women Batcats finish seasons

With both men's baseball and women's softball players hanging up their cleats, each have much to be proud of. The softball team made it to the WCWS, while the baseball team was a win away from a SuperRegional matchup with asu(x). Congrats sto both teams on their hard work and for representing the U so well. Go Cats!

Two Wildcat baseball players got their names called today at the MLB draft, with Trevor Crowe the number 14 pick (Cleveland) and Nick Hundley chosen 76th (San Diego). The draft continues tomorrow

Reggie Geary hires on at UA

In what's got to be a dream come true for fans and for Mr. Geary (UA '92-'96) too, Lute today re-introduced Reggie Geary as the new assistant UA men's basketball coach. Reggie's exuberant smile, constant hustle, and deadly defense make him an excellent yardstick for once and future Cats to measure up to. What a quick transition for a guy who finished his professional career in Kiev (2003-04), got a season of coaching experience under his belt at FWHS, and received his degree from the UA. Reggie replaces Rodney Tention on the staff, and was chosen over another former Wildcat, Miles Simon. I see only good things coming out of this, especially after reading things like this:
"My family and I are excited about the opportunity and I am really looking forward to getting started, working hard and continuing the great tradition that is Arizona basketball."
You just know Sparky's got his head in a bucket of cold water, screaming his 'stache off after getting this news.

Florida remembers Andy Lopez

This from the Floriduh:

"NCAA Did Andy Lopez No Favors
Former Gator Coach Andy Lopez led Arizona to the College World Series last year, but the chances of doing it again look pretty remote. Arizona, which has ranked in the 8-to-12 range most of the season, withdrew as a potential host site deciding not to risk losing money rather than back its program. So, not only does Arizona not host, it's not even one of the 16 number-one seeds in the event. That's a pretty clear indication the NCAA was upset with the Wildcats. But it's not the only one.
First, the NCAA gives a host spot to Arizona State, which shouldn't even be a two-seed in my view. And to add insult to Arizona's injury sent Coastal Carolina there as the top seed. If you look up absurd in the dictionary, it's bound to have the Tempe bracket listed. But the NCAA was not done giving Arizona the administrative middle finger. The committee sent 'Zona to Fullerton to be the two-seed at the home of the defending national champs.
Oh, and one last thing. Arizona will play Missouri in the first day of the tournament. The Tigers are not a great team, but they have one of the nation's best pitchers in Max Scherzer. When he's on the mound, Missouri is a top ten team. Good luck Lopes! "

Lute's Recruits - 1986

Jud Buechler, Harvey Mason, Tom Tolbert - not highly touted at the time, but without a doubt a solid, colorful group. Read here.

Chico Outlaws

After two years without a minor-league team, baseball-crazy Chico gets to watch their Outlaws open at home tonight. Hey, Eithan. How about a cap from your new team? (size 7-5/8)

Starting the Legend of Lute

Lute's first recruits comprised a class of three, but what a class. Eddie Smith, Pete Wilson, and Steve Kerr. All NBA players, all stayed 4 years at AZ.
Lute's Recruits: 1983

Memory Lane

Today's installment of Wildcat BBall lore:
Lute's Recruits: 1985

Coach shows team his cojones

...and wants to know if they have them, too, after losing a baseball game. Zips up his job June 1st.

Items of note

USA Today All-Americans - Trevor Crowe (1st team) and Jordan Brown (2nd team) make appearances on the College Baseball All-American team. Hats off to the boys.

Lute's recruits 1984 - must read article looks at Lute's first full recruiting class. Rolf Jacobs got kicked off the team for fighting?

Oklahoma Sooners coming to town - or would that be the Sooneritas? Lady Wildcats take them on here in the Super Regional this weekend. Wagons East!

Jason Seefeld makes the hometown paper - local boy makes good story from Clovis.

Bear down.

Who could ever replace Lute?

