Measured Buildup

Invansion of the Mini Laptop

2008-06-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

They are reffered to by many names. Netbook, Mini Notebook, UMPC, whatever you want to call it, these little laptops are becoming all the rage.

Asus was first on the scene with their Eee PC. It was only available with a 7" screen, sporting Linux. Soon there will be a 8.9" version as well as a 10" version, with the option for Windows XP.
MSI has joined the game with their Wind, which will only be available with 10" screen for now in the US.
Acer just recently announced their Aspire One, which look to be healthy competition.
And last but no least, Dell is getting into the game with a Mini Inspiron.

I bought my 17" Vaio several years ago, and at the time had there been mini laptops like these I would definately have thought twice about my decision. Some of them can get over 5 hours of battery life, all while being small enough to fit into a womans purse, or a man's purse, a murse if you will.

They aren't powerhouses, but my Vaio was intended to be a desktop replacement when I purchased it, and some of these laptops half its size are rocking nearly the same processor speed. For portability, and ease of use, I can see alot more people buying these.

Will they take over the world? Well, the Eee PC had quite a bit of success using only Linux, and with the low entry price to these the modding community may also find them to be fun as well.

What's New

2008-06-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

When nobody has made a post in 3 months, where does one begin with a post?

Well, there was recently a Harris Opinion Survey released showing pictures of a CTS Wagon, one only seen in spy shots thus far. The car looked how you would expect a CTS wagon to look, with tall rear tailights, plenty of curves. GM has since asked everyone to take the pictures down.

Many months back, I mentioned the Cadillac Provoq Concept. Something very close to the concept is coming to market, but it may not be called BRX like many had believed. People are now speculating that the SRX name will live on, and Cadillac will share a FWD platform with Saab for this new smaller SRX.

With gas prices above $4 a gallon, GM has to rethink their strategy as far as future production on vehicles is going. It makes you wonder what will happen to the DTS/STS replacement, or if a car like the XLR can survive with a redesigned Corvette (C7).

Tough times with not only GM, but all car manufacturers.

Dogs' Host Talented Aggies

2008-02-29T08:13:00.000-08:00

Where have you gone Hector? 37 minutes, 0 points...

The Fresno State Bulldogs will play host to the New Mexico State Aggies Saturday night, and will follow that by traveling to Logan to face the Utah State Aggies Monday night. NMSU comes in with a 16-12 overall record (9-3 WAC). The Bulldogs now have a 13-15 overall record (5-8 WAC). This will be a very difficult matchup as has been over the past 3 seasons for the Dogs due to NMSUs size advantage inside. The Aggies are the most talented WAC team right now.

NMSU entering:

The Aggies dropped Thursday nights game in Reno versus Nevada 88-75, but their last victory came in the Bracketbusters over Long Beach State, an 80-48 drubbing of the 49ers. The Aggies played 12 players, all played 30 minutes or less. This is a great asset this late in the season to be able to rest players and not be forced to play key players 40 minutes a night.

Freshman Herb Pope led the way with 14 points and 6 rebounds. Justin Hawkins added 13 points and 10 rebounds while Wendell McKines had 10 points and 8 boards including 5 offensive.

Key Aggie Stats:

-78.2 points per game
-48% field goal shooting
-Justin Hawkins (17 pts, 7.2 rebs)
-Jonathan Gibson (12.6 pts, 42.7% 3 pt fgs)
-Herb Pope (10.9 pts, 6.7 rebs) since joining team
-+8.8 rebounding margin
-16.4 turnovers per game

Fresno State entering:

The Bulldogs are coming in with the confidence of 2 straight victories, their first since Dec 20th and 22nd. They beat Hawaii after overcoming a 2nd half deficit and had timely free throw shooting, then they were able to defeat Cal Poly Saturday in the Bracketbusters 76-70. Eddie Miller finished with 25 points on 6 three pointers. His biggest was a 30 footer with the shot clock winding with 2:28 remaining that broke a tie and put the Dogs up for good.

The heartbeat of the Dogs Kevin Bell had 19 points and 9 assists, Bell has been playing well of late. Tyson Parker added 8 off the bench and provided some valuable slashing and penetrating into the Poly zone. Dwight O’Neil added 15, but looked fatigued and bothered by his wrist during a subpar 2nd half. Hector Hernandez continues to have issues and was not able to score a point in 37 minutes of play.

