RUNNING BACK

Players returning: 5
Incoming: 3
Lost: 1 (Clifton Smith)

Pat Hill has never been one to use many true freshmen. But Ryan Mathews (5-11, 215) was different. After leading the nation in rushing at West High (Bakersfield), Mathews played his way into the rotation at Fresno State right away. The results – 866 yards and 14 touchdowns (most in the nation by a freshman) while averaging 6 yards a carry. And get this, he missed part or all of four games with injury and was only responsible for learning a small package within the Bulldogs’ playbook last season. Fresno State even un-retired jersey No. 21 for the phenom, after former star tailback Dale Messer met Mathews and granted him permission. Mathews, now a sophomore, is an explosive back with Iron Man legs who hits the hole and makes his cut before the defense realizes what’s happening (which is why he had three carries for more than 50 yards last season). Most amazing though, is the way he can turn his hips sideways to evade tacklers while maintaining top speed. The only question mark is that he didn’t catch a single pass last season, but that is sure to change now that Clifton Smith is off to the NFL. No WAC back is more talented.

The crazy thing is, Mathews didn’t even start last season. That job belonged (and may still belong) to junior Lonyae Miller (5-11, 215), who entered fall camp looking faster, bigger and stronger than last season, when he rushed for 609 yards and 7 touchdowns on 4.6 yards per carry. Though the two are listed at the same weight, Miller has a larger upper body more conducive to the prototypical every down back. And with Smith gone, Miller will become an even bigger part of the offense this season in the passing game (which has already been seen in fall scrimmage situations). Miller led the team with a long of 72 yards last season, and has, arguably, an even quicker first step than Mathews.

While Miller and Mathews earn most of the reps at tailback, another junior deserves his own share – Anthony Harding (6-0, 215). With injuries nagging Miller and Mathews down the stretch in 2007, Harding took over and rushed for 231 yards against New Mexico State and Kansas State in the final two regular season games. Then, he lowered a shoulder so hard into a Georgia Tech defender in the Humanitarian Bowl, he knocked the guy out cold. Heading into the season, Harding is listed first on the depth chart at fullback, but will get carries in shotgun formations and short-yardage situations. He’s also the best pass-blocking back. In 2007, he rushed for 449 yards and 4 score, and also had a receiving touchdown.

Don’t be surprised to see junior Jamaal Rashad (5-11, 200) carve out a niche of his own in the offense. Carries will be hard to come by, but Rashad is good enough to start for a handful of WAC teams and flat out makes plays in pretty much every situation he’s put in. His biggest challenge after the past two years since walking on from Glendale College will be staying healthy.

The only true fullback on the roster is junior Reynard Camp (5-11, 270). His nickname “Camper” is fitting, as he’s like a camper shell driving through the defense and leading the way. He’s vastly improved his quickness and agility since last season, and should start to see reps outside of his normal special teams duty.

The rest of the unit will likely have to wait another year or two to see significant carries. True freshman A.J. Ellis (5-11, 175) was thought to have the best shot at immediate playing time after being recruited to help replace Smith, but Ellis has a big learning curve to overcome. Plus, he just might be too small right now to be effective catching passes out of the backfield and cutting across the middle. Whether he redshirts will depend on how he performs the final two weeks of fall camp.

Sophomore Kyle Duffy (5-8, 175) has shown growth since his days at Clovis West High, and has had some eye-opening performances in scrimmages (such as this year’s Spring Game). Still, his biggest contribution will be on special teams, where he’s been an absolute stud in kickoff coverage.

True freshman Michael Harris (5-11, 195) has shown some promise early on in fall camp, but it almost a surefire prospect to redshirt for the future. The same holds true for walk-on Justin Webber, who is coming off a devastating knee injury at Sanger High that likely prevented him from being a scholarship player. Webber will eventually find his way onto the field at this position or another.