How about our own Steve Kerrrrrr? This quote from a Phx paper gives hope for just that:

"Looks like Steve Kerr has his eyes on replacing Lute Olson down the road as the head man for the Wildcats. The Chicago Sun Times interviewed Kerr this week and though he said he would prefer to coach in the NBA he also said, 'If the Arizona job ever became a possibility for me, I'd have to consider it. I love Tucson and I love the University.'..."

Cats OWN the Devils - here's the proof

This is the type of year that is burned forever into the minds of Wildcat fans and anti-Devil worshippers. Soak it up, fans. The Wildcats have sent asu sport teams back to their locker room with that pitchfork stuck where the sun don't shine at a record pace this year, as this article from CatTracks.net shows so elegantly. Bask in the glory, Wildcat fans, as we know that Sparky is right now regrouping his forces for yet another attack on all that's good next year.

Sucks to be a Sun Devil.

Go, go, Wildcats, go

Wearing red gives opponents blues

asux

The 3-game series starts at Packard today. Get R Dun, Cats.

Blown opportunities

College Neanderthals of the Week:

Ohio State kicker suspended after arrest
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio State kicker Jonathan Skeete was suspended from the team indefinitely after being arrested Wednesday for allegedly trafficking marijuana....

Five UConn football players charged
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. (AP) -- Five Connecticut football players were charged in a case in which the window of a vehicle was shot out by a pellet gun as two cars passed in a parking lot....


Wisconsin's Stanley suspended from team
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin tailback Booker Stanley was suspended from the team Monday following his arrest at a weekend street party....

Cincinnati player dismissed, another quits
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Freshman forward Roy Bright was kicked off Cincinnati's basketball team Tuesday after acknowledging he had a firearm on campus, and freshman guard Vincent Banks left the team for personal reasons....


Lawyer: Dotson won't use insanity defense
DALLAS (AP) -- The court-appointed lawyer for former Baylor basketball player Carlton Dotson said his client won't use an insanity defense in his upcoming murder trial....

Good news - asu players kept a low profile and out of the papers.

Quite a streak

from the Dallas News.Tiger Woods the Annika Sorenstam of Men's Golf.

I love this guy, but never liked the Dodgers

Tommy Lasorda's World .........Tommy is a patriotic as they come and a credit to the blogging world

Arenas blows up 'zero' theories by being invaluable

(Gilbert) Arenas, 23, who finished seventh in the league in scoring this season with 25.5 points per game, just might be the best NBA player nobody knows.



With all the press that Gilbert is receiving this year he won't be an unknown for much longer. This article from a Palm Beach newspaper tells the world once again what Cat fans have known for a long time...Gil Jr. is one offbeat, kooky, talented guy. And Shaq still owes him $10K.

Like father like son

Wilma found a great article about one of the zaniest Wildcats ever, Gilbert Arenas, and his father Gil Sr. There's no question where Junior gets his ambition, drive, motivation, and personality. Hope he has a great series and gets all the attention he deserves.........left, right, left, left, right

Marquette could be changing its name -- again

The Marquette Warriors-turned Golden Eagles would be known as just the "Gold" if their regents have a say in it. It's been 28 years since the school won the NCAA title as "Warriors," but PC came along and team nickname changes were soon the rage. Wouldn't want to offend anyone, especially the Redmen. Students, radical ones, still take up the cause and fight for their mascot.

See you at the casino....

asu loses another one

Once again Sparky fails to reel in a top-ranked hoops recruit, but at least Rob's running a clean program up there.

"(JC All-American Rekalin) Sims joins center Jared Carter of Georgetown, Ky., and guard Adam Williams, of St. Alban's, W. Va., in the 2005 UK signing class. He chose the Wildcats over Indiana, Auburn and Arizona State."

Chris Rodgers wades into NBA draft pool

Hadn't even heard hints about this before, but Rodgers is planning to declare himself for the NBA draft without hiring an agent. Chances are good we'll see him back in a Wildcat uniform next year. Hopefully he'll can pull a Salim and do a 180 with his attitude, making him an even more opposing defender and shooter.

asu conspiracy at Alumni Plaza?