Key Bulldog Stats:

-Kevin Bell (18.1 pts, 6 assts)
-Eddie Miller (15.1 pts, 99 made 3pt FGs)
-69.6 points per game
-8.4 made 3 point field goals per game
-Rebounding deficit of -4.7
-Turnover marin +1.7
-5.8 steals per game

MBs Take:

This is a tough matchup for the Dogs. They have had plenty of rest while NMSU played Thursday and was beat easily by Nevada. Will the Aggies come in a bit down or hungry to bounce back? That will be the key to FSUs chances along with Bell and Miller combining for a minimum of 40.

In the end, too many offensive boards for NMSU, they turn it over 17 times and the Dogs keep it close, but the Aggies win this one 75-71.

The Last Stand-FSU v. Hawaii Preview

2008-02-20T12:51:00.000-08:00

This is your time KB, clocks winding...

The Fresno State Bulldogs returned home for a Wednesday night matchup versus the Hawaii Warriors. This will finish the season series for the two teams, the first was in Hawaii where the Dogs dropped the contest 75-62. The Warriors come in winning 6 of their last 8 and are playing their best Basketball of the season right now after starting the season 4-9.

The Dogs entering:

The Bulldogs limp home after a road loss in Boise at the hands of the Broncos 84-72. Kevin Bell had 21 points and Eddie Miller had 16. The Bulldogs were plagued by 16 turnovers and were unable to defend the inside presence of Reggie Larry and Matt Nelson.

The Broncos shot 53.8% from the field and dominated in the paint. BSU had frequent easy buckets and were not challenged around the rim. FSU was able to cut the lead late in the 2nd half but it was too little to late as they were again overpowered and unable to get the necessary stops.

Kevin Bell continues to lead the way with his 17.7 points and 6 assists per game. He has been turnover plagued over the last few games as opposing defenses have collapsed on his penetration and keyed to stopping him every possession. Eddie Miller has made 91 threes to this point and is looking to climb the WAC record books in this category. He is averaging 15 points per contest.

Hawaii coming in:

The Warriors enter after a big home victory versus Utah State and continue on their recent tear. They rode an extremely balanced attack on the way to victory with 5 players in double figure scoring, led by Matt Gibson’s and Riley Luettgerodt’s 16 each. They also combined for 8 assists and 9 steals. The Warriors were able to force USU into 20 turnovers.

Key Warrior Stats:

-Matt Gibson (16.9 ppg, 5 apg)
-Bobby Nash (14.5 ppg, 35.8% 3pt fg, 86.7% fts)
-44.8% Field Goals
-33.8% from three
-73.9% Free throws
-Rebounding margin of -3
-70.8 Points per versus 70.9 opponents
-Outscored opponents in the 2nd half

What to expect:

This is a pivotal game for the Dogs and one that may be their last chance to lay the foundation and build the confidence necessary to make a run in the WAC tournament. A loss here could be the final setback that does the Dogs in.

FSU must come out with energy, especially on the defensive end. Defending he flex cuts of the Warriors will be the key to holding their own tonight. Eddie Miller will need to be on, and Kevin Bell will need to be his rock solid self and put his last 2 games in the past.

MBs take:

I don’t like Matt Gibson, the guy is an asshole. That’s my first take. My second is that he is this WAC generations version of Chris Herren.

The Dogs will find a way because they are at home. Miller and Bell will lead the way with 40 combined. The crowd will not respond well to the Hawaii players acting out and jawing with them. It should b a good time.

FSU wins 75-68.

'Dogs limp into Boise after embarrasing loss

2008-02-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

The Fresno State Bulldogs will have to dig deep and bring maximum effort to the table Saturday night as they take on the Boise State Broncos. This will be a very difficult game for the Dogs to compete and win, the biggest factor will be how quickly the Dogs can get over their loss Thursday night to Idaho.

The Broncos coming in:

The Broncos last outing was a big win over perennial WAC force Nevada 77-68. Reggie Larry scored 20 and Matt Nelson added 19. The Broncos, already leading the nation in Field Goal Percentage, shot a blistering 62% from the field en route to a big victory. Matt Bauscher had a career high 10 rebounds to go with his 7 points and 2 steals. The big key was the Broncos quick start in which they got out to an 11-0 start.

The Broncos frustrated the Wolfpack and held them to 36% shooting, well below Nevada’s average coming in. It was a big win for the Broncos and will cause the visiting Dogs more issues because they have gained confidence from the win.