Rating: 9 of 10

QUARTERBACK

Players returning: 3

Incoming: 1
Lost: 0

The hope is to never need to rely on depth at quarterback, but just in case Fresno State is probably the deepest it has ever been. Third-year starter Tom Brandstater (6-5, 225) returns for his senior campaign after propelling himself into one of the top NFL Draft prospects at the position. Coming off a dreadful 2006 season of 13 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, Brandstater threw for 15 scores and just 5 picks last season. He also upped his completion percentage from 54.5% to 62.5%, capping the season with an MVP performance in the Humanitarian Bowl win over Georgia Tech. For most of the 2007 season, Brandstater turned in solid, yet unspectacular performances. But the real breakout came in the final four games (against Hawaii, Kansas State, New Mexico State and Georgia Tech) when he threw for 1,012 yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Brandstater hasn’t relied on his speed (which is still somewhat of a secret) much to this point in his career, but expect to see him tucking the ball and running more often this season.

Sophomore Ryan Colburn (6-3, 220) has a stranglehold on the No. 2 job. After a shaky spring camp, it looked as if Colburn might not be progressing as expected. Forget all that. The southpaw arguably had the best first week of fall camp of anyone on the roster. Plug him in during practice and the first-team offense clicks on all the same cylinders. Still, he lacks the game experience, with just 4 completions for 58 yards under his belt. Colburn can’t launch the ball as far as Brandstater, but has made strides in improving the speed of his decision making and accuracy. The fact that he could be a body double for David Carr brings back some refreshing memories as well.

Matt Faulkner (6-2, 195) comes off his redshirt season as the third-stringer. But he offers some impressive tools, namely his great touch on the deep ball. Faulkner is one of those guys who makes it look effortless when he throws the ball. Coming out of Marcus High in Texas last year, Faulkner performed better in simulated game situations than in practice. But he’s still got a ways to go in adjusting to the college level and turning the game into second nature.

Speaking of quarterbacks who are true gamers, true freshman Ebahn Feathers (6-1, 210) is one of the most highly anticipated recruits in Fresno State history out of nearby Washington Union HS. Though his height may be a tad exaggerated, he has been clocked at 4.38 in the 40-yard dash. No Bulldogs quarterback in history has been anywhere near this fast or athletic. Feathers got off to a very rough start in fall camp, missing receivers by as much as five yards on short slant routes. But new offensive coordinator and former NFL quarterback Doug Nussmeier is already hard at work with Feathers on teaching him the finer points, such as footwork. Still, after all the bad practice passes, Feathers shined in the first fall scrimmage, completing 7 of 8 passes for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing 6 times for 80 yards. On one play, Feathers rolled out on a keeper and burned past the defense for 59 yards until he was caught at the 2-yard line. Because of his versatility and the verbal commitment of Carr’s younger brother Derek Carr for the 2009 season, Feathers is likely to play as a true freshman with a special package of plays designed for him by the coaching staff.

Rating: 8 of 10

Bouncing around the headlines

In a new feature I'd like to start -- and in playing along with the Bulldog Bounce theme -- let's bounce around some of the biggest Fresno State headlines this week:

Huge news on the diamond is 2nd-round pick Tanner Scheppers, Fresno State's best pitcher (who didn't even get to play in the postseason because of a shoulder injury), didn't sign with the Pirates before yesterday's deadline and now could start talk of a repeat College World Series run for the Diamond 'Dogs if he returns next season.

Scheppers' teammate Justin Wilson (5th rounder), who pitched the Diamond 'Dogs to the national title, did sign with the Pirates. So the 'Dogs plucked Clovis East product Cody Kendall from Fresno Pacific as his replacement for '09.

Seriously though, what's the deal with the overkill of stories mentioning Beau Sweeney, who smeared the infamous Fresno State family's name by signing with Cal? The Bee just can't stop brining him up.

A new San Luis Obispo Tribune blog noticed Pat Hill's comments about Cal Poly possibly one day joining the WAC. Makes for cheaper travel than La Tech, but c'mon Coach Hill, then we wouldn't be the only D1 football program in the Valley!

For the first time all year, there was a non-boring play in an NFL preseason game. And it was Fresno State's Richard Marshall picking off a fake field goal trickery pass and burning 78 yards for a TD. Brings back this memory of last season -- one of the most bittersweet NFL moments I've ever witnessed (from one 'Dog to another). P.S. Marshall is the best corner in school history.

And just as one additional reminder why I no longer subscribe to Sports Illustrated, the mag released its college football preview, listed the top 20 (no Fresno State) and then broke it down conference by conference. One problem - after listing the six BCS conferences, it lists the coalition conferences as, "The Rest" and jumbles everything into a few sentences. That's weak SI, and so was not putting the 2008 College World Series champs on your cover.

What did I miss? Just leave a comment with your own recent Fresno State links...

All-time Fresno State Dream Team results

The results are in. Thanks to everyone who voted and made this a great way to pass time in the offseason. While we obviously can't all agree on who the best 'Dogs are at each position, this helped us remember just how many great ones there have been.

The readers say:
QB: David Carr (255 votes), Trent Dilfer (99)
TB: Dwayne Wright (109), Michael Pittman (86)
FB: Lorenzo Neal (293), Roshon Vercher (15)
WR: Bernard Berrian (251), Stephone Paige (84)
WR: Henry Ellard (235), Rodney Wright (75)
WR: Stephen Baker (93), Paul Williams (41)
TE: Bear Pascoe (171), Scott Scambray (47)
OL: Logan Mankins (208), Joe Schey (62)
OL: Kyle Young (140), Jesse Hardwick (53)
OL: Ryan Wendell (125), Rodney Michael (47)
OL: Chris Denman (103), Tom Neville (45)
OL: Chris Conrad (77), Mike Withycombe (40)

DL: Garrett McIntyre (145), Nick Burley (72)
DL: Alan Harper (131), Bryan Robinson (60)
DL: Jethro Franklin (85), Jason Stewart (48)
DL: Tyler Clutts (75), Zack Rix (38)
LB: Ron Cox (122), Sam Williams (49)
LB: Marcus Riley (103), Tim Skipper (43)
LB: Orlando Huff (77), Tracy Rogers (36)
CB: Richard Marshall (100), Marcus McCauley (43)
CB: J.D. Williams (71), Carl Ray Harris (10)
S: Marquez Pope (64), Omar Stoutmire (38)
S: James Sanders (58), Tyrone Culver (13)

K: Brett Visintainer (36), Asen Asparuhov (29)
P: Mike Lingua (36), Jeff Roberts (17)

Coach: Pat Hill (65), Jim Sweeney (15)

Fall Camp Update IV

QB: Tom Brandstater showed up late today and ran a few gassers after practice (no favoritism for the star QB). Passing game struggled a bit in 11-on-11 drill with Brandstater and Ryan Colburn.

RB: Reynard Camp put a nice move on Seyi Ajirotutu a punt coverage package. Lonyae Miller, Ryan Mathews and Jamaal Rashad all stood out in 11-on-11s. Every back is really laying into the LBs in drills.

WR: Prediction time -- Bear Pascoe sat out some of practice, feeling a bit ill today. Darren Newborne will find the end zone this year. Devon Wylie is causing DBs fits. Surprised TE Ryan Skidmore isn't working out with the vets yet. True freshman TE David Gory seeing some action on field goal protection unit.

OL: Charley Robbins still getting some work as first-team left guard, with Richard Pacheco at center. Joe Bernardi had some trouble running today.

DL: Today was true freshman Logan Harrell's turn to work with the veterans. Yesterday Anthony Williams got a try, and Thursday it was Chase McEntee. Harrell stood out at D-tackle. Bryce Harris was a big-time playmaker and got some first-string work. Cornell Banks spent practice on the exercise bike and doing other strengthening work. Unit disrupted the passing game all day.

LB: For the first time Chris Carter showed his inexperience at LB, and got a little on-field coaching from Ben Jacobs. Nico Herron looks nothing like a first-year starter. A bit of an off day for Austin Raphael.

DB: Plethora of mixing and matching going on with corners and safeties. Sharrod Davis today is vast improvement from Sharrod Davis of this time last year. He had a pick in drills, and showed superb coverage ability on a deep route by Darren Newborne. A.J. Jefferson had a standout day in pass coverage as well. Moses Harris showing great new closing speed. Frank Manquero struggled to keep up with receivers.

ST: The 'Dogs seem to have found a young new weapon at kicker in walk-on Kevin Shapiro. He was accurate and showed off an above average leg until getting one kick blocked. Should pass fellow walk-0n Stephen Ferdinandi with ease. Kevin Goessling is booming 'em through the uprights.

Fall Camp Update III

QB: Tom Brandstater was MIA today, so Ryan Colburn took first-team snaps and Matt Faulkner practiced with the vets. Colburn continues to have an eye-opening first week of camp, and Faulkner looked strong as well. But Colburn seems to have solidified himself as the No. 2 guy right now.

RB: Ryan Mathews is starting to show what he can do catching passes and Lonyae Miller has been a standout every day so far. Reynard Camp is showing great work ethic at fullback.

WR: Still too many dropped passes, but the unit is making up for them somewhat with great catches. Chastin West looked like the go-to guy today, and Devon Wylie was essentially uncover-able across the middle in isolation. But Wylie is also one of the guys having trouble hanging on to the ball. Redshirting Jamel Hamler will actually pay off in two years when Marlon Moore, Seyi Ajirotutu and Jason Crawley graduate.

OL: The lines are getting fiery. A huge melee broke out today between the two units (picture UFC with guys roughly the size of Transformers). Charley Robbins got some work as first-team right guard. Devan Cunningham set to redshirt -- still out of shape and needs to show more intensity.

DL: Coaches yelled for Ikenna Ike to "calm down" as he was in the middle of the melee. He translated the emotion into stellar play in 7 on 7 drills. True freshman Anthony Williams (now switched to No. 91) worked with the vets for the first time today, while Chase McEntee was back with the newcomers.

LB: Shawn Plummer, still turning heads with his speed, may practice his way into significant playing time. Chris Carter didn't look quite as strong today, but Nico Herron is showing all-around ability in all facets of the game.

DB: Zak Hill still hasn't done anything to stand out all camp, and continues to struggle in one-on-one coverage against the team's top receivers (today Moore caused him some trouble). Moses Harris looks to have gained some speed. Lorne Bell ran stride for stride in single coverage of West today -- an encouraging sign after such a serious injury late last season. But Bell struglled to keep up with Crawley after a lateral cut across the field. Damion Owens jumped a route and took it to the house. Desia Dunn (No. 17) is quietly putting together a good camp.

ST: Robert Malone has shown a booming leg on punts, but still looking for the consistency he'll need as the season approaches.

Fall Camp Update II

QB: Ryan Colburn continues his quick start and looks on his way to a superb camp. Possibly best backup QB 'Dogs have had since Paul Pinegar was in that role. Colburn is outdoing Tom Brandstater right now, but we know what Brandstater is capable of.

RB: Speed all the way around the unit. Jamaal Rashad would probably start for a few other WAC teams (coughhawaiiutahstnewmexicostcough). The biggest question here right now is who has a quicker first step, Lonyae Miller or Ryan Mathews? Kyle Duffy is working with the newcomers. Anthony Harding impressive in pass-blocking and shotgun situations -- took a draw play to the house.

WR: Matt Lindsey has the best hands and possibly jumping ability of the corps. Marlon Moore is super fast -- if it weren't for such a deep, deep unit he'd be a surefire 1,000-yard guy this year. Bear Pascoe is the ultimate team guy. Vince Pascoe and Isaac Kinter will be impact players in the passing game from the H-back position.

OL: Bobby Lepori took a couple snaps at center yesterday after practice. Maybe Kenny Wiggins is coming along too strong to not have on the field? Richard Pacheco taking first-team reps at center, Joe Bernardi second-team, for now.

DL: Chris Lewis is playing spirited football and looks very strong dropping off the line into coverage. Showed a nice vertical today trying to bat down a short pass over the middle. Mark Roberts took the field for 11-on-11s with the first team at D-tackle. Chase McEntee stayed to practice with the veterans, a sign he's leading the true freshmen candidates to play right away.

LB: After three days of camp, time to declare Chris Carter a future All-WAC linebacker. Nico Herron looks like a stud at the outside spot, even defended a receiver downfield on one incompletion. Shawn Plummer working second-string, with Nick Bates and Quaadir Brown practicing with the newcomers.

DB: Marvin Haynes still trying to win back the starting job from Jake Jorde -- both are sure to see plenty of action. Moses Harris has inherited the leadership role vocally. Sharrod Davis is in just about every receiver's head, and is backing it up. Be ready for Damion Owens to become one of the school's best corners in Pat Hill's tenure.

ST: Robert Malone is showing off a beastly leg at punter. The kicking game is in good hands.

Fall Camp Update (defense)

Defensive Line: Cause for some concern is that several of the D-linemen look out of shape. Wilson Ramos and Cornell Banks were hunched over for a large portion of the last half of practice Tuesday. Jon Monga has huge arms, but looks a bit undersized around the torso. Still, his tenacity is second to none on this team and he stands out from the rest in every D-line drill with his fluidity. Chris Lewis has all the tools to be a star as long as he decides he wants to be. Michael Stuart is another guy to watch -- big potential but still working on technique. Keep an eye on Mark Roberts, who has dropped a great deal of weight and is moving much better at D-tackle. He'll push Banks for a starting job. Bryce Harris is another up and comer who's added a ton of size. True freshman Anthony Williams (No. 63) looks ready to play now, and Matt Akers (No. 95) and Logan Harrell (No. 77) aren't far behind. Injured Kenny Borg worked out on his own and is already running around.

Linebacker: Chris Carter (now No. 43) moves to linebacker from D-end and lines up with the starters from Day 1. Ben Jacobs is holding down the middle and Nico Herron is a vicious hitter at the other starting spot. The only concern with this group has to be speed. Nick Bates is pushing for time, with walk-on Shawn Plummer also getting second-team reps. Should be interesting to see how a very impressive Kyle Knox works his way in -- great physique and seemingly great instincts for getting to the backfield. Austin Raphael is showing more quickness than was expected. Ryan Machado was back at practice but didn't participate in all of the drills. His presence would be a giant boost for the unit's depth. Ryan McKinley looks to be done -- he was on the field in workout clothes but not participating. Quaadir Brown worked out with the newcomers both days, and is visibly smaller. No signs of Damion Whittington yet. Loss of Ricky Pemasa hurts bad.

Defensive Backs: Pat Hill is going to make Marvin Haynes earn his starting spot back after missing spring camp with injury. Jake Jorde is getting first-team reps for now. Lorne Bell, who was injured seriously against K-State last year, is already participating in non-contact coverage. The real test will be to see how much he's used when the team puts the pads on. Bell might be the most chiseled athlete on the team. Sharrod Davis is poised for a breakout senior campaign. A.J. Jefferson picked off a Brandstater pass.

Fall Camp Update (Offense)

Quarterback: The long-awaited debut of true freshman Ebahn Feathers arrived with Tuesday's first practice. Feathers has a long way to go. While he displayed his awe-inspiring quickness rolling out, he was terribly inaccurate on short passing routes. Two things to keep in mind -- he threw mostly on the run (which is more difficult than standing in the pocket) and he's working predominantly with other newcomers or guys coming off their redshirt year (meaning they're still growing and learning too). Tom Brandstater was a visible leader from the get-go, hustling through practice and leading the younger guys from drill to drill, exercise to exercise. He's vocal, keeping the guys loose and confident. Oddly enough, he looked off on several throws, and threw a couple interceptions. Nothing to worry about this early though. Ryan Colburn took lots of reps with the veterans and looks much improved from this time a year ago. Matt Faulkner is now wearing jersey No. 10.

Running Back: All the talk has been about Ryan Mathews since last year ended, but Lonyae Miller just might hold onto that title of "starter" for now. Miller came out with his trademark explosive first step and looks faster and more muscular. He broke several long runs in drills (but keep in mind it wasn't live hitting and no pads, just shells). Mathews play of the day Tuesday was a handoff he took, while twisting and side-stepping upfield past the front seven, then the secondary. Amazing how he turns his hips and runs sideways without losing speed. Anthony Harding didn't take many reps at tailback. Isaac Kinter is going to be a huge weapon at H-back -- think Stephen Spach but faster.

Receiver: Chastin West is back ladies and gents -- no knee brace and showing that same ol' speed. All the receivers seem in extremely good shape with Chastin leading the way in upper body strength. He's also back working in the return game. Marlon Moore is taking return game reps as well, and looks darn good doing it. He's so light on his feet he appears to glide downfield at times. True freshman Rashad Evans is now No. 11 (redshirt freshman J.J. Stallworth switched to No. 82). Evans also took reps returning kicks, and appeared to have hands trouble. He let one kick bounce off his chest and dropped a throw from Feathers earlier in the practice. Devon Wylie is holding his own in every aspect -- quickness and speed. If the endurance is there he's going to be a weapon. Seyi Ajirotutu might be the biggest threat of the bunch, and he's poised for a breakout year.

Offensive Line: Bobby Lepori is already giving the younger guys a hard time in a good-natured way. One of the freshmen blew a blocking assignment while in with the starters and Lepori shouted out, "geez coach, where'd you find these guys!?" Lepori and Cole Popovich seem to have even more added size and will be forces. Joe Bernardi and Adam McDowell took turns repping at center, with true freshman Douglas Spacht (No. 57) taking reps with the newcomers. Andrew Jackson is a monster -- think giant rectangular body i.e. Frankenstein. He may be the biggest NFL prospect on the team. Kenny Wiggins looks in better shape and is just waiting his turn. He's a future standout at tackle. Devan Cunningham on the other hand is still somewhat of a mystery. He doesn't seem to have lost any weight from last season and is still the slowest lineman.

I can't be the only one...

Does anyone else feel like a little kid today? One who's looking at the clock all day long, minute after minute, on Christmas Eve? Waiting for bedtime to go to sleep and make tomorrow come faster? Because tomorrow's the big day of waking up and opening that one sparkling gift you've been waiting for -- a brand new Fresno State football season.

Fall camp practice opens Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Valley Growers Field. Wouldn't it be great to welcome the team with a berm full of Red Wavers chanting "FRESNO STATE!"...?

Yet another reason Boise fans are funny

And I don't mean "funny" as a compliment.

Click here to see a thread on the Boise State message board where they're making fun of Fresno State's possible new (old) mascot. If fans get their way in this past week's vote, Fresno State will oust the brown chipmunk-looking mascot that was used for one year and return to the original grey mascot that is so beloved by the Red Wave (albeit a buffer version).

This thread by Bozo fans is funny for several reasons:

1)The mascot look they're making fun of is the original, the one everyone wants, the one Fresno State's had for a bajillion years practically.

2)If you've ever seen Boise State's mascot no more needs to be said. The phrase, "Why the long face?" has never been more applicable.

3)Remember the last time the WAC basketball tournament was held in Fresno, and Boise State's mascot decided it would be funny to go all WWE on us and do the "suck it" crotch chop made famous by Degeneration X? Remember how that ended? ...With that grey TimeOut they're making fun of running across the Save Mart Center court and spearing the Bronco to the floor. The Bronco then went to TGI Fridays after the game with the Boise State cheerleaders and got laughed at.

Hello Mr. Smith!

Huge news out of the men's b-ball program, and it couldn't have come at a better time. The No. 4 ranked center in the nation according to scout.com, Greg Smith, has reportedly chosen Fresno State and reneged on a verbal to Arizona.

The 6-foot-8 or 6-9 Smith (depending on who you listen to) is the most high-profile recruit since Melvin Ely. And hey, Ely, as a two-time WAC Player of the Year and best player in school history, turned out quite all right.

Moods had turned sour with fans after hearing prized point guard signee Reggie Moore wanted out of his letter of intent. The Seattle native waited 'til the last second to throw a wrench into the 'Dogs plans of handing the reigns over to him in '08-'09. Real nice of you Reggie...

But lo and behold, Smith, a three-year Edison player who has since transferred to the Bay Area for family/academic reasons, is just the anecdote. If he sticks to his committment and signs with Fresno State he will single-handedly stir up passion and excitement that's been missing from Fresno State basketball since Tark "retired."

And that deserves a lot of admiration. Red Wavers should thank Mr. Smith for having the desire to give back to his hometown and be a student-athlete at Fresno State. It takes a true hometown hero to pass up offers from a plethora of traditonal b-ball powerhouses to stay home and make a difference in the community that raised him. Not everyone realizes what a difference he can make, what trends he can set the standard for and what a huge piece of program history he can become by staying home and taking the 'Dogs to new heights.

All signs point to Greg Smith being the type of character individual who is mature enough to be the catalyst. And here's to hoping everything in his family life and in the classroom is on the upswing. Mr. Smith, count me in as one of your newest, and biggest, fans.

Out with the new, in with the old

Bring back the original TimeOut!

The Fresno State athletic dept. is now doing what should have been done in the first place, and talking to fans, alumni and students about what kind of mascot they want. After changing the mascot last year and realizing TimeOut's look was a sacred tradition to many around the campus and community, Fresno State is letting fans vote to bring back the grey TimeOut after a one-year hiatus (a sabbatical of sorts maybe?)...

So make your voice heard -- go grey and save the day!

http://gobulldogs.cstv.com/ot/08-mascot-survey.html

No way!!! Too good to be true...

There is absolutely NO WAY in the whole wide entire world this can be a mere coincidence. Fresno State announced today it has hired its first assistant coach for the new women's lacrosse team. What, you don't think this is a strange, odd, jaw-dropping bit of news? Well you haven't heard her last name yet...

Gotham.

Yes, Fresno State hired a coach with the last name of Gotham and announced it on the very day the new Batman movie came out in theaters to record-breaking crowds. Coincidence? I think not. Shoot, they could have at least bummed some advertising from Edwards during all this hoopla.

Maybe a "Major Valley Lacrosse Annoucement Press Conference brought to you by Edwards 22 and IMAX" or something to that effect...

http://gobulldogs.cstv.com/sports/w-lacros/spec-rel/071808aaa.html

I read a very funny joke today

It appeared in Matt James' column in The Fresno Bee, where he wrote that more people know who Jerry Yang is than know who Trent Dilfer is.

Done laughing yet? Or maybe you're not laughing? Maybe that made you mad? It kinda did me, until I realized it was probably just a joke. Hyperbole of sorts. I think?

Because unless I'm really out of touch with reality, Dilfer is pretty much a household name amongst NFL fans (which these days live in seemlingly every house, apartment and condo in America). And not one single person I know watches poker on TV on more than a casual basis. Heck, most people I know are actually annoyed if poker is on TV.

Granted, Yang seems like a super guy -- a real giving person and a great Fresnan -- and someone who Fresno should brag about. But I just find it incredibly hard to believe he's in the same realm of famous-ness as Trent Dilfer.

1994 NFL Draft (this is good)...

So I came across a draft preview from Pro Football Weekly yesterday from 1994. Trent Dilfer was on the cover and I opened it up to check out the QB rankings. What I found brought a smile to my face for two reasons.

I began to peruse the top 10 QBs, and it looked like this:
1. Trent Dilfer
2. Heath Schuler
3. Doug Nussmeier

...Doug Nussmeier!?!? Well whadaya know, Fresno State's new offensive coordinator was rated the third-best QB prospect that year behind our beloved Trent Dilfer. I knew he had a great college career, but wasn't expecting that. And I didn't realize he came out the same year as Dilfer.

So what are we gonna nickname our new O-coordinator? Nuss the Magic Dragon? The LochNuss Monster? Nussy...?

Where were YOU when...?

We'll all be talking about it for years, decades even, telling our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Cousins and friends. Everyone.

Where were you when the 2008 Diamond 'Dogs won the College World Series championship?

Me, I picked the worst week of the year to leave town, flying to a Hawaiian destination wedding for a family member. But I'll tell you what, if ever you want to find out just how many Fresno State faithful are in the Hawaiian islands at a given time, go there during the "Wonderdogs" run to the CWS title fully clothed in your baseball gear.

I saw a guy with a backwards red 'Dogs cap hanging with his fam along the beach, a guy with a blue Fresno State golf polo at the pool bar, some casually dressed fans who said their pastor is Mitch Ribera (DH Jordan Ribera's pops), a hostess in the middle of a small jungle town who said she's from Fresno, a group of four site-see-ers from Caruthers, and the list goes on -- including at least half of the 80-something visiting for the wedding.

I'll always remember where I was for this miraculous postseason run. Any other week and you can bet bottom dollar I'd be in Omaha with the Diamond 'Dogs, but this week called for extraordinary measures -- catching the 'Dogs on TV between rehearsal dinner, crater trips and limo rides to the wedding. As a matter of fact, I was in that limo as Fresno State recorded the final out in a 6-1 championship game win over Georgia.

A good friend called. I picked up without saying hello, heard my closest pals screaming, and just hung up. That's all I needed to know. We won. I sat staring out the limo and into the Pacific Ocean in silence, years of Fresno State baseball memories rushing through my mind. A dream come true. For all of us.

I've got that Bulldog Spirit ...

(sing along) up in my head, deep in my heart, down in my toes!

I still haven't regained enough composure to post what I want to yet, but it was the greatest day in my life yesterday as the Fresno State baseball team won the national championship. Best part was, they did it while showing the entire country (and reminding some in our Valley) the characteristics we stand for and represent: heart, guts, pride, loyalty, determination, passion, spirit, undying effort, toughness and perseverance. No other school on Earth can brag about this combination. It's why I'm so proud to be a Bulldog and a HUGE part of why I am who I am today.

Thank you so much to the Fresno State baseball team, you'll never know what this means to me.

I'm still at a loss for words and I've been crying off and on for a while now. Some of you may understand, while some won't. Those that don't, I hope you get there at some point (maybe not the crying, but the understanding).

Please feel free comment and share any and all stories related to Fresno State's CWS run. We'd love to hear them.

Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred, I'll be a Bulldog 'til the day I'm dead!

Heart and Soul

We've heard a lot about heart and soul this week in the college baseball world.

For me, it started during the Tony D. show on 1550 AM when guest interview Augie Garrido (the current Texas coach and former CS Fullerton coach) was talking about his life documentary that aired tonight on ESPN2. Garrido, who was a player on Fresno State's 1959 College World Series team, and whose number is retired on the Beiden Field wall, told Tony D. his heart is in Texas but his soul is in Fresno.

Then we heard Diamond 'Dogs coach Mike Batesole talk about Game 1 starter Justin Wilson being all heart on the mound. That heart helped him limit No. 6 Rice to two runs in seven innings in the 'Dogs 17-5 CWS win.

Shoot, the ESPN announcers and all the other media have been talking all week about how these 'Dogs aren't supposed to be here. They're the first No. 4 Regional seed to ever make it this far, their lineup has the lowest team average of any CWS squad, they score the least runs per game and blah blah blah. But they have big hearts everyone keeps saying.

Everyone on planet Earth, meet Fresno State. That's what we've been trying to tell you for years -- decades even. Pat Hill talks about it. The football team talks about. It's what the Red Wave and Fresno State athletics is built upon and generated by. Heart and soul is what puts the chip on our collective shoulder. We know we're capable of beating anyone. We don't take moral victories. We come to win the game.

Our players play harder than yours, our yellers in the stands yell louder in the stands than yours and our coaches coach better than yours. If you try to argue that with us, we'll argue better than you too.

Tell us we're not good enough and it's like putting a baby Gremlin in a pool of water. It makes our heart grow more motivated and our soul more attached to Fresno State. Keep telling us we shouldn't be here, we strike out too much, we don't field clean enough or throw fast enough or run quick enough or hit far enough or have enough players batting .400. Keep talking about your paper advantages. Go ahead. Just be ready to prove it on the field.

Fresno State Dream Team: Punters

Who are the best punters in school history? Let's find out. Each Bulldog Bounce blogger has turned in his own votes for each position already, but we want to hear what you -- the readers -- think. Then, at the end of all the voting we'll compare our results to yours.

We're going position-by-position with the idea of starting healthy debate about why so-and-so is better than such-and-such? YOU decide the criteria! What's more important? College stats or pro? Four-year starters or JC transfers? Single-season greatness or consistency?

Next up is punter, and the nominees are:
--Craig Holworthy
--Rusty Karraker
--Mike Lingua
--Mike Mancini
--Lance Oberparleiter
--Jeff Roberts
--Brad Seagle
--Jason Simpson

The Bulldog Bounce voting was pretty consistent on this one, with Jeff Roberts receiving three first-team votes and one second-team. Mike Mancini received the other first-team vote and one second-team, while Jason Simpson had two second-team votes.

Have fun, voice your opinion and let the voting begin! The nominees will remain posted in the right-hand column for you to choose from, but please add comments to this blog entry as well.