Speculation here that some sun devils had a hand in planning UA's Alumni Plaza, and even managed to sneak their God-forsaken maroon and gold color scheme into the brickwork. True or not, it's just another salvo fired in the eternal battle of good vs evil as Wildcats everywhere continue their crusade against that team to the north.

Gilbert pulls up his pants

and helps lead the Wizards by the Bulls to even their series up at 2.

"Four Wizards players - Arenas, Hughes, Jamison and Dixon - were warned by the NBA for wearing their shorts too long in Game 3. All four had their shorts pulled up a little higher Monday. ... "

Amen.

Unheralded..............????

Jason Terry leads the Mavericks over the Rockets

Left, right, left, left, right

Gilbert Arenas leads the Wizards over the Bulls

Former Salpointe punter transferring to Arizona?

Says here that second-team All Big-Sky punter Kyle McQuown has packed up his 42.1 ypp avg. and left Idaho State for his homestate of Arizona. Kyle prepped in Tucson for the Lancers of Salpointe, and:

"The situation at Arizona would appear perfect for McQuown, as the Wildcats' current punter, Danny Baugher, is a senior. McQuown has not used his redshirt season yet, so he would be left with two years of eligibility after Baugher graduates."

Let's see if this develops into anything.

Gone to the dogs

Softball: Schultz will miss Cats road trip to Oregon

This story reports that Schultz will miss the road trip, but gives no definitive reason for that.

Big Weekend ahead

With crucial league series starting today, the Wildcat baseball and softball teams need to turn it up and keep it going through league and post-season play. And how great is it to have both teams ranked high nationally? Go Cats!

AZ/usc baseball on TV -- all three games being played at Sancet-Kindall this weekend will be broadcast live nationally. Great exposure for both teams, Tucson, and Cat fans all over.

Shelly Schultz -- Dan Ryan reported on KVOA sports tonight that Shelly was being left behind on the trip to Corvallis. The reason given was she had been charged with animal cruelty after leaving her two dogs home unattended during a past road trip. Can't find anything else yet on this.

asu blows big lead, loses Pac-10 golf title -- just loved the sound of that headline.

Things to know today

The usc Trojans come to town this weekend to test the Wildcats. Nothing less than top-notch games and talent are expected.

Washington is the come-from-behind winner in the 2005 PAC-10 Men's Golf tourney. Arizona placed third, a notch below Sparky.


Short list. Be thankful.

PAC-10 Baseball

Top four face off in battle for the top of the standings. Of interest in the article:

"PAC-10 NOTES

GOLDEN SPIKES WATCH - Eight Pac-10 players have been named to the Golden Spikes Award 'Watch List.' Those players are Trevor Crowe of ARIZONA, Travis Buck and Jeff Larish of ARIZONA STATE, Brennan Boesch of CALIFORNIA, Jacoby Ellsbury of OREGON STATE, Jed Lowrie of STANFORD, Jeff Clement of USC, and Tim Lincecum of WASHINGTON. The award given out by USA Baseball, recognizes the top amateur baseball player in the country and has been awarded since 1978. The five finalists for the award will be announced in June with the watch list subject to change based on weekly performance.

ARIZONA lost a season-high three straight games last weekend, marking the first time this season that the Wildcats have been held winless over a weekend series... Arizona has been powered by its offense, which leads the Pac-10 in batting average (.328), slugging percentage (.526), runs (343), RBI (308 - tie), doubles (107), triples (25), total bases (791) and walks (193). When it comes to pitching, the Wildcats have been commanders of the K, recording a league-leading 413 strikeouts, including 131 strikeouts looking - also tops in the Conference... Catcher Nick Hundley has heated up in Conference play, leading the Pac-10 in slugging percentage (.792), doubles (9) and total bases (38) in league games. Teammates Trevor Crowe and Jordan Brown lead the Conference in runs (18) and and RBI (23), respectively, in Pac-10 contests. "

Whatever happened to...

Trina Smith? A two-sport (volleyball/hoops) athlete at the UA in the early 90's, Trina has been introduced as the new head women's volleyball coach at Wright State. This is her first head coaching position, having been an assistant at South Carolina for the past eight years. Add Wright State to your list of teams to root for.
What are the nickname and mascot of Wright State,? anyway?

Trojans lose at home before leaving for Tucson

usc must have been looking ahead to their coming series against the Cats when they played Loyola-Marymount Tuesday.

"'I hope we can forget about it and quickly,' (usc head coach Mike) Gillespie said. 'Arizona is the most important series so far.' "

Just when I was starting to forget Arizona's own "Lost Weekend."

Cats drop to number 9....number 9.....number 9.....

Baseball America - 2005 College Baseball Top 25

Turn me on, dead man.

Baseball hopes the bad trip is over

At least Arizona wasn't the only ranked team to have a collapse last weekend. Georgia Tech dropped 3 to ACC foe Virginia, so the Cats can take some consolation in the fact their losses were non-conference.

"Arizona totaled eight runs in losing three games in Sacramento, Calif. UC Irvine held UA to four runs in two games before Sacramento State topped the Wildcats 7-4. It marked the first sweep of the year for Arizona, and its first three-game losing streak."

usc comes in to town this weekend for a crucial Pac10 series, so don't forget to wear red and take in a game or two.

Snyder throwing cheese in Wisconsin

Jason Snyder, once a UA Wildcat, is powering through the Class A Midwest League. Off to a 3-0 start with a nice 2.41 ERA, he leads the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (affiliated with the Seattle Mariners) in his first full year of pro ball. With the Cats in 2002, looks like he might be worth keeping an eye on.

Up to strength? Not the Huskies

Up to strength? Not the Huskies Folks in Seattle aren't sold yet on Tyrone Willingham and his impact on the Husky football team, especially in the conditioning of the players. The article does acknowledge the turnaround in the AZ program, though:

"Word on the street is Arizona's strength and conditioning program has transformed the Wildcats from flabby to lean. Coach Mike Stoops pilfered Corey Edmond and Mark Hill, Schmidt assistants, away from his brother and gave each a two-page spread in his team's media guide, equal billing with his assistant coaches."

Nice job, Stoops!

NBA PLAYOFFS: Cat connections

gotta love Lute's teac hing ability

Having a blast: Ex-Tucsonan Robert Sarver says owning Suns 'a great ride

from the Citizen.....Steveeeeeeeeeeeee Kerrrrrrrrrrrr is a part owner too.

This is one rough course

In the world of golf, how is this for a crazy lie. Retiree hits his tee shot on a par 3 and the ball rolls onto the tail of an alligator (there's a joke in here somewhere). Tee it up again....no penalty.

Did you hear the one about...

...the Penn State forward who may transfer to the UA? The Daily Star hints today that Aaron Johnson, who led the Big 10 in rebounding with 9.9 boards/gm, is considering transferring to AZ and trying his luck as a walk-on player for the Cats. With no scholarship offer, AJ would have to walk-on the team, sit out the 2005-06 season, and have one year of eligibility remaining. He would be a force, at 6ft 8in and 250 pounds, and would join the crowd of Tangara, Walters, Brielmaier and others in the inside.
More on this soon.

Lute invites former player now coach and his team out for a friendly December tourney

Just when you think there isn't anything else to know about Lute Olson along comes a former Iowa player and his UCF Golden Knights to remind us that he actually did have pre-Arizona years. Years to mold and inspire players other than Wildcats. With UCF joining Conference USA next season, coach Kirk Speraw is taking a page out of his old coach's manual and upgrading his non-conference schedule, a proven practice that Lute works to perfection here. The more competitive the opponent the more spirited the team will play, and losses like that teach much more than sloppy wins. Think Kirk is looking forward to playing against the Cats?

"I was thinking about going out there as a guarantee opponent, but then Lute said, 'Well, I've got this tournament,'" said Speraw, who played for Olson at Iowa. "Forty-five minutes later, it was done."

In his 12 season with Golden Knights, his team won more than 25 games last season and made their 3rd trip to the dance in Speraw's tenure. No cupcake here, folks, sorry.

Off the hook

At least this criminal case against a college athlete will go away nice and fast. Los Angeles DA's have decided not to file sexual assault (rape) charges against Eric Wright of usc due to lack of evidence. Does that mean Eric gets back the $100K he forked over for his bail?

Late night odds and ends

Adam Austin powers the offense -- and it sounds like the offense will be shaggin' and fraggin' this fall. Yowsa.

Batcats pound New Mexico -- again. Season series now stands at 4-0. That's the #6 ranked Wildcats, a lofty ranking that's well-earned. I'm a little miffed at Tuesday's Daily Star, though. There was not a single mention of the game to be played that night, nor did it appear in the Radio/TV listings for the day (print edition). Somebody napping over there, guys?

Whatever happened to -- Dennis Latimore? The former Wildcat-turned-Irish (a nice mix, actually) has announced he will forego his final year of eligibility at Notre Dame and turn pro, most likely overseas. At the UA's Midnight Madness when Dennis and Isaiah Fox were freshmen I was most impressed with Latimore, and kept up with him whenever I could catch him on TV. If he had stayed here and worked on his game he would have been of great value these last 2 years. btw - DL will be earning his degree in English and African-American studies from ND in May.

"The highest rated member of a heralded recruiting class in 2001 that included Salim Stoudamire, Channing Frye and Will Bynum (who transferred to Georgia Tech and helped them to the 2004 NCAA final), Latimore never could get his career untracked at Arizona. He started only once in 57 games for Lute Olsen's Wildcats and averaged 11.4 minutes per game."

Read this before the next track meet

Now that the myth of basketball as a non-contact sport has been busted it should come as no surprise that track and field can also be damaging to your health. What are the odds of having one student impaled with a javelin and another hit in the head with a shotput at the same practice? Discus sandwich, anyone?
Thanks, FARK.

Hometown bias

The Vacaville Reporter ran this story on that city's prep stars and their respective college careers. Headlining the story - the Wildcats' own Jordan Brown. As JB says:

"Good things happen when you want to win."

UA Asst. hoops coach gets head coaching job

Losing asst. coaches to the head coaching ranks is not new with UA hoops. This time it's the ladies turn, with Shimmy Gray getting the nod (and job) at St. Louis University. Her toughness and attitude should help the struggling Billiken program gain back some respect. Congrats to Shimmy!

Stoops neutral on possible 12-game slate

From Azstarnet.com:

The Division I Management Council has approved legislation that would allow I-A and I-AA schools to add a 12th game starting with the 2006 season.

Shouldn't be a problem, then, to make it a National Championship Game, should it? Think "revenue."

Uncle!

Woke up this morning to find that both UA ball clubs - baseball and softball - were both the victims of a cruel prank. Apparently, someone broke into the equipment rooms of both teams and stole all but the fungo bats, leaving both teams powerless against yesterday's opponents. Imagine Women's Softball getting mercy ruled by ucla and Men's Baseball suffering a 17-1 loss to osu on the same day. The only consolation is that fans only have to endure one forgettable day instead of two.

Rubber game of the series with the Beavers is today, with temperatures in the high 80's. Should be an excellent crowd, boys.

Ron Mexico.......what a big man you are

from Wizbang

Wildcats are producing more than good guards

Those folks in Phoenix are taking notice of not only the fine athletes coming out of the UA, but also the, well, fine athletes coming out of the UA. For hints, check here.....and here.....and here.....and here.....

Three cheers for Title IX.

Conservative Blog Praises Gilbert Arenas

Power Line: More on the local sporting scene...................got to love Gilbert. He was always smiling when he played at the University of Arizona. Memories of Stanford gym and Gilbert trying to dance on the wrong foot as the crowd yelled "right, left, right, left" as he walked off the court............. Lute was upset, he didn't get Gilbert's sense of humor at that moment.

'Moneyball' explains Arizona's success

Michael Schwartz of the Daily Wildcat does a great job explaining the "Moneyball" theory of evaluating players and talent for pro teams, and the stats help explain why the boom is back in Wildcat baseball:

"Even with an old-school manager, the Moneyball theory is at work in the Arizona lineup. With a team full of patient, productive hitters and a pitching staff striking batters out at a record pace, it's no wonder why the Wildcats have dominated conference play thus far. "

The Beavers are dammed this weekend.

Got the basketball jones?

The Pac-10 released their official recap of the 2004-05 basketball season today, which includes this somewhat overlooked fact:

Arizona reached the regional semifinals for the fourth time in five seasons.

Is it just me, or does our tag as "Choker" seem to linger even with such impressive showings? There's a certain little school to the north that would give their eye teeth to be able to lay such a claim, and plenty more around the country.

Seattle standout selects Wildcats

The only thing different about this point guard from the northeast is that she'll play for the Women's team. Welcome, Malia O'Neal.

Who's next?

Not only has Nate Robinson (the little bugger) left the washington Huskies to take his act to the pros, now we learn that Chris Hernandez will test the money waters a la Jason Gardner - no agent. And Ike Diogu is doing the same. How many players do the pros need, anyway? In the words of Billy Dean, "Let them be little." And let the fans enjoy watching them play while they truly love the game.

Everyone makes mistakes, oh yes they do

J. Ryan Casey writes in the Arizona Daily Wildcat about the decision to give athletes with a checkered past a second chance by some coaches and schools. asu has been getting lots of bad press recently, and I hate to rub it in any more.....anyway. It would appear that Coach Stoops carefully weighs the positives and negatives of each recruit/team member, and he strikes as the kind of guy who's not going to be snowed by anyone, and if he is, he'll weed 'em out on the practice field. He is on a mission to build a solid program here, a contender year in and year out, and I'd hate to see the guy who gets in his way.
And, besides, we've got former gang members doing just fine kicking insurgent butt half a world away, so in some cases "rehabilitation" does work.

Cats preach non-violence

Off-the-field behavior is being addressed by coaches and staff at the UA as college sports seek to weed out the hoodlums and riff-raff. The return of the student-athlete as role-model is much needed. How about requiring the players to wear their letter jackets when they're out on the town? Some of them might think twice before picking a fight with anyone.

Dirk Koetter's situation regrettable, but preventable

So says the Idaho State Journal in this article about the former Boise State coach now at asu. Things don't seem to be getting any rosier for the team to the north,either, other than the recent vote of confidence given Rob Evans by the athletic director...assistant AD...whatever. All the rest of the PAC-10 must be pinching themselves on that one.

Batcat juggernaut coming home after 2nd road sweep in a row

Good things keep happening for the UA baseball team, the latest a come-from-behind 13-10 victory over Washington State today. Still looking for a consistent third starter, soph Mark Melancon threw some solid relief to close down the Cougars in the late innings.
"The series sweeping victory improved Arizona to 24-10 overall and 8-1 in the conference, the best start to a Pac-10 season for any UA team in school history. "
Oregon State drops in for a 3-game series this week - time to pack the house.

Barry Zito of the Oakland A's.........a true American Sports HERO

California Conservative � Strikeouts for Troops

The Official Site of the Masters Tournament

here's the leaderboard

Lute wants to take team in a new direction

Always on the lookout for new talent with the great skills, athleticism, and special flair needed for today's college game, Coach O is adding showmanship to that list. Here's a sneak peek at some new recruits. (Large file - be patient)

Thursday update

Wildcats' big target -- no, not the one painted on the jerseys of our basketball team for the last 20 years. B.J.'s 10 TD catches last year equals the total of the entire Wildcat team.

Lute takes on FoxSports - and he's still not happy with the lack of national exposure. How can it be a "national" game if the nation isn't watching?


Softball beats asu - so what else is new? Eleven straight, 52 out of the last 54 against the Gun Devils.

"One last question" -- quotes from Lute's season-ending press conference.

Lute and Roy agree to home-and-home series

The Wildcats and Tar Heels will be playing each other starting next season, kicking the Cats' schedule up into the stratosphere. With non-conference games against Utah, Virginia and an appearance in the powerful Maui Classic, the Wildcats again will avoid noone to strengthen themselves and their game.

Too bad the dookies can't take a hint and not be so difficult to get on the schedule - they won't play on the road or without their refs for any meaningful regular season game. Prove me wrong.

Hot Sauce needs more "seasoning"

While it appeared just last week that Hassan Adams would forego his senior season for a shot at the NBA, those reports now seem to be exaggerated. With most, if not all, NBA teams recommending one more year in college to fine tune his skills, it appears more likely that Sauce will return to finish his college career.
Oh, yeah!

The Morning After

Dang it! Not only did I have to watch the National Championship game last night, a game the Wildcats would have been in if not for that squandered lead against lll., but to add insult to injury CBS's fan poll picked that very same comeback as the "Game Changing Performance" of the entire tourney. Carolina would have been a tough out for the Cats, though I would have loved to see that game. Is the Elite Eight Pre-season tourney still going on?

More pops for Salim -- his stock just keeps rising.

Where have all the women gone? -- if they go to the UA, they're probably in class (or have class). Playboy drew a much larger crowd of wannabe centerfolds when they visited asu than here at UA.

Feed the Studs -- Wildcat football team looking to get the ball to the big-play guys in the fall. Can't wait, and thanks to Pae for renewing our season tickets in the horseshoe end of Arizona Stadium.

Baseball team records series sweep -- newsworthy because it is the first series sweep by the Batcats since 1999. Our star is rising...

This star already shines -- Terry Francona, the Bosox manager who led them to promised land lst year and reversed the curse, recalls his roots at Sancet Field.

What's new with the Gundevils? -- the Loren Wade/Brandon Falkner incident is just the latest at Shoot-em-up U. The wild west still lives, at least it does 100 miles to the north of here.

Bear Down!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

Williams, UNC came long way in short time, and kudos to Mike Sweeney for seeing the light and picking them to win it all, ensuring himself of top prize in the bracket pool this year. With two points separating him from 2nd place (yours truly) it was the closest contest yet. Thanks to all participating in this year's brackets, and Mike, the check's in the mail.

Saturday Sports Stuff

It's the weekend of the Final Four, but since the Cats went down to the lllini my focus has shifted. Who can really listen to Billy Packer call anymore games, anyway, and my hopes of winning the bracket pool are shot, too.

Batcats win in LA -- got to hear Jordan Brown's grand slam on the radio as I drove home from work last night. This just might the year Wilma and I make it out to the ballpark. Remember the days of fans hanging over the railings at Hi Corbett just to catch a glimpse of the Cats?

Softball wins too! -- the women's softball team opened league play last night with a win over stanford, after an atypical shaky first inning for Alicia Hollowell.

Linebacker's injury puts comeback on hold -- Spencer Larsen's return to college football was postponed again (the first hiatus was for his 2-year Mormon mission). Good luck with the rehab, Spence!

Lute graduates another -- head coach, that is. Looks like Rodney Tention is set to be named Loyola-Marymount's new leader, with speculation already that Lute may seriously consider ex-Cat stars Reggie Geary or Miles Simon to fill RT's spot on the bench.

Recap 2004-05 -- Daily Wildcat does a nice job here of looking back at our Elite Eight season.

100 yards a game -- that's how much offense B.J. Vickers is expected to bring to the Cats offense this fall. Sounds like another Hassan Adams-type player with just the freak athleticism we haven't had at wideout before.

"I've never been to his house for dinner..." -- seems college basketball's two over-the-top announcers, Dick Vitale and Billy Packer, have nothing in common except making me gag and turn down the sound. For more on the baloney, check here.....

Salim's senior season -- "I just want to be remembered as a good guy."

Bear down.