The Bulldogs coming in:

Fresno State stumbles into Boise after a deflating and confidence breaking overtime loss to the Idaho Vandals. The Bulldogs built a 19 point first half lead and were cruising, unfortunately they surrendered 9 points of their lead with lackluster play and only led by 10 at the break. Although a nice lead, allowing the Vandals back in it gave them confidence in the fact they could play with the Dogs on that night.

Dwight O’Neil finished with 18 points which was his best output of the year in only his 3^rd game back from his wrist injury. He scored his 18 on 7-10 from the field which is very surprising considering how out of shape he is at this point. Hector Hernandez had a career high 14 rebounds, but he could not find his way offensively and finished with 5 points. Eddie Miller added 13 while flu-ridden and Alex Blair a season high 12, but the real story was the Vandals Jordan Brooks scoring 25 and grabbing 16 rebounds.

What to look for:

Is a lackluster effort in the cards for the Dogs? Boise will get out to a quick start at home and if that isn’t minimized the Dogs will be in big trouble it would seem. Kevin Bell will need a big bounce back game from what was his worst outing of the year at Idaho.

Dogs in Moscow to face Kiwi-less Vandals

2008-02-13T09:26:00.000-08:00

2 great outings in a row? A definite possibility.

The Fresno State Bulldogs will play the Idaho Vandals at the Cowan Spectrum Thursday at 7pm. The Bulldogs come in with an 11-13 record (4-6 WAC), while the Vandals hold a 5-17 overall record (2-9 WAC). Neither team has fared well on the road, the Vandals are winless at 0-12, and the Bulldogs haven’t fared much better at 2-8.

The Vandals entering:

Idaho returns home after a tough road loss at previously winless in WAC play Louisiana Tech 72-64. With Jordan Brooks in foul trouble, the Vandals struggled to replace his scoring and he finished with 9 points and 13 rebounds.

Terrence Simmons had 12 points and 6 assists while Michael Crowell added 13 points and 6 rebounds while playing the whole 40 minutes.

Idaho dropped the road game versus La Tech due to an inability to take care of the ball. The Vandals finished with an unacceptable 27 turnovers in Ruston. They also put Tech on the line 41 times and brought the game with a grinding halt with the multitude of fouls.

The Bulldogs entering:

The Dogs have dropped 3 of their last 4 games, the latest a tough home loss to conference leading Utah State 77-72. The Dogs got out of the gates slow as has been the case most of the season, even falling behind 24-7 midway through the 1st.

The Dogs were down 39-25 at the half, but made a second half run and cut the lead to 73-70 with just under a minute left. They had an opportunity to tie but Eddie Miller’s 3 was off the mark.

Fresno State was led by Hector Hernandez, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds in what many consider his best outing of the season. Guards Kevin Bell and Eddie Miller both finished with 20 points, Bell added 5 assists and 5 steals while Miller shot 5-11 from 3.

Dwight O’Neil, in his 2nd game back from a wrist injury, played 24 minutes and finished with a made 3 point field goal and a crucial steal to set up the opportunity to tie. He is obviously out of shape and will need the remainder of the WAC schedule to return to a version closer to his original form.

What to look for:

Idaho is a formidable team at home and the Bulldogs are a bad road team. Mix those 2 issues together and you have difficult sledding ahead for Coach Cleveland and his squad. They will need to put the clamps on all-everything Vandal Jordan Brooks, make sure Mike Hall’s 3 point attempts are contested, and keep the turnovers to a minimum. On the flip side, the Dogs need to keep the pressure up on the turnover prone Vandals to create some easy opportunities for themselves.

MBs take:

Its close, the Dogs stay in it, Idaho turns the ball over to much down the stretch and Bell, Miller, and Hernandez all go for 18+ points. Its up to the rest of the guys to make up the difference.

Dogs Host WAC leaders Sizzling USU

2008-02-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

What do you have in store to combat Mr. Carroll?

The Fresno State Bulldogs will play their second consecutive home game as the host the WACs best team right now in the Utah State Aggies. The Aggies have a 16-6 overall record and have a 6-1 conference mark. Their lone conference loss came on the road at the hands of New Mexico State 100-70. Aggies coach Stew Morril had disciplined 3 players for that game and did not allow them to play which added much to the outcome in Las Cruces.

The Dogs swept the season series last season, they were the only team on the Utah State schedule to win in Logan. Since the Aggies joined the WAC the Dogs have also had the best record against them, only one loss. The Aggies have won 11 of their last 12 games this season.

The Utah State Aggies coming in:

The Aggies enter off of 77-63 home victory over Nevada. Jaycee Carrol had 24 points and Gary Wilkinson had 23 points and 10 rebounds on 9 of 11 shooting from the field.

Senior Guard Jaycee Carroll leads the WAC with a 21.2 per game average, he leads in free throw shooting at 92.3%, and three point shooting at 50.4%. He also is eighth in overall shooting at 52.9% and averages 5.8 rebounds per game. One can surmise from this stat line that Carroll carries his team and if you want to slow the Aggies you must slow Carroll somehow.

Key Aggie Stats:

-49-18 in the month of February under Stew Morrill
-USU is 14-0 when the opponent is under 70 points
-leads WAC in free throw shooting at 78.6% (2nd in nation)
-leads WAC in 3 point shooting at 39.9%
-Shoots 50.5% from the field
-18.8 assists per game
-72.5 points per game
-+2.8 rebounding margin
-opponents have outscored Aggies 804-781 in the second half

The Dogs entering:

The Bulldogs stayed home in Fresno after their 70-58 win over Louisiana Tech. Junior Guard Dwight O’Neill returned to the court after a dislocated wrist he suffered in game 4 against CS-Bakersfield. It could help the Dogs in time but he will need to get back into playing shape and work off the rust in the coming weeks.

Against La Tech the Dogs were led by Kevin Bell who had 18 points and handed out 6 assists. Eddie Miller finished with 17 points on 5-10 3 point shooting, Miller has been spectacular from 3 at home in WAC play thus far.

Key Dog Stats:

-Kevin Bell (17.9 pts, 6 assists)
-Eddie Miller (14.8 pts, 40.4% 3 point shooting)
-Hector Hernandez (10.1 pts, 6.8 rebs)
-69 points per game
-33.5% 3 point shooting
-70% free throws
-rebounding margin of -4.5
-+2 turnover margin

What to look for:

Utah State is playing great basketball right now and it will be a huge task for the Dogs to win Thursday night. Expect the Aggies to get off to a great start and for Coach Cleveland to have to take a quick time out. If the Dogs can weather the early storm and feed off the home crowd they can stay in it.

Defense will be the key as the Aggie offense is finally clicking and they are running it to greater precision right now. It will take 40 points combined from Miller and Bell for the Dogs to have a shot, possibly 45. Two players need to be in the 6-8 point range and a few more key contributions off the bench will be necessary.

MBs take:

The Aggies are on a roll, although they have had a tough time in Fresno in the past. I say they jump out early, the Dogs reel them back in, Carroll takes over and the Dogs drop a tough one 73-71.

Bulldogs host namesake La Tech

2008-02-04T13:22:00.000-08:00

An opportunity to bounce back?

The Fresno State Bulldogs play their second Monday night game in a row tonight when they host the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech. Fresno State was able to open WAC play with a 61-44 win over Tech in Ruston and will look to sweep the season series and are looking to accomplish that feat for the second straight season.

La Tech entering:

The Bulldogs come into Fresno off a loss at Hawaii 71-57. Tech enters with an 0-7 WAC record and a 3-16 overall record. This has been a difficult season thus far, the Bulldogs do not have the depth to compete with most teams and are lacking the amount of talent necessary to stay in most games. The real bright spot for Tech has most definitely been guard Kyle Gibson. Gibson is averaging 15.5 points per game (only Bulldog in double figures) along with 5.6 rebounds. He is also shooting 35% from three.

Tech Team Stats:

-58.2 points per game (70.2 opp)
-39.4% field goals (48.2% opp)
-28.6 rebounds per game (38.1 opp)
-8.1 assists per game (13.5 opp)
-13.1 turnovers per game (13.8 opp)

Fresno State entering:

The Dogs come back home after the loss in Reno 79-67 and have dropped two straight, the first was the overtime heartbreaker at the hands of Boise State. Kevin Bell had 22 points and 5 rebounds in leading the Bulldogs. Eddie Miller added 17 points and 4 assists and the big surprise was freshman Brandon Webster who had career highs with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bulldogs once again fell behind early on the road, and against a team like Nevada that isn’t going to be an easy hole to dig out of. Marcellus Kemp dominated and couldn’t be stopped by the Dogs, he finished with 28 points. There were too many easy baskets for the Wolfpack while the Bulldogs missed a few too many easy opportunities. The Pack finished on 50% shooting from the field, 61% from three. Those numbers are difficult to overcome for any team, especially a shorthanded Bulldog squad.

What to look for:

Look for the Dogs to play well in the friendly confines of the Save Mart Center, guard Eddie Miller is averaging 28 points per game in WAC contests at home. They need to use this opportunity to get minutes for Webster and gain some confidence as a team. The key will be holding Tech swingman Kyle Gibson under wraps cause he is the key to the Tech’s success. Tyson Parker will get the start and will be matching up with Gibson.

MBs take:

Dogs shoot it well and break the losing streak, Miller with 24, Bell with 19 and 7 assists, Dogs win 74-61.

Blog Post 134

2008-02-02T20:37:00.000-08:00

Many vehicles were shown at the Los Angeles Auto show a couple of months back. Early last month in the Detroit, the North American International Auto Show was home to several more reveals.

Yes, I am a month late. Sad huh? I only have 3 vehicles to highlight, one already going into production, one that needs to be in production, and one that probably will end up in production in one form or another.

#1 is the CTS Coupe Concept.
The front end isn't a huge departure from the sedan, obviously the car is much lower, bigger wheels, and a few of other options that would never make production. I wonder what it will look like in production trim? Will there be a CTC-V?
The interior also doesn't stray too far from the production sedan, albeit with a little more dress up as far as the seats and dash go. Hopefully the V-series comes with some flavor of the Carbon Fiber pictured above, man it looks sweet.
Really a bad angle for the Concept. The rear quarter panel is odd, and the rear bumper looks very high up in the air. Not bad, just odd proportions.

#2 The Hummer HX Concept.
A baby Hummer. Not a Mini-Me H2 like the H3 ended up looking(which isn't necessarily a bad thing).. This Concept is what Hummer has needed to build for a long time. How many years have we heard about them competing directly with the Jeep Wrangler?
The concept seats 4, has a removeable glass hatch cover(not picture obviously) and has some pretty cool other options. Slap an H4 badge on this bitch and release it GM.

#3 The Cadillac Provoq Concept.
This concept is built on the E-Flex Fuel cell platform. A platform showing off Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles usually means said vehicles would probably not be released. Never you mind, Cadillac merely used this to show the versatility of the platform, while showing off what very well may be their mini SUV. They have said they need an SUV smaller than the SRX(which is in need of a redesign).
Supposedly inside and out this concept will look very similar when it comes to production for Cadillac, just don't expect a fuel cell.

A near impossible task

2008-01-31T13:14:00.000-08:00

As usual, its on your shoulder KB

The Fresno State Bulldogs will take on the Nevada Wolfpack Thursday night at 7pm at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno. Nevada brings a 12-7 record into the contest while the Bulldogs enter with a 10-11 overall record. The Wolfpack have won the last 3 matchups between the two schools. Nevada has won 31 of its last 34 games at home.

The Wolfpack entering:

Nevada last played on Saturday where they were in Ruston to defeat Louisiana Tech 83-70. Senior David Ellis had a career high 14 points on 7-7 shooting. The Pack were able to hit a season high 61% from the field while holding Tech to 38% field goal shooting. Sophmore JaVale McGee had 12 points along with freshman Armon Johnson. Standout Marcellus Kemp added 11.

Key Wolfpack stats:

-Marcellus Kemp (18.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 34% 3pt fgs, 86.5% fts)
-JaVale McGee (12.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 52% field goals, 58 blocks)
-Armon Johnson (12.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3 apg)
-Brandon Field (12.2 ppg, 38% 3pt fgs, 84% fts)
-74 points per game
-47.4% field goal shooting
-71% free throw shooting
-+4.1 rebounding
--2.5 turnover margin

The Bulldogs entering:

The Dogs enter on the heels of a very difficult home loss Monday night at the hands of Boise State in overtime, 90-89. Reggie Larry led the Broncos with 27 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 steals. The Broncos were able to shoot a blistering 50% from the field. Tyler Tiedemann had 23 and Matt Nelson added 15. The Bulldogs trailed by 7 points late in regulation, but Eddie Miller and Hector Hernandez were able to make difficult 3s and the Dogs forced overtime.

Leading the way for the Bulldog was Eddie Miller with a career high 30 points on 11-12 from the line. Senior point guard Kevin Bell had 26 points and 8 assists while fellow Senior Hector Hernandez 16 points and 9 rebounds.

Alex Blair had maybe his best game of the season finishing with 8 points and 12 rebounds on 4-5 shooting. Freshman Brandon Webster was able to log 16 minutes and he contributed 4 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

What to look for:

Its difficult to say, will the Bulldogs still be dwelling on the missed opportunity at home? Will they be prepared for the onslaught the Pack will throw at them? As with all games from here on out it will take major efforts from guards Kevin Bell and Eddie Miller. Hernandez will need another solid effort, but there must be contributions from the bench and from the other starters. The Dogs need all the help they can get scoring to stay in the game versus Nevada.

MBs take:

Dogs did themselves a hole early, fight back, but there isnt enough firepower to avoid losing 4 straight to Nevada.

Dogs host high scoring Broncos at SMC

2008-01-28T13:34:00.000-08:00

Put your heads together to stop the Bronco juggernaut

The Fresno State Bulldogs will host the Boise State Broncos Monday night at the Save Mart Center. The Broncos come in with a 14-5 overrall record and are 2^nd in the WAC at 5-2 while the Bulldogs are 10-10 overrall and 3-3 in the WAC. The Broncos will bring their high scoring attack that averages 83 points per game into the Save Mart Center looking to finish the first half of WAC play 6-2.

The Broncos coming in:

The Broncos were on the island on Saturday where they took care of the Warriors 95-80. Senior guard Matt Bauscher scored 21 points, while Matt Nelson had 21 points and 12 boards. The Broncos hit 14 of 22 from three point range to keep the game out of reach for Hawaii. The Broncos led by 25 at halftime 47-22.

Key Bronco Stats:

-Reggie Larry (18.3 pts, 9.1 rebs)
-Matt Nelson (15.9 pts, 8 rebs, 66% fgs)
-52% field goals (leads nation)
-83 points per game (11^th nation)
-8.4 3 point field goals per game
-40.4% 3 point field goal %
-18.2 assists per game (18^th nation)

The Dogs entering:

The Bulldogs were able to avenge their loss in San Jose with a win over the Spartans Saturday night 75-58. Senior guards Eddie Miller and Kevin Bell combined for 42 points, with Miller hitting 7 threes on his way to tying his career high of 27 points. Bell added 15 points and 8 assists.

Freshman Ned Golubovic set his career high with 14 points and also added 6 rebounds and 4 steals. Golubovic has averaged 9.3 points per game, hit 55% from the field, and 44% from three in WAC play. His minutes have steadily increased as has his contributions as the season has gone on. Consider that Golubovic was a redshirt candidate to start the season.

Key Bulldog stats:

-169 made 3 point field goals on the season
-lead the WAC in defense at 66.3 points per game
-lead the WAC in turnover margin at +2.80
-Eddie Miller 3.4 made 3 points field goals per contest
-Dogs at a -5.6 rebounding margin
-68 points per game
-69.4 % free throws
-33.5% 3 point field goal percentage
-Kevin Bell (17.1 ppg, 6 assists, 3 rebs)

MBs Take:

This will be tough for a Bulldogs team that gets dominated inside and gets beaten up on the offensive glass by everyone. Add to the fact that the Broncos can knock down the three and we have ourselves some issues.

Dogs play inspired at home but lose 85-80.

Dogs looking for a win vs. SJSU

2008-01-26T00:22:00.001-08:00

Time to get back on track E Miller, five 3s at minimum!

The Fresno State Bulldogs return home Saturday night to take on rival San Jose State, the game will begin a home stand that will have 4 of the next 5 WAC games being played at the Save Mart Center. In the first meeting of the 2 teams this season the Spartans edged the Dogs in San Jose 69-65.

The Bulldogs football team will be honored at halftime with both players and coaches will be in attendance to be recognized for the 9-4 campaign that was capped off with a Humanitarian Bowl victory over Georgia Tech.

In the first meeting between the two teams SJSU was lead by Jamon Hill and his career high 14 points. The Spartans were able to keep the Dogs behind throughout the second half and the Dogs were not able to hit from three point range finishing 5-27.

The Spartans will also be without the services of guard Justin Graham for the rest of the season with an elbow injury.

The Spartans coming in:

The Spartans enter with a 9-9 record (2-4 conference) which is already 4 more wins than they were able to amass last season. Last outing the Spartans were beat in Moscow by Idaho 74-63. Idaho guard Mike Hall set a school record by making 9 three pointers. After SJSU was able to cut the lead to 4, Hall was able to knock out the Spartans by sinking back to back threes.

SJSU Players to watch for:

-Dashawn Wright (10.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 43.8% 3pt)
-Tim Pierce (10.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 79.4% fts
-CJ Webster (10.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 47.6% fgs)
-Chris Oakes (9.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 54.4% fgs)

The Bulldogs coming in:

Fresno State enters after back to back losses on the road, the last being a 75-62 loss to Hawaii in Honolulu. Kevin Bell led the way with 21 points and 5 assists, and Ned Golubovic had a career high 13 points and added 5 rebounds. It was another very tough shooting night for Eddie Miller, he finished 0-5 from three. For the Dogs to get back in the win column they will need Eddie Miller to get back to his normal.

The starters will be forced to log big minutes the rest of the season, its how they can handle that adversity that will make the difference in the duration of the season. Can the Dogs find any consistency on the defensive end out of their post players? The Spartans were able to score many easy buckets around the rim in the first meeting which has to be minimized this time around.

The best thing the Dogs have going for them is the homecourt which is undoubtedly worth 10-12 points a game as has been the case over the first half of last season and the duration of this season.

MBs take:

Dogs win, they are at home.

Highlight of the night=announcing the football team at halftime. Only 7 months till UCLA

A consistent roster please! (FSU-SJSU preview)

2008-01-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

Are we all up on our classwork this semester?

FSU heads to San Jose to begin road swing:

The Fresno State Bulldogs will play rival San Jose State Thursday night and avoid losing back to back games in San Jose for the first time in 17 years. This will be the first game of the two game road swing. On Saturday, the Dogs will be in Hawaii to take on the Warriors. At the end of the road trip the Bulldogs will have begun WAC play with four of their first five on the road.

Also, the Dogs were dealt another blow to an already difficult season when sophomore guard Bryan Harvey became academically ineligible for the spring semester. Harvey was averaging 10.6 points per game, and although he never became a consistent offensive force, he had been a big help on the boards and stepped up his game on defense. He joins Rekalin Sims and Dwight O’ Neil as would-be starters missing parts or all of the season.

The Dogs coming in:

The Bulldogs enter the SJSU game off of a 69-53 home victory over Idaho. Eddie Miller matched a career high with 27 points, including 7 three pointers. Kevin Bell added 17 points and 7 assists, continuing his stellar season. The Dogs only turned the ball over a season low 4 times. That ties them for the lowest in school history.

Ned Golubovic had 8 points, making three of the last four games in which he has scored 8 points, including 3 WAC games in a row. The victory came despite the fact that Idaho was able to corral 16 offensive rebounds to the Dogs 7.

Getting to know San Jose State:

The Spartan are maybe the most improved team in the WAC, although Idaho has made major strides, the Spartan cemented themselves on January 10with a home victory over Nevada, their first in 7 years. Guard Justin Graham is the Spartans leading scorer at 12.7 points per, unfortunately he went down with an elbow injury that will keep him out the rest of the season.

The Spartans are led by former Porterville JC head Coach George Nessman who is in his third season in San Jose. Nessman has done a very nice job mixing D1 transfers, JC transfers, and overlooked High School talent.

What to looks for:

This will be a very difficult game for the Dogs, San Jose will be confident as they split the series last season, and they have defeated Nevada at home this season. With the loss of Harvey on top of the already thin bench and difficult matchup and personnel issues, the Dogs have a tough road ahead in WAC play. The difficulty begins Thursday against SJSU.

MBs Take:

No, Harvey, a thinner bench, on the road against a team that beat Nevada, I say Dogs win 73-71.

Dogs' host Vandals in epic battle at SMC

2008-01-12T10:05:00.000-08:00

You still on the team? Lets get it going if you are.

FSU-Idaho Preview:

The Fresno State Bulldogs will try to get back on the right foot in WAC play tonight at the Save Mart Center as they host an improved Idaho squad that comes in at 4-10. The 8-8 Bulldogs will try to begin the WAC season protecting their homecourt which is of the utmost importance. The Dogs swept the Vandals last season and lead the overall series 5-2.

The Vandals coming in:

The Vandals were able to snap a 13 game WAC losing streak at home a week ago in Moscow 85-78 over La Tech that moved them to 1-2 in conference. Mike Hall and Jordan Brooks led the Vandals with 21 points apiece. Brooks added 10 rebounds and also posted an 11-14 from the free throw line. Clyde Johnson added a career high 19 points in his first career start.

On the season Jordan Brooks is the only double figure scorer at 11.2 points per contest. Michael Crowell comes in right under that at 9.8 points per. The Vandals feature a roster breakdown of 3 seniors, 9 juniors, no sophmores, and 2 freshman.

Vandal Team Stats:

-43.1% from the field
-36.2% from three
-60% free throws
-31.7 rebounds per game -2.6
-assist/turnover ration of 0.7
-7.3 steals per game

The Bulldogs prior:

The Bulldogs come into Saturday’s game off of a disappointing Tuesday night loss at the hands of a very good Saint Mary’s team. The Dogs squandered guard Bryan Harvey’s best effort in a Bulldog uniform, he had 20 points on 6-10 three-point shooting and added 5 rebounds. Kevin Bell added 14 points and 8 assists and Eddie Miller had 12 although he couldn’t find it from three point range going 0-6.

The Dogs were able to ride Harvey’s three point shooting to cut the deficit to 6 at the under 8 media timeout. Saint Marys answered out of the timeout with back to back threes by Ian O’ Leary and Patrick Mills and a Diamon Simpson layup to balloon the lead up to 14 in less than a minute. That stretch proved to be the difference. The Bulldogs had used a lot of energy to cut into the lead and did not have enough in the tank to do it twice.

What to expect:

Expect an Improved Vandal squad with experience to come in with confidence after taking care of La Tech at home. They will play with energy and if the Bulldogs are not over Tuesdays loss they may find themselves in a fight with Idaho. They cannot let them hang around too long as the Vandals will have their confidence grow with each minute.

The Dogs will look for more transition baskets and slashing by Kevin Bell as he was held in check by the Gaels on Tuesday. Eddie Miller will look to return to his 3 point shooting ways, and everyone is hoping that Bryan Harvey will play more like he did against Saint Mary’s than he has all season.

MBs Take:

Dogs win by 12 as they make 10 threes as a team, 77-65.

#24 Saint Mary's rolls into the SMC

2008-01-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

Need you back at form-5 threes would help alot

Dogs vs. #24 Saint Marys at SMC

The Fresno State Bulldogs return home Tuesday to the friendly confines of the Save Mart Center to take on the #24 ranked Saint Marys Gaels. This is the first nationally ranked team to appear in Fresno this season. The Gaels have had a very successful non-conference run going 12-2 while defeating the likes of Oregon, San Diego State, Seton Hall, and Tulane. Their two losses came against Southern Illinois and #14 Texas.

The Bulldogs enter off of a split on the two game road swing to open conference play, winning in Ruston over Louisiana Tech but coming up short in Las Cruces versus the Aggies of New Mexico State. The last meeting between the Dogs and Gaels was 2002, which the Bulldogs won 67-65.

The Gaels entering:

The Gaels will come into Tuesdays matchup after a tough loss at #14 Texas 81-62. They were the first team to catch the Longhorns at full strength as Texas welcomed freshman Gary Johnson to the lineup after he missed the first 13 games. The Gaels were led by Omar Samhan who finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds. Patty Mills had 12 and Diamond Simpson 11. Simpson was named WCC player of the month in which he averaged a double-double at 12 points and 10.1 rebounds.

Who to watch for on Saint Marys:

-Freshman guard Patty Mills (15.9 pts, 3.9 assts, 2.3 rpg, 20 stls, 82.5% fts)
-Sophmore Center Omar Samhan (12.2 pts, 7.1 rpg, 22 blks, 54.5% fgs)
-Junior Guard Diamon Simpson (12.1 pts, 9.4 rpg, 28 blks, 55.1% fgs)
-Senior Guard Todd Golden (6.1 ppg, 2.6 apg, 2.2 rpg, 92.3% fts)

Key Gael Stats:

-78 points per game +12 per over opponent
-46.5% field goals
-7.9 made three point field goals per
-38.2 rebounds per game +2.2 rebounding margin
-14.8 assists per game a/t ratio at 1
-6.8 steals per game

The Bulldogs coming in:

Fresno State comes back home after Saturdays loss to the New Mexico State Aggies. The game in Las Cruces was a great opportunity to get a leg up on the conference and come out of the first week 2-0 with both wins coming on the road. The Bulldogs led by 10 early at 15-5, but a scoring drought and defensive lapses put them down at the half 38-28.

They were then able to fight there way back into the game behind Kevin Bell and cut the lead to 59-57 with 6 minutes to go. Bryan Harