When reading the life stories of many athletes, a pattern seems to appear. Young man grows up never knowing his father, then overcomes the adversity to become a successful athlete. It’s a sad but common tale, especially among black athletes.
Stories like that lead to the eventual cruel joke I’ve often heard: “maybe to be a successful athlete, all you have to do is grow up without your dad.”
But then that got me thinking about my own dad.
Jon Sandberg never walked out on his family. He never left his wife and children unsupported. Hell, he wasn’t even the kind of dad who would constantly scream at little league coaches.
My dad was my coach.
For three seasons from 2000 to 2002, my dad coached my brother Justin and mine’s basketball teams in seventh, eighth, and ninth grades. And they were the best times I’ve ever had on a basketball court.
This ragtag little team of nine was the same group that was already schooled by my dad every weekend in the backyard “sports camp,” as he liked to call it. My dad would always complain about how there always kids coming around wanting to use our “fine sports equipment” to play basketball or football, and yet, despite his grumblings, he never hesitated to show us his patented two-handed reverse layup or teach us the basics of the 3-2 zone defense.
We just wanted to have fun, and as coach, my dad wanted to make sure that we had as much fun in league-play as we did horsing around on my backyard court. But in doing so, my teammates and I learned some of the most important facts of life.
Camaraderie. On game days, my dad would take us all out to eat healthy meals of Round Table Pizza or Whoppers with “whole heaps of bacon.” It was basically required that everyone on the team go, which meant that we had to cram nine or ten people into our car (to avoid injuring our starters, our backup forward Adalid once rode in the trunk). We all had this great friendship, and even if he never wanted to admit it, my dad enjoyed hanging out with us. Some of the best moments of my life were the times spent with my teammates.
Teamwork. Our team system that my dad installed was such that no one player was more important than the other. Everyone on the team had a unique role, and on a given night, it was time for that certain player to step up and help the team in their own way. No one player carried our team; our system was designed so that we needed everyone in order to be successful. Even now, you put me and Justin on the same team and we know exactly what the other is going to do.
Loyalty. It seemed like no matter where you looked, my dad had brought in our family members to help the team. My grandmother stitched the numbers on our uniforms. My mom was our official scorekeeper. Our point guard’s little brother was our “team mascot.” Our assistant coach was the father of one of our players. And it was all brought together by our head coach, my dad. As a team, we never had much, no fancy jerseys, no team bus, no matching shoes, but we did have each other. Our team was our family.
Perspective. At nights after games, I often found myself lying awake, turning the game over and over in my mind. I would walk into the kitchen, and my dad would always be there. We’d have long talks about the game: strategy, matchups, what we could have done better, what I could have done better. He would diagram me plays, and show me offensive schemes he drew up. But every one of those late night coaching sessions would always end the same way: he would give me a high five, and tell me not to lose sleep over something as small as a basketball game.
Our teams have been disbanded for nearly six years now, but those lesions I learned from my coach will always stay with me. That’s why I look so fondly back on my “playing days.” Not because I pine for some moment of great success, but because of the importance they had on shaping me as a man.
He did it all with an understated presence. He never intruded into our lives, or forced us to allow him to be involved. He didn't take control or require us to do what he thought was best, as so many parents force upon their athlete children. He knew what we wanted to do, and did his best to ensure that we did the best we could.
So no, my dad never left us, and I never became a successful athlete. But I am a better person for having learned from my dad. He was always there, always involved, even if it wasn't blatantly obvious.
That’s what makes him the greatest coach of all.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
And now we wait...
Tick...tock...tick...tock...
The countdown has begun.
Baseball judgement day is finally upon us.
In less than two hours, the MItchell Report is set to be revealed. In it, there has been said to be nearly 80 names of major league baseball players who have had ties to steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.
But the waiting, the anticipation and terror many are feeling regarding the names on that list, is the worst of all. Across the country, fans are all thinking the same things:
"It can't be my favorite player."
"Not from my team."
"No way, it couldn't happen."
But the sad reality is that the eye has passed and the storm is beginning already.
Just this morning, it was revealed that Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte are both named in the report. With two of the best pitchers from the league's most stories franchise being names, all bets are off on who else could have been involved.
Is it a bit of a witch hunt? Yes.
Are there due process infringements involved? Of course.
Is it something that needs to be revealed?
Absolutely.
Tick..tock..tick...tock..
The countdown has begun.
Baseball judgement day is finally upon us.
In less than two hours, the MItchell Report is set to be revealed. In it, there has been said to be nearly 80 names of major league baseball players who have had ties to steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.
But the waiting, the anticipation and terror many are feeling regarding the names on that list, is the worst of all. Across the country, fans are all thinking the same things:
"It can't be my favorite player."
"Not from my team."
"No way, it couldn't happen."
But the sad reality is that the eye has passed and the storm is beginning already.
Just this morning, it was revealed that Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte are both named in the report. With two of the best pitchers from the league's most stories franchise being names, all bets are off on who else could have been involved.
Is it a bit of a witch hunt? Yes.
Are there due process infringements involved? Of course.
Is it something that needs to be revealed?
Absolutely.
Tick..tock..tick...tock..
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Remember 2007 for what it was
When Gonzaga sports fans look back on 2007, undoubtedly they will first think of the things they'd rather forget.
Phrases like "psychedelic mushrooms," "possession" and "suspended indefinitely" will stir up painful memories. Thoughts on Year One A.A. (After Adam) will only arouse visions of missed opportunities and failed expectations. On the surface, it would seem like the legacy of 2007 was that it would only be remembered for what went wrong.
But don't do it.
Don't give in to that temptation.
To do so would mean to forget the great accomplishments of 2007. It would mean to overlook just how special 2007 really was to many of our Bulldog men and women, and how much their achievements only reinforce what we love about Gonzaga sports.
Who could forget about the emergence of the women's basketball team? The Bulldogs caught fire at the end of last season, losing only one regular season game after January and advancing to their first NCAA Tournament. They've been even hotter this year. Bringing in versatile freshman point guard Courtney Vandersloot and redshirts Tiffanie Shives and Janelle Bekkering, the Bulldogs have been a gunslinging team, averaging 84 points per game en route to a 4-1 record. Credit the amazing job Kelly Graves did of bringing this team together and getting them to buy into the team concept. He now has himself a budding powerhouse, and the most successful and exciting Bulldog team of 2007.
Who could forget about the long-overdue homecoming of the baseball team? With the opening of Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field, the Bulldogs finally have a home again, after years of being in a sort of exile at Avista Stadium. More than just creating one of the best atmospheres for watching college baseball in the Northwest, the stadium gave Gonzaga back its baseball team, as fans were able to proudly watch as the Bulldogs delivered a winning record in their first year back on campus.
Who could forget about the men's soccer team's wild ride? A schizophrenic season in which the Bulldogs seemed both Jekyll (beating defending-champs UC-Santa Barbara) and Hyde (a 1-4-3 stretch to end the season) climaxed with an improbable berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Who could forget about the power the women's soccer team showed this year? The Bulldogs finished 12-7-1, tying the team record for wins. And although they came back down to Earth in conference play, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more exciting period this year than the Bulldogs' record-breaking eight-game unbeaten streak.
And even with the pitfalls of last spring, who could forget about the new-look Bulldogs of late 2007? Austin Daye and company are quickly showing that their fans should let go of the apathy and bitterness from last year and embrace this new team.
Gene Hackman said it best in "Hoosiers": "I would hope you'd support who we are, not who we are not." In 2007, Bulldog teams across the sports spectrum showed who they are, showed their commitment, strength and perseverance.
That truly is Gonzaga. These were your teams.
Gonzaga isn't off-court mishaps and disappointments, no matter how easy it may be to allow those to be the focus of this past year. The Bulldog spirit that Gonzaga truly loves was there in 2007.
All you have to do is remember.
Phrases like "psychedelic mushrooms," "possession" and "suspended indefinitely" will stir up painful memories. Thoughts on Year One A.A. (After Adam) will only arouse visions of missed opportunities and failed expectations. On the surface, it would seem like the legacy of 2007 was that it would only be remembered for what went wrong.
But don't do it.
Don't give in to that temptation.
To do so would mean to forget the great accomplishments of 2007. It would mean to overlook just how special 2007 really was to many of our Bulldog men and women, and how much their achievements only reinforce what we love about Gonzaga sports.
Who could forget about the emergence of the women's basketball team? The Bulldogs caught fire at the end of last season, losing only one regular season game after January and advancing to their first NCAA Tournament. They've been even hotter this year. Bringing in versatile freshman point guard Courtney Vandersloot and redshirts Tiffanie Shives and Janelle Bekkering, the Bulldogs have been a gunslinging team, averaging 84 points per game en route to a 4-1 record. Credit the amazing job Kelly Graves did of bringing this team together and getting them to buy into the team concept. He now has himself a budding powerhouse, and the most successful and exciting Bulldog team of 2007.
Who could forget about the long-overdue homecoming of the baseball team? With the opening of Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field, the Bulldogs finally have a home again, after years of being in a sort of exile at Avista Stadium. More than just creating one of the best atmospheres for watching college baseball in the Northwest, the stadium gave Gonzaga back its baseball team, as fans were able to proudly watch as the Bulldogs delivered a winning record in their first year back on campus.
Who could forget about the men's soccer team's wild ride? A schizophrenic season in which the Bulldogs seemed both Jekyll (beating defending-champs UC-Santa Barbara) and Hyde (a 1-4-3 stretch to end the season) climaxed with an improbable berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Who could forget about the power the women's soccer team showed this year? The Bulldogs finished 12-7-1, tying the team record for wins. And although they came back down to Earth in conference play, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more exciting period this year than the Bulldogs' record-breaking eight-game unbeaten streak.
And even with the pitfalls of last spring, who could forget about the new-look Bulldogs of late 2007? Austin Daye and company are quickly showing that their fans should let go of the apathy and bitterness from last year and embrace this new team.
Gene Hackman said it best in "Hoosiers": "I would hope you'd support who we are, not who we are not." In 2007, Bulldog teams across the sports spectrum showed who they are, showed their commitment, strength and perseverance.
That truly is Gonzaga. These were your teams.
Gonzaga isn't off-court mishaps and disappointments, no matter how easy it may be to allow those to be the focus of this past year. The Bulldog spirit that Gonzaga truly loves was there in 2007.
All you have to do is remember.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Sportscamp Blog 11/18
- Well, for anyone who ever dismissed "Game of Shadows," it sure seems like many of the things it brought up are coming true. First Marion Jones admits to using performance-enhancing drugs, now Barry Bonds gets indicted for perjury about lying about taking steroids. I have one thing to say:PHHBBBBBBBBBBBBBTTTTTTTTTTT!!!
- I don't get the schizoprhenic Trail Blazers this season. First they can beat teams like Dallas and Detroit fairly convincingly, but then they can blow a 25-point lead to the 76ers (!) of all teams, before losing to a Wizards team without Gilbert Arenas. The main thing this team needs to learn is consistency; being able to bring that same intensity to the big games as to the small ones.
Of course, let's be patient, these guys are still a young team. Give them time to develop.
- However, some of the personel of the Blazers need to shape up for the team to be successful. I love Steve Blake's intensity and his ballhandling, but the guy needs to learn how to shoot! He's only shooting 35 percent from the field, and an abysmal 27 percent from the 3-point line. I thought we brought him in to shore up our long range shooting? Where's his touch that he showed in the black and red two years ago?
Don't get me started about Channing Frye. Let me say this, if the second unit is so week that you move your best defender (Joel Przybilla, who else?) to the bench and move Channing Frye to the starting center spot, its not a good sign. He's only averaging 3.5 rebounds per game, and has played some of the worst defense I've ever seen from a "center." He just looks clueless out there, with his back turned to cutters, not recovering quickly, and committing dumb fouls. I'm not sure he is much of an upgrade from Z-Bo. Yeah, I said it.
- The Gonzaga Bulldogs are looking good right now, but lets have them play a good team before we annoint them as the best team Gonzaga has ever had.
- The Browns? 6-4? Are you kidding?
- I don't get the schizoprhenic Trail Blazers this season. First they can beat teams like Dallas and Detroit fairly convincingly, but then they can blow a 25-point lead to the 76ers (!) of all teams, before losing to a Wizards team without Gilbert Arenas. The main thing this team needs to learn is consistency; being able to bring that same intensity to the big games as to the small ones.
Of course, let's be patient, these guys are still a young team. Give them time to develop.
- However, some of the personel of the Blazers need to shape up for the team to be successful. I love Steve Blake's intensity and his ballhandling, but the guy needs to learn how to shoot! He's only shooting 35 percent from the field, and an abysmal 27 percent from the 3-point line. I thought we brought him in to shore up our long range shooting? Where's his touch that he showed in the black and red two years ago?
Don't get me started about Channing Frye. Let me say this, if the second unit is so week that you move your best defender (Joel Przybilla, who else?) to the bench and move Channing Frye to the starting center spot, its not a good sign. He's only averaging 3.5 rebounds per game, and has played some of the worst defense I've ever seen from a "center." He just looks clueless out there, with his back turned to cutters, not recovering quickly, and committing dumb fouls. I'm not sure he is much of an upgrade from Z-Bo. Yeah, I said it.
- The Gonzaga Bulldogs are looking good right now, but lets have them play a good team before we annoint them as the best team Gonzaga has ever had.
- The Browns? 6-4? Are you kidding?
Thursday, November 15, 2007
A conduct code violation
The following is an open letter from the presidents of Guard University.
We here at Guard U have always enjoyed a certain level of ... consistency.
Dating back to the days of yore when this University was founded, the "Santangelo era" as we call it, we've always held ourselves to a certain standard. The Guard U Code of Conduct and Mission Statement adopted after the events of March 1999 were meant to ensure that all future generations at Guard U will not dare deviate from this established, consistent norm. After all, we were finally successful, and to maintain that success we adopted the Code of Conduct.
It reads: "All those who proudly don the Guard U colors hereby will forever wind the shot clock down, forever deter motion on offense, and forever allow the dribble penetration of one stand for the play of many." Don't mess with success.
However, it seems that the new class entering our ranks this year is choosing not to take that mission statement to heart. This letter is meant to ask those involved to cease and desist with their unusual actions.
To us here at Guard U, this is truly disappointing, but it's not like we didn't see this coming. That long-haired counter-culture advocate Adam Morrison started this trend a few years ago, claiming that life existed inside the three-point line and that it should be explored by slashers and big men. Naturally, this claim was dismissed, and last year we returned to our normal core curriculum.
Now this year's team seems to be taking up that foolish cause yet again. It seems to be headed by Jeremy Pargo, and his focus on athleticism over the usual stability has corrupted the minds of young men who follow him, like Austin Daye, Steven Gray and Larry Gurganious. They've moved away from the mission statement.
We've always expected our students to adhere to a strict regimen of halfcourt sets, perimeter passing and slow offense. But now, we're seeing something different. Cutting? Slashing? Those things are usually seen in a horror movie, not on a Gonzaga basketball court.
These bad apples have influenced other players as well with their deviating ways. The team's big men now think that they can do more besides grab rebounds and hand off to the guards. They think that they can post up, dish to cutters and throw outlet passes.
Here at Guard U, we take our image very seriously, and this corruption into athletic, energized play must stop immediately.
We on the board just can't take it anymore. We long for the sound of shot clock buzzers over the current sounds of rim-rattling and Kennel shaking.
Anything different truly frightens us. When we miraculously made the Elite Eight in 1999, we decided then and there to maintain that same level. We knew what methods worked, and any deviation from those methods could have resulted in not achieving that same level of success again.
We wanted to stay safe.
Risk is not something we here at Guard U like to dabble in. We don't want to even think of changing our institution, even if some believe that the reward would be greater than we have ever seen. Our courage isn't strong enough; we don't want to risk forfeiting our consistency.
Therefore, we strongly urge this year's team to attempt to keep things safe, normal ... and consistent. After all, with this newfound energy, excitement and athleticism, who knows what could end up happening to us?
We here at Guard U have always enjoyed a certain level of ... consistency.
Dating back to the days of yore when this University was founded, the "Santangelo era" as we call it, we've always held ourselves to a certain standard. The Guard U Code of Conduct and Mission Statement adopted after the events of March 1999 were meant to ensure that all future generations at Guard U will not dare deviate from this established, consistent norm. After all, we were finally successful, and to maintain that success we adopted the Code of Conduct.
It reads: "All those who proudly don the Guard U colors hereby will forever wind the shot clock down, forever deter motion on offense, and forever allow the dribble penetration of one stand for the play of many." Don't mess with success.
However, it seems that the new class entering our ranks this year is choosing not to take that mission statement to heart. This letter is meant to ask those involved to cease and desist with their unusual actions.
To us here at Guard U, this is truly disappointing, but it's not like we didn't see this coming. That long-haired counter-culture advocate Adam Morrison started this trend a few years ago, claiming that life existed inside the three-point line and that it should be explored by slashers and big men. Naturally, this claim was dismissed, and last year we returned to our normal core curriculum.
Now this year's team seems to be taking up that foolish cause yet again. It seems to be headed by Jeremy Pargo, and his focus on athleticism over the usual stability has corrupted the minds of young men who follow him, like Austin Daye, Steven Gray and Larry Gurganious. They've moved away from the mission statement.
We've always expected our students to adhere to a strict regimen of halfcourt sets, perimeter passing and slow offense. But now, we're seeing something different. Cutting? Slashing? Those things are usually seen in a horror movie, not on a Gonzaga basketball court.
These bad apples have influenced other players as well with their deviating ways. The team's big men now think that they can do more besides grab rebounds and hand off to the guards. They think that they can post up, dish to cutters and throw outlet passes.
Here at Guard U, we take our image very seriously, and this corruption into athletic, energized play must stop immediately.
We on the board just can't take it anymore. We long for the sound of shot clock buzzers over the current sounds of rim-rattling and Kennel shaking.
Anything different truly frightens us. When we miraculously made the Elite Eight in 1999, we decided then and there to maintain that same level. We knew what methods worked, and any deviation from those methods could have resulted in not achieving that same level of success again.
We wanted to stay safe.
Risk is not something we here at Guard U like to dabble in. We don't want to even think of changing our institution, even if some believe that the reward would be greater than we have ever seen. Our courage isn't strong enough; we don't want to risk forfeiting our consistency.
Therefore, we strongly urge this year's team to attempt to keep things safe, normal ... and consistent. After all, with this newfound energy, excitement and athleticism, who knows what could end up happening to us?
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Kennel spirit hung over
Seats 1 through 6 in section 106, row 1 of the McCarthey Athletic Center are dedicated to the founders of the Kennel Club, the veritable Gonzaga institution meant to spark support for the basketball team.
It is fortunate that those six men are long gone and graduated, because it would be a terrible shame for them to see what their club has devolved into.
The Kennel Club had developed a stigma over the past several years. Once known as the social group that inspired some of the best team spirit in the nation, it seems the group's most accurate description now is the resident "frat house" at basketball games.
It started innocently enough, as the chants at basketball games got a little raunchier here and there, but you could forgive that as simply a bunch of fans trying to maintain the homecourt edge. But they soon got worse. The "Brokeback Mountain" and "you, you, you (rhymes with witch)" chants being the obvious examples.
Since then, the entire mindset - and subsequently the identity - of the Kennel Club has changed. At basketball games, the Kennel is nothing more than a haven for drunken men to scream obscenities and for women to wear revealing clothes and grind to hip-hop. Slowly, this faction took over the Kennel, with those who were serious about supporting the team being pushed to the minority. This was most evident last year; suddenly the cheering become more intermittent, the support less enthusiastic, the motor skills a little more impaired.
You got the feeling that many in that group didn't have cheering as their top priority. Rather, the basketball game was merely a distraction, something to take drunken pictures at before blacking out and forgetting about it by the next day. It's a bad sign when the home crowd is struggling like Joe Namath to spit out a sentence.
The Kennel board saw all of this happening, and only watched as this perception spread from the stands to the campus.
At one point, the Bulldogs could have boasted that they had the nation's best fans, with enthusiasm so big that opposing teams would shiver. Then, when the team hit a rough patch last year, what little threads of total enthusiasm that were left gave way to this group of inebriated undergrads. In turn, this eliminated the Kennel's uniqueness, as their ascension to the forefront of the Kennel made Gonzaga's fans look no more special than any other college fans.
With all of this going on right underneath their noses, how can the Kennel board be proud of this?
As the ones in charge of fan support, it is their responsibility to maintain the image of Gonzaga's fans. Last year especially, when the erosion became more obvious, they could have done something about it. They could have set an example or made a statement, something to show that Gonzaga fans were special.
Instead, they sold key chains for house parties.
So much for fixing the image, boys.
The new leaders of this year's Kennel Club are now presented with a unique opportunity: They have the power to change things. Will they continue to head down the current path, where parties and profanity currently define the Kennel Club, or will they realize what made the Kennel Club so important in the first place, the identity it gives to Gonzaga basketball? In their position, this year's Kennel board has a chance to erase the stigma surrounding the group, and bring basketball back to the forefront.
The ball is in their court now, and with game time approaching on whether change can be made, you can only hope they didn't go out drinking the night before their big game.
It is fortunate that those six men are long gone and graduated, because it would be a terrible shame for them to see what their club has devolved into.
The Kennel Club had developed a stigma over the past several years. Once known as the social group that inspired some of the best team spirit in the nation, it seems the group's most accurate description now is the resident "frat house" at basketball games.
It started innocently enough, as the chants at basketball games got a little raunchier here and there, but you could forgive that as simply a bunch of fans trying to maintain the homecourt edge. But they soon got worse. The "Brokeback Mountain" and "you, you, you (rhymes with witch)" chants being the obvious examples.
Since then, the entire mindset - and subsequently the identity - of the Kennel Club has changed. At basketball games, the Kennel is nothing more than a haven for drunken men to scream obscenities and for women to wear revealing clothes and grind to hip-hop. Slowly, this faction took over the Kennel, with those who were serious about supporting the team being pushed to the minority. This was most evident last year; suddenly the cheering become more intermittent, the support less enthusiastic, the motor skills a little more impaired.
You got the feeling that many in that group didn't have cheering as their top priority. Rather, the basketball game was merely a distraction, something to take drunken pictures at before blacking out and forgetting about it by the next day. It's a bad sign when the home crowd is struggling like Joe Namath to spit out a sentence.
The Kennel board saw all of this happening, and only watched as this perception spread from the stands to the campus.
At one point, the Bulldogs could have boasted that they had the nation's best fans, with enthusiasm so big that opposing teams would shiver. Then, when the team hit a rough patch last year, what little threads of total enthusiasm that were left gave way to this group of inebriated undergrads. In turn, this eliminated the Kennel's uniqueness, as their ascension to the forefront of the Kennel made Gonzaga's fans look no more special than any other college fans.
With all of this going on right underneath their noses, how can the Kennel board be proud of this?
As the ones in charge of fan support, it is their responsibility to maintain the image of Gonzaga's fans. Last year especially, when the erosion became more obvious, they could have done something about it. They could have set an example or made a statement, something to show that Gonzaga fans were special.
Instead, they sold key chains for house parties.
So much for fixing the image, boys.
The new leaders of this year's Kennel Club are now presented with a unique opportunity: They have the power to change things. Will they continue to head down the current path, where parties and profanity currently define the Kennel Club, or will they realize what made the Kennel Club so important in the first place, the identity it gives to Gonzaga basketball? In their position, this year's Kennel board has a chance to erase the stigma surrounding the group, and bring basketball back to the forefront.
The ball is in their court now, and with game time approaching on whether change can be made, you can only hope they didn't go out drinking the night before their big game.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Out of obscurity ... a new hero emerges!
The fans in the Kennel had waited for hours in line to witness this moment. Finally, during the pregame player introductions, that moment came, and the throng of Zags fanatics in the crowd let out a thunderous ovation.
But these cheers were not for a returning superstar. These cheers were not for a highly touted freshman recruit. No, the biggest ovation of the night was for the smallest guy on the court, junior walk-on from Quincy, Wash., Chris Pontarolo-Maag.
"P-Maag!"
"It was an awesome experience," a smiling Pontarolo-Maag said after the scrimmage. "I was stoked, and a little nervous, more than a little nervous!"
In a Bulldogs season that features storylines about redemption, leadership and expectation, perhaps the best one of all is Pontarolo-Maag's story of triumph.
Friday's scrimmage was the culmination of three years of work for Pontarolo-Maag. He had attempted to make the Bulldogs as a walk-on in each of the past two years. Both times, he met rejection.
He was an afterthought, a footnote. They never even knew his name, but P-Maag was going to make sure they learned it.
Pontarolo-Maag continued to work hard every off-season, determined to improve his game despite the odds against him.
"When you first talk to them, they give you some pretty serious statistics about how few people make it," he said.
Nevertheless, he wasn't about to give up on his dream just yet, and his resolve made an impression on junior Andrew Sorenson, an acquaintance-turned-teammate.
"I had assumed that he was probably going to be one of the guys who were going to try out," Sorensen said. "He was the one guy you would have thought could make it, because he works so hard."
Sorensen himself made the team as a walk-on two years ago in a tryout in which Pontarolo-Maag was cut, a fact P-Maag took to heart during his journey to become a Bulldog.
"It showed me that someone can actually make it as a walk-on," he said. "That gave me a little boost right there to just keep working."
Finally, on his third attempt as a walk-on, Pontarolo-Maag was rewarded for his efforts with that long-coveted roster spot.
"I was glad that all the work paid off," he said. "Eventually, if you keep working on something, you can achieve your goals."
Now, he finds himself alongside the players he watched from a distance in years past, but his passion for Gonzaga basketball and his drive for so many years to join those ranks have kept him humble. For a guy who will see little if any playing time this season, Pontarolo-Maag still gives his all every opportunity he has, all in the name of the team.
His team.
"This program has always been about hard-working guys, guys who are about doing whatever it takes to get the job done," Sorensen said. "He is another one of those guys who will give up his body for the team. He fits right in."
And when Pontarolo-Maag finally took the court for the first time in the team scrimmage, he couldn't help but feel a few butterflies at the power of it all.
"I actually messed up on the drill! I was supposed to take the next pass on the layup drill, but I just followed behind Andrew and looked stupid!"
But for those in attendance, all they saw was a Bulldog.
But these cheers were not for a returning superstar. These cheers were not for a highly touted freshman recruit. No, the biggest ovation of the night was for the smallest guy on the court, junior walk-on from Quincy, Wash., Chris Pontarolo-Maag.
"P-Maag!"
"It was an awesome experience," a smiling Pontarolo-Maag said after the scrimmage. "I was stoked, and a little nervous, more than a little nervous!"
In a Bulldogs season that features storylines about redemption, leadership and expectation, perhaps the best one of all is Pontarolo-Maag's story of triumph.
Friday's scrimmage was the culmination of three years of work for Pontarolo-Maag. He had attempted to make the Bulldogs as a walk-on in each of the past two years. Both times, he met rejection.
He was an afterthought, a footnote. They never even knew his name, but P-Maag was going to make sure they learned it.
Pontarolo-Maag continued to work hard every off-season, determined to improve his game despite the odds against him.
"When you first talk to them, they give you some pretty serious statistics about how few people make it," he said.
Nevertheless, he wasn't about to give up on his dream just yet, and his resolve made an impression on junior Andrew Sorenson, an acquaintance-turned-teammate.
"I had assumed that he was probably going to be one of the guys who were going to try out," Sorensen said. "He was the one guy you would have thought could make it, because he works so hard."
Sorensen himself made the team as a walk-on two years ago in a tryout in which Pontarolo-Maag was cut, a fact P-Maag took to heart during his journey to become a Bulldog.
"It showed me that someone can actually make it as a walk-on," he said. "That gave me a little boost right there to just keep working."
Finally, on his third attempt as a walk-on, Pontarolo-Maag was rewarded for his efforts with that long-coveted roster spot.
"I was glad that all the work paid off," he said. "Eventually, if you keep working on something, you can achieve your goals."
Now, he finds himself alongside the players he watched from a distance in years past, but his passion for Gonzaga basketball and his drive for so many years to join those ranks have kept him humble. For a guy who will see little if any playing time this season, Pontarolo-Maag still gives his all every opportunity he has, all in the name of the team.
His team.
"This program has always been about hard-working guys, guys who are about doing whatever it takes to get the job done," Sorensen said. "He is another one of those guys who will give up his body for the team. He fits right in."
And when Pontarolo-Maag finally took the court for the first time in the team scrimmage, he couldn't help but feel a few butterflies at the power of it all.
"I actually messed up on the drill! I was supposed to take the next pass on the layup drill, but I just followed behind Andrew and looked stupid!"
But for those in attendance, all they saw was a Bulldog.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
With ESPN, Reilly sells out
Rick Reilly sold his soul to the devil.
That was the first thought that entered countless readers' minds earlier this week when it was announced that the veteran Sports Illustrated columnist had given the finger to SI and was leaving for a gig with ESPN.
Reilly's move was unexpected, but thanks to the rumored 10 million reasons he was given by ESPN, the respected sports journalist is now cashing in his morals and teaming up with a network that couldn't find the word journalism if it was written on its teleprompters.
As a columnist, Reilly represented everything ESPN was not and he campaigned against the devolution of sports journalism that ESPN has epitomized in recent years. Sports had taken a backseat to entertainment, with the airwaves filled with pundits screaming at each other in split screen, reporters who had biased relationships with athletes and an overall lacks substance. While it remains the No. 1 source of sports news, their in-depth coverage of sports has given way to non-stop self-promotion of nearly all of the network's personalities.
Whereas ESPN dominated sports coverage with sound bites and trivial viewpoints, Reilly managed to maintain the gravitas of sports without blowing it out of proportion. To Reilly, sports wasn't the biggest thing in the world, but he understood the times when it needed to seem that way. He didn't write about sports, he wrote about people, which appealed to the casual and die-hard fan alike.
Now he's joined the worldwide leader in the bastardization of sports coverage.
ESPN's daily agenda is obvious every time you tune in to SportsCenter: appealing to the lowest common denominator in the biggest U.S. markets. If something doesn't appeal to the big-time cities, it doesn't appeal to ESPN. Reilly has now put himself in a position where his columns on the sports everyman will face one of two scenarios: Either they'll be exploited for cheap tears and laughs, or altered to fit better within coverage of New York and Los Angeles.
Reilly knows this better than most: He's seen his material ripped off by ESPN for its own promotion a number of times. Yet, the sound of those millions tend to drown out any ethical thoughts.
The track record of how ESPN handles big-time writers is insulting, with journalists being turned into talking heads with any unique viewpoints being dummed down. Just look at Scoop Jackson, whose formerly uncensored and thought-provoking stance on sports, race and culture has been curtailed to the point of near non-importance. This is a terrible insult to a writer of his caliber.
Now, how long will it be before we see Reilly's columns pigeon-holed into topics and peppered with inside jokes and self-promotion? Reilly knows exactly what he is getting into, and while we can hope that he breaks the mold and makes changes at ESPN, the network has a way of homogenizing the views it expresses.
In his book "Hate Mail from Cheerleaders," Reilly commented about a harsh column he wrote criticizing Mark McGwire and expressed his dissatisfaction with the ESPN approach.
"Real journalism, as opposed to the I-can't-rip-him-he-plays-in-my-golf-tournament kind perpetrated by certain ESPN anchors, can't protect friends when they screw up," Reilly wrote.
But standards can take a backseat when the price is right, eh Rick?
That was the first thought that entered countless readers' minds earlier this week when it was announced that the veteran Sports Illustrated columnist had given the finger to SI and was leaving for a gig with ESPN.
Reilly's move was unexpected, but thanks to the rumored 10 million reasons he was given by ESPN, the respected sports journalist is now cashing in his morals and teaming up with a network that couldn't find the word journalism if it was written on its teleprompters.
As a columnist, Reilly represented everything ESPN was not and he campaigned against the devolution of sports journalism that ESPN has epitomized in recent years. Sports had taken a backseat to entertainment, with the airwaves filled with pundits screaming at each other in split screen, reporters who had biased relationships with athletes and an overall lacks substance. While it remains the No. 1 source of sports news, their in-depth coverage of sports has given way to non-stop self-promotion of nearly all of the network's personalities.
Whereas ESPN dominated sports coverage with sound bites and trivial viewpoints, Reilly managed to maintain the gravitas of sports without blowing it out of proportion. To Reilly, sports wasn't the biggest thing in the world, but he understood the times when it needed to seem that way. He didn't write about sports, he wrote about people, which appealed to the casual and die-hard fan alike.
Now he's joined the worldwide leader in the bastardization of sports coverage.
ESPN's daily agenda is obvious every time you tune in to SportsCenter: appealing to the lowest common denominator in the biggest U.S. markets. If something doesn't appeal to the big-time cities, it doesn't appeal to ESPN. Reilly has now put himself in a position where his columns on the sports everyman will face one of two scenarios: Either they'll be exploited for cheap tears and laughs, or altered to fit better within coverage of New York and Los Angeles.
Reilly knows this better than most: He's seen his material ripped off by ESPN for its own promotion a number of times. Yet, the sound of those millions tend to drown out any ethical thoughts.
The track record of how ESPN handles big-time writers is insulting, with journalists being turned into talking heads with any unique viewpoints being dummed down. Just look at Scoop Jackson, whose formerly uncensored and thought-provoking stance on sports, race and culture has been curtailed to the point of near non-importance. This is a terrible insult to a writer of his caliber.
Now, how long will it be before we see Reilly's columns pigeon-holed into topics and peppered with inside jokes and self-promotion? Reilly knows exactly what he is getting into, and while we can hope that he breaks the mold and makes changes at ESPN, the network has a way of homogenizing the views it expresses.
In his book "Hate Mail from Cheerleaders," Reilly commented about a harsh column he wrote criticizing Mark McGwire and expressed his dissatisfaction with the ESPN approach.
"Real journalism, as opposed to the I-can't-rip-him-he-plays-in-my-golf-tournament kind perpetrated by certain ESPN anchors, can't protect friends when they screw up," Reilly wrote.
But standards can take a backseat when the price is right, eh Rick?
Friday, October 19, 2007
Cellar-dwellers keep crashing October's party
You've got to hand it to Major League Baseball: Every October they give us new reasons to watch.
In each postseason for the past six years, baseball fans have been fortunate enough to witness something out of the ordinary. And it has all culminated this year as - I never thought I'd write this sentence - the Colorado Rockies are in the World Series.
The same Rockies who finished fourth or lower in the NL West division 10 times in their first 15 seasons? The same Rockies that have an overall franchise win percentage of .471? The same Rockies that finished with only 76 wins a year ago?
Yes, those Rockies.
Once the butt of countless jokes throughout baseball circles, the Rockies' undefeated run through the playoffs has them finally in the Fall Classic, with a realistic chance of bringing a title to Denver.
The great thing about the Rockies is that they're unknown. Honestly, besides Todd Helton, name me five players on Colorado's roster . . . unless you're from Denver, it can't be done. Let's face it, even people in Colorado didn't like the Rockies as of two years ago, and yet fans can't help but jump on the bandwagon. They're a team of nobodies on the verge of a championship, which is exactly what fans love about a baseball underdog.
Of course, the Rockies are the latest example of the lovable-losers-turned-unlikely-winners-scenario that has kept baseball fun these past few years. White Sox, Red Sox, Tigers, Marlins and Astros - none of these teams was ever associated with championships, yet they continue to reignite every postseason. Even when the dark cloud of steroids continues to cast a shadow over America's pastime, these teams come along and exude that underdog quality, capturing the support of baseball fans everywhere.
The Arizona Diamondbacks won a title in just their fourth year of existence in 2001, taking down the mighty New York Yankees. The Florida Marlins beat the Yankees in 2003 after starting that season 19-29. In both cases, the World Series winner was an expansion team from the 1990s, just like a certain team from Colorado. I'm just saying.
More than simply the expansion franchises, teams with a history of losing are getting in on the October action. The Detroit Tigers, who lost 119 games in 2003, went to the World Series in 2006. With so many teams making the World Series whose legacies consisted solely of losing before, all we need now are Devil Rays/Brewers and Royals/Pirates matchups in the next two Series for the 2000 decade to truly be the Loser-Takes-All Era!
One thing you can't accuse the MLB of being is stale. With all the talk about how big-market teams are hoarding the best talent, spending money that small-market teams don't have, you would think that the New Yorks of the league have had a monopoly on success, and any sense of parity had gone out the window. And yet, look at the teams that have been left standing each of the past six Octobers: not only have the majority been the underdogs or small- to mid-market teams, there's been a different champion every year since 2000.
Everyone loves an underdog, but it is what the Rockies aren't that continues to make them so appealing. They're not overpaid superstars, they're not household names, and they aren't the typical hyped-up championship team. Above all, what matters most to fans is that they're fun to root for.
That's what October baseball is all about.
In each postseason for the past six years, baseball fans have been fortunate enough to witness something out of the ordinary. And it has all culminated this year as - I never thought I'd write this sentence - the Colorado Rockies are in the World Series.
The same Rockies who finished fourth or lower in the NL West division 10 times in their first 15 seasons? The same Rockies that have an overall franchise win percentage of .471? The same Rockies that finished with only 76 wins a year ago?
Yes, those Rockies.
Once the butt of countless jokes throughout baseball circles, the Rockies' undefeated run through the playoffs has them finally in the Fall Classic, with a realistic chance of bringing a title to Denver.
The great thing about the Rockies is that they're unknown. Honestly, besides Todd Helton, name me five players on Colorado's roster . . . unless you're from Denver, it can't be done. Let's face it, even people in Colorado didn't like the Rockies as of two years ago, and yet fans can't help but jump on the bandwagon. They're a team of nobodies on the verge of a championship, which is exactly what fans love about a baseball underdog.
Of course, the Rockies are the latest example of the lovable-losers-turned-unlikely-winners-scenario that has kept baseball fun these past few years. White Sox, Red Sox, Tigers, Marlins and Astros - none of these teams was ever associated with championships, yet they continue to reignite every postseason. Even when the dark cloud of steroids continues to cast a shadow over America's pastime, these teams come along and exude that underdog quality, capturing the support of baseball fans everywhere.
The Arizona Diamondbacks won a title in just their fourth year of existence in 2001, taking down the mighty New York Yankees. The Florida Marlins beat the Yankees in 2003 after starting that season 19-29. In both cases, the World Series winner was an expansion team from the 1990s, just like a certain team from Colorado. I'm just saying.
More than simply the expansion franchises, teams with a history of losing are getting in on the October action. The Detroit Tigers, who lost 119 games in 2003, went to the World Series in 2006. With so many teams making the World Series whose legacies consisted solely of losing before, all we need now are Devil Rays/Brewers and Royals/Pirates matchups in the next two Series for the 2000 decade to truly be the Loser-Takes-All Era!
One thing you can't accuse the MLB of being is stale. With all the talk about how big-market teams are hoarding the best talent, spending money that small-market teams don't have, you would think that the New Yorks of the league have had a monopoly on success, and any sense of parity had gone out the window. And yet, look at the teams that have been left standing each of the past six Octobers: not only have the majority been the underdogs or small- to mid-market teams, there's been a different champion every year since 2000.
Everyone loves an underdog, but it is what the Rockies aren't that continues to make them so appealing. They're not overpaid superstars, they're not household names, and they aren't the typical hyped-up championship team. Above all, what matters most to fans is that they're fun to root for.
That's what October baseball is all about.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Dickau keeps the faith
He's been from Phoenix, Arizona, all the way to Tacoma; from Dallas to Atlanta to LA.
He's been to northern California, where the reception was anything but warm, and had a successful yet all-too-brief stint in New Orleans.
Meet the epitome of the word "journeyman," former Zag Dan Dickau.
Early last week, Dickau's contract was bought out by the New York Knicks, whom he had been traded to this past June as part of the Zach Randolph deal. This is the latest step in Dickau's career which began on draft night 2002, when he was traded from Sacramento and began an up-and-down career in which he's been traded eight times in his first five years.
And yet, Dan Dickau feels ... blessed?
"I'm blessed to do what I do," Dickau said. "It just so happens that I play a sport that God has blessed me with ability for."
This doesn't seem like the typical reaction of a man who's played for as many teams as Dickau has in his short career. He's been on the roster for three teams for which he never played a minute (Sacramento, Golden State, New York). He played just four games in Dallas. He was traded after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Boston. He's even been traded twice by Portland, his hometown team.
This constant rejection should have completely killed Dickau's confidence, right?
"No. I'm in the NBA for a reason, and I get my confidence through God, not through some coach telling me I'm going to play or not play that night," he said. "It gets frustrating at times, but it's never taken away my confidence."
This guy's been a throw-in more times than a towel, having been nothing more than salary cap balance in trades for Rasheed Wallace, Nick Van Exel, Erick Dampier and Randolph. And yet still, he holds no grudges?
"Professional sports is a business," he said. "I've been included in trades because of my salary, but it's never personal, it's just what a front office believes needs to happen for a team to get better."
With an attitude like that, you begin to believe that Dickau really is blessed.
Despite all of the uncertainty of where he'll lace 'em up next, the improbability of getting significant minutes - one thing you can't say about Dan Dickau is that he is a quitter. He has always kept his head up, and no matter what circumstances surround him, the man always has a job.
Dickau has never once been out of the league. Never once has he been demoted to the D-League, never had to travel overseas and has never once been without an NBA home. As soon as his time with one NBA team ends, a new team comes knocking on his door, something he attributes to hard work and faith.
"As a rookie you come in with goals of being an all-star, but there are only a few all-stars in this league," he said. "But you have to keep setting your goals super high in order to become a better player in the league."
He could have given up, complained about his situation, or taken an easier road, but it hasn't happened. Dickau remains set on his goal of playing in the NBA and even though his path has not been as easy as he might have thought, he has remained a consummate professional.
"I'm at the point where I want to have a role and help a team, and I want to be on a team that has a chance to win a championship," he said.
And in the end, there's always a payoff. In fact, a day after being released by the Knicks, Dickau signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
See? Persistence pays off. You may just have to take a few knocks to truly appreciate it.
He's been to northern California, where the reception was anything but warm, and had a successful yet all-too-brief stint in New Orleans.
Meet the epitome of the word "journeyman," former Zag Dan Dickau.
Early last week, Dickau's contract was bought out by the New York Knicks, whom he had been traded to this past June as part of the Zach Randolph deal. This is the latest step in Dickau's career which began on draft night 2002, when he was traded from Sacramento and began an up-and-down career in which he's been traded eight times in his first five years.
And yet, Dan Dickau feels ... blessed?
"I'm blessed to do what I do," Dickau said. "It just so happens that I play a sport that God has blessed me with ability for."
This doesn't seem like the typical reaction of a man who's played for as many teams as Dickau has in his short career. He's been on the roster for three teams for which he never played a minute (Sacramento, Golden State, New York). He played just four games in Dallas. He was traded after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Boston. He's even been traded twice by Portland, his hometown team.
This constant rejection should have completely killed Dickau's confidence, right?
"No. I'm in the NBA for a reason, and I get my confidence through God, not through some coach telling me I'm going to play or not play that night," he said. "It gets frustrating at times, but it's never taken away my confidence."
This guy's been a throw-in more times than a towel, having been nothing more than salary cap balance in trades for Rasheed Wallace, Nick Van Exel, Erick Dampier and Randolph. And yet still, he holds no grudges?
"Professional sports is a business," he said. "I've been included in trades because of my salary, but it's never personal, it's just what a front office believes needs to happen for a team to get better."
With an attitude like that, you begin to believe that Dickau really is blessed.
Despite all of the uncertainty of where he'll lace 'em up next, the improbability of getting significant minutes - one thing you can't say about Dan Dickau is that he is a quitter. He has always kept his head up, and no matter what circumstances surround him, the man always has a job.
Dickau has never once been out of the league. Never once has he been demoted to the D-League, never had to travel overseas and has never once been without an NBA home. As soon as his time with one NBA team ends, a new team comes knocking on his door, something he attributes to hard work and faith.
"As a rookie you come in with goals of being an all-star, but there are only a few all-stars in this league," he said. "But you have to keep setting your goals super high in order to become a better player in the league."
He could have given up, complained about his situation, or taken an easier road, but it hasn't happened. Dickau remains set on his goal of playing in the NBA and even though his path has not been as easy as he might have thought, he has remained a consummate professional.
"I'm at the point where I want to have a role and help a team, and I want to be on a team that has a chance to win a championship," he said.
And in the end, there's always a payoff. In fact, a day after being released by the Knicks, Dickau signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
See? Persistence pays off. You may just have to take a few knocks to truly appreciate it.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
God, curses, and our teams
This column was going to be an open letter to God, asking him why he has continued to afflict my favorite sports teams with various ailments as of late.
I was going to plead to let up on all the punishment, from Greg Oden's season-ending knee surgery, to the mysterious return of Brandon Roy's misaligned talus bone, to the Chicago Cubs' strange fascination with swinging at pitches in the dirt during this NLDS.
Then, as I attempting to check the word count on it, the text suddenly vanished, nowhere to be found. Try as I might, I couldn't track down a single line of my letter blaming God for everything wrong with my teams.
Apparently, God doesn't take too kindly to defamation.
It made me realize something, and that's that God doesn't care who wins or loses. If he did, the Saint would be Super Bowl champs, the Devils would be in the cellar of the NHL, and Michael Jordan would never have suited up for the Wizards.
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to root for a winning team. When it comes right down to it, it seems that some people have predisposition from birth to root for teams that are downright unlucky.
It takes a true fan to stand by these teams. Look at the Portland Trail Blazers; it seems that ever since the championship of 1977, everything has gone wrong. The injury-plague that derailed the title defense; Sam Bowie, the Jail Blazers, Greg Oden's knee. Even the years with Clyde Drexler and the gang were filled with the frustration of being unable to come away with a title for three straight years.
I'm not even going to mention the perils of Cubs fans, but lets just say that even with the nearly century-long title drought, every opportunity to erase that has been thwarted by poor pitching and lack of offense.
But there are no curses.
None.
Curses are what we desperate fans make up. We put so much love into our teams, that years of futility or missed opportunities are blamed on a higher power. It's always easier to blame something bigger than the team, like God, goats, or gimpy knees, rather than admit that the team you devote your heart and soul into simply isn't up to snuff.
But as the years go by, sometimes it seems that no matter what your team does, no matter what changes are made or what circumstances surround that season, the end result is always the same: Loss. Pain. Doubt. It's hard not to think that someone upstairs has something out for your team and finds new and more excruciating ways to torment their supporters.
It is the belief and buying into these curses that ultimately dooms the teams and its fans. When a curse becomes part of the identity of the team, then every moment thereafter is shrouded in doubt. Fans are trapped in a constant state of anomie; forever feeling helpless and eventually jaded toward the team.
God does not hate our teams. This realization is the only consolation to a haunted fanbase, and while year after year may bring still more suffering, fans need to hold on to that realization.
Faith in our teams is all we have. While the light of success at the end of the tunnel may still not be visible, you need to hold on to the faith that someday you'll see it. Because once you buy into the belief that the fate of your teams will only be that of failure, you will lose that faith.
And once that is gone, and a curse surrounds your perception of your team, you may never see your team the same again.
I was going to plead to let up on all the punishment, from Greg Oden's season-ending knee surgery, to the mysterious return of Brandon Roy's misaligned talus bone, to the Chicago Cubs' strange fascination with swinging at pitches in the dirt during this NLDS.
Then, as I attempting to check the word count on it, the text suddenly vanished, nowhere to be found. Try as I might, I couldn't track down a single line of my letter blaming God for everything wrong with my teams.
Apparently, God doesn't take too kindly to defamation.
It made me realize something, and that's that God doesn't care who wins or loses. If he did, the Saint would be Super Bowl champs, the Devils would be in the cellar of the NHL, and Michael Jordan would never have suited up for the Wizards.
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to root for a winning team. When it comes right down to it, it seems that some people have predisposition from birth to root for teams that are downright unlucky.
It takes a true fan to stand by these teams. Look at the Portland Trail Blazers; it seems that ever since the championship of 1977, everything has gone wrong. The injury-plague that derailed the title defense; Sam Bowie, the Jail Blazers, Greg Oden's knee. Even the years with Clyde Drexler and the gang were filled with the frustration of being unable to come away with a title for three straight years.
I'm not even going to mention the perils of Cubs fans, but lets just say that even with the nearly century-long title drought, every opportunity to erase that has been thwarted by poor pitching and lack of offense.
But there are no curses.
None.
Curses are what we desperate fans make up. We put so much love into our teams, that years of futility or missed opportunities are blamed on a higher power. It's always easier to blame something bigger than the team, like God, goats, or gimpy knees, rather than admit that the team you devote your heart and soul into simply isn't up to snuff.
But as the years go by, sometimes it seems that no matter what your team does, no matter what changes are made or what circumstances surround that season, the end result is always the same: Loss. Pain. Doubt. It's hard not to think that someone upstairs has something out for your team and finds new and more excruciating ways to torment their supporters.
It is the belief and buying into these curses that ultimately dooms the teams and its fans. When a curse becomes part of the identity of the team, then every moment thereafter is shrouded in doubt. Fans are trapped in a constant state of anomie; forever feeling helpless and eventually jaded toward the team.
God does not hate our teams. This realization is the only consolation to a haunted fanbase, and while year after year may bring still more suffering, fans need to hold on to that realization.
Faith in our teams is all we have. While the light of success at the end of the tunnel may still not be visible, you need to hold on to the faith that someday you'll see it. Because once you buy into the belief that the fate of your teams will only be that of failure, you will lose that faith.
And once that is gone, and a curse surrounds your perception of your team, you may never see your team the same again.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Bowl's effects go beyond game
At one moment it is the most reviled, despised, loathed and quickly dismissed institutions at Gonzaga.
Yet, at the same time, it is the most cherished, proud, uplifting and unifying of any yearly school tradition.
You're hooked as soon as you hear the question: "Whose side are you on?"
The Sausage Bowl, the annual football game pitting the young men of residence halls Catherine/Monica and DeSmet against one another, is set to make its fifth appearance this Sunday on the makeshift gridiron of Mulligan Field.
To many, the mere mention of the game arouses poor connotations, with images of a testosterone-filled slugfest that two years ago gave black eyes to competitors and to the organizers of the event. To many, it seemed, the novelty of the Sausage Bowl had run its course, and using the fighting as evidence, they claimed that the concept of the game had devolved to the point where it was no longer necessary.
But adversity, it seems, has a way of bringing out the best in those who put their strength into something they feel is important.
Undeterred by the negativity surrounding that year's events, the residents of the two halls continue to show a passion for the Sausage Bowl, one that continues to inspire the new crop of residents year after year.
It may start out as a game, but underneath, almost subconsciously, its effects are much greater.
Freshmen, forced to live together in an environment that is alien to them, often find it difficult at first to feel any substantial connection to their hall, their fellow residents or even school culture in general. But through the Sausage Bowl, a connection begins to grow. The mindset then isn't on awkward relationships, it's about how they're going to beat those punks from the other building. It's not about forcing a friendship, it's about backing up your boys and standing behind your hall.
The game unites these young men, and creates a bond that many are willing to do anything to uphold. Just look at last year's game, when then-sophomore Michael Praznik wanted so desperately to play and help DeSmet, he somehow played through a separated shoulder and grabbed two interceptions.
Even further than the players, the Sausage Bowl creates a sense of camaraderie in the Gonzaga community. It extends to supporters of the teams and their raucous fans cheering on every play. It extends to former residents of the halls, who still have some emotion vested in the game, even if they don't want to admit it. The residence hall directors and organizers of the event understand this best, and work every year to continually improve a game that is so much fun for the community.
And people say this game doesn't mean anything.
The fighting of two years ago was the unfortunate byproduct of the strong bond, as members of each team let their emotions run wild, but you can't let the actions of one group for one year affect the perception of something that means so much to freshman residents each year. The emotions are strong, but when channeled properly they are transformed into something good: a unifying feeling that affects both sides for the better.
Years down the road, these same freshmen from both halls will look back on the game with one another, laugh, and say: "We almost had you guys!"
Yet, at the same time, it is the most cherished, proud, uplifting and unifying of any yearly school tradition.
You're hooked as soon as you hear the question: "Whose side are you on?"
The Sausage Bowl, the annual football game pitting the young men of residence halls Catherine/Monica and DeSmet against one another, is set to make its fifth appearance this Sunday on the makeshift gridiron of Mulligan Field.
To many, the mere mention of the game arouses poor connotations, with images of a testosterone-filled slugfest that two years ago gave black eyes to competitors and to the organizers of the event. To many, it seemed, the novelty of the Sausage Bowl had run its course, and using the fighting as evidence, they claimed that the concept of the game had devolved to the point where it was no longer necessary.
But adversity, it seems, has a way of bringing out the best in those who put their strength into something they feel is important.
Undeterred by the negativity surrounding that year's events, the residents of the two halls continue to show a passion for the Sausage Bowl, one that continues to inspire the new crop of residents year after year.
It may start out as a game, but underneath, almost subconsciously, its effects are much greater.
Freshmen, forced to live together in an environment that is alien to them, often find it difficult at first to feel any substantial connection to their hall, their fellow residents or even school culture in general. But through the Sausage Bowl, a connection begins to grow. The mindset then isn't on awkward relationships, it's about how they're going to beat those punks from the other building. It's not about forcing a friendship, it's about backing up your boys and standing behind your hall.
The game unites these young men, and creates a bond that many are willing to do anything to uphold. Just look at last year's game, when then-sophomore Michael Praznik wanted so desperately to play and help DeSmet, he somehow played through a separated shoulder and grabbed two interceptions.
Even further than the players, the Sausage Bowl creates a sense of camaraderie in the Gonzaga community. It extends to supporters of the teams and their raucous fans cheering on every play. It extends to former residents of the halls, who still have some emotion vested in the game, even if they don't want to admit it. The residence hall directors and organizers of the event understand this best, and work every year to continually improve a game that is so much fun for the community.
And people say this game doesn't mean anything.
The fighting of two years ago was the unfortunate byproduct of the strong bond, as members of each team let their emotions run wild, but you can't let the actions of one group for one year affect the perception of something that means so much to freshman residents each year. The emotions are strong, but when channeled properly they are transformed into something good: a unifying feeling that affects both sides for the better.
Years down the road, these same freshmen from both halls will look back on the game with one another, laugh, and say: "We almost had you guys!"
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The over/under on integrity
Note - The following column appears in the September 21, 2007 edition of the Gonzaga Bulletin.
Everyone knows there's nothing like a friendly wager.
You and your buddies are sitting there, watching the game on TV, when suddenly one person suggests making the game "more interesting." From there, the games get more important, money changes hands, and everyone, even those who lose a few bucks, has a good time.
This is sports gambling in its best form: little wagers here and there to make watching the games with friends more fun. Sports betting at its most prevalent does not take this form, however, but rather that of a multimillion dollar industry, whose greed routinely hacks away at the integrity of the game.
It is impossible to avoid it around every bend in the sporting world. Betting on college sports, most notably basketball and football, is accepted as part of the culture. Bookies and Internet gambling sites make a killing on bets on professional sports; though betting on sports is only legal in Las Vegas casinos, the latest lines are featured in almost every daily newspaper, including those on college campuses.
It is there in the collegiate atmosphere where the threat on sports' integrity is the most prominent. In no other situation is it scarier than in college sports, where money, gambling and big-time college programs collide to create an atmosphere ripe with the temptation for scandal.
The NCAA takes a strong stance against gambling by its players, with zero tolerance for those who bet on games. A good stance, in theory, but even with it the possibility of gambling and scandals still looms. With college athletes required to retain their amateur status and therefore unable to be paid for their playing or their likeness, an opportunity to make money by another, less legal means is available.
The forbidden fruit of gambling and point-shaving hangs over the desperate collegian, as snakelike bookmakers in Vegas whisper to them: "It's a sure thing. You deserve to get your money for your athletic gifts. You can control your own destiny, just miss a few shots."
It's not like it hasn't been done before. Look at the 1951 point-shaving scandal involving four schools from New York. Or the 1978 Boston College point-shaving scheme, organized by the mob. It's even happened on the professional side. The "Hit King" Pete Rose bet on games he managed for the Reds. And most recently, NBA referee Tim Donaghy was found to have bet on games he officiated.
When money's involved, everyone listens.
The major sports leagues may say that they try to distance themselves from the concept of sports gambling, but aside from the wordplay, nothing else is done. If the NBA had really been concerned with not letting gambling affect their sport, they would have learned about Donaghy and his cohorts much earlier. Instead, the news came out, and the response by the league was Keystone Kops-esque.
The sad part is that the wheels have begun moving too late for anything substantial to be done about sports gambling in the near future. It has already become ingrained in the sporting culture.
As a microcosm of this, look at ESPN. One minute they bring on a panel admonishing the concept of gambling, game-fixing and point-shaving. Then up next, they bring on their Insider with the latest Vegas odds on the next World Series champ.
The spread on this one doesn't look good.
Everyone knows there's nothing like a friendly wager.
You and your buddies are sitting there, watching the game on TV, when suddenly one person suggests making the game "more interesting." From there, the games get more important, money changes hands, and everyone, even those who lose a few bucks, has a good time.
This is sports gambling in its best form: little wagers here and there to make watching the games with friends more fun. Sports betting at its most prevalent does not take this form, however, but rather that of a multimillion dollar industry, whose greed routinely hacks away at the integrity of the game.
It is impossible to avoid it around every bend in the sporting world. Betting on college sports, most notably basketball and football, is accepted as part of the culture. Bookies and Internet gambling sites make a killing on bets on professional sports; though betting on sports is only legal in Las Vegas casinos, the latest lines are featured in almost every daily newspaper, including those on college campuses.
It is there in the collegiate atmosphere where the threat on sports' integrity is the most prominent. In no other situation is it scarier than in college sports, where money, gambling and big-time college programs collide to create an atmosphere ripe with the temptation for scandal.
The NCAA takes a strong stance against gambling by its players, with zero tolerance for those who bet on games. A good stance, in theory, but even with it the possibility of gambling and scandals still looms. With college athletes required to retain their amateur status and therefore unable to be paid for their playing or their likeness, an opportunity to make money by another, less legal means is available.
The forbidden fruit of gambling and point-shaving hangs over the desperate collegian, as snakelike bookmakers in Vegas whisper to them: "It's a sure thing. You deserve to get your money for your athletic gifts. You can control your own destiny, just miss a few shots."
It's not like it hasn't been done before. Look at the 1951 point-shaving scandal involving four schools from New York. Or the 1978 Boston College point-shaving scheme, organized by the mob. It's even happened on the professional side. The "Hit King" Pete Rose bet on games he managed for the Reds. And most recently, NBA referee Tim Donaghy was found to have bet on games he officiated.
When money's involved, everyone listens.
The major sports leagues may say that they try to distance themselves from the concept of sports gambling, but aside from the wordplay, nothing else is done. If the NBA had really been concerned with not letting gambling affect their sport, they would have learned about Donaghy and his cohorts much earlier. Instead, the news came out, and the response by the league was Keystone Kops-esque.
The sad part is that the wheels have begun moving too late for anything substantial to be done about sports gambling in the near future. It has already become ingrained in the sporting culture.
As a microcosm of this, look at ESPN. One minute they bring on a panel admonishing the concept of gambling, game-fixing and point-shaving. Then up next, they bring on their Insider with the latest Vegas odds on the next World Series champ.
The spread on this one doesn't look good.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Soccer an unlikely source of pride
Note - The following column appears in the September 14, 2007 edition of the Gonzaga Bulletin.
Ladies and gentlemen, we've officially entered Bizzaro World. Please don't trip over your jaws as they hit the floor.
Somehow, inexplicably, Gonzaga has found itself totally besieged by . . . soccer mania?
You'd better believe it.
The sport that has yet to (and probably never will) find a niche in the American sporting world has kicked its way into Gonzaga's collective consciousness. The sport that David Beckham failed to make relevant in America suddenly means something to the Bulldogs' fans. The sport that a typical fan might call slow-paced, boring and uneventful now has an entire campus on the edge of their seats for more.
And the craziest thing of all? You can't help but get wrapped up in the fun and excitement of it all. Soccer is finally fun.
The crowds. The noise. The overwhelming enthusiasm. As of a few weeks ago this would seem highly uncommon at a Bulldog soccer game. Suddenly, the place is rocking like an outdoor Kennel.
Last Friday at Martin Field featured perhaps the largest, loudest crowd seen at a soccer game in years, with attendence exceeding 1,000 for the game against Washington (the last matchup with the Huskies in 2005 brought out only 525 fans). Now compare that to last year, when the Zags averaged 411 fans per game. To put it lightly, people are taking notice.
Big wins can do that for a team. In about a two-week span, the Bulldog men have brought soccer to the forefront of the Gonzaga sports scene. First came the improbable shutout of defending national champions and then No. 1-ranked UC Santa Barbara. A few days later, the Zags finally defeated Washington, then ranked No. 12, after 26 years of frustration.The end result: a No. 12 ranking in the Soccer America polls, a No. 21 ranking by College Soccer News, and a new legion of fans living and dying by every corner kick.
Of course, with the ensuing popularity, the question needs to be asked: Is this newfound support due to fans recognizing and applauding excellent play, or is this all just a case of people hitching a ride on the bandwagon?
It certainly wouldn't be crazy to consider the latter. The surge in popularity is remarkable for a sport that has struggled to gain a large following the past several years. Wins over powerhouse teams tend to bring out the bandwagon jumpers, and the true test of the fans' faith will be whether they'll still stick around even if the team hits a wall.
But despite the skeptic in me, it seems that Gonzaga soccer's recent popularity is genuine; a pure, if almost unprecedented, show of support for a team that deserves every bit of it.
The sport itself, and the attention that the men's team has brought to it, appeals to Gonzaga fans because it has encouraged an all-for-one mentality. As a nationwide sport, soccer fails because it tries to appeal to too wide an audience. But Gonzaga, with its small, close-knit community, has embraced the team and its excellent play. They're our soccer team.
Yes, the concept of embracing soccer may feel as natural as professors referencing rap lyrics, yet with all the Bulldogs' excitement, drama, rousing support and powerful atmosphere, it wouldn't be hard for any sports fan to feel right at home cheering on a team that demonstrates what the bond between a school and its fans should always be like.
Even if that team plays soccer? Hey, there's a first time for everything.
Ladies and gentlemen, we've officially entered Bizzaro World. Please don't trip over your jaws as they hit the floor.
Somehow, inexplicably, Gonzaga has found itself totally besieged by . . . soccer mania?
You'd better believe it.
The sport that has yet to (and probably never will) find a niche in the American sporting world has kicked its way into Gonzaga's collective consciousness. The sport that David Beckham failed to make relevant in America suddenly means something to the Bulldogs' fans. The sport that a typical fan might call slow-paced, boring and uneventful now has an entire campus on the edge of their seats for more.
And the craziest thing of all? You can't help but get wrapped up in the fun and excitement of it all. Soccer is finally fun.
The crowds. The noise. The overwhelming enthusiasm. As of a few weeks ago this would seem highly uncommon at a Bulldog soccer game. Suddenly, the place is rocking like an outdoor Kennel.
Last Friday at Martin Field featured perhaps the largest, loudest crowd seen at a soccer game in years, with attendence exceeding 1,000 for the game against Washington (the last matchup with the Huskies in 2005 brought out only 525 fans). Now compare that to last year, when the Zags averaged 411 fans per game. To put it lightly, people are taking notice.
Big wins can do that for a team. In about a two-week span, the Bulldog men have brought soccer to the forefront of the Gonzaga sports scene. First came the improbable shutout of defending national champions and then No. 1-ranked UC Santa Barbara. A few days later, the Zags finally defeated Washington, then ranked No. 12, after 26 years of frustration.The end result: a No. 12 ranking in the Soccer America polls, a No. 21 ranking by College Soccer News, and a new legion of fans living and dying by every corner kick.
Of course, with the ensuing popularity, the question needs to be asked: Is this newfound support due to fans recognizing and applauding excellent play, or is this all just a case of people hitching a ride on the bandwagon?
It certainly wouldn't be crazy to consider the latter. The surge in popularity is remarkable for a sport that has struggled to gain a large following the past several years. Wins over powerhouse teams tend to bring out the bandwagon jumpers, and the true test of the fans' faith will be whether they'll still stick around even if the team hits a wall.
But despite the skeptic in me, it seems that Gonzaga soccer's recent popularity is genuine; a pure, if almost unprecedented, show of support for a team that deserves every bit of it.
The sport itself, and the attention that the men's team has brought to it, appeals to Gonzaga fans because it has encouraged an all-for-one mentality. As a nationwide sport, soccer fails because it tries to appeal to too wide an audience. But Gonzaga, with its small, close-knit community, has embraced the team and its excellent play. They're our soccer team.
Yes, the concept of embracing soccer may feel as natural as professors referencing rap lyrics, yet with all the Bulldogs' excitement, drama, rousing support and powerful atmosphere, it wouldn't be hard for any sports fan to feel right at home cheering on a team that demonstrates what the bond between a school and its fans should always be like.
Even if that team plays soccer? Hey, there's a first time for everything.
Coming soon!
Alright, so I am actively transfering all of my original columns from SandbergOnSports.com over to this new site right now, so bear with me for a few days while I get this online.
Yes, I already know about Greg Oden. I know, I know, I know. There will be a post on what I have coined "Black Thursday" coming soon, as well as a column by my good friend Alex Kunkle, who believes that too many people are jumping to the "Sam Bowie comparison" too quickly.
Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I will get up and going again soon.
Yes, I already know about Greg Oden. I know, I know, I know. There will be a post on what I have coined "Black Thursday" coming soon, as well as a column by my good friend Alex Kunkle, who believes that too many people are jumping to the "Sam Bowie comparison" too quickly.
Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I will get up and going again soon.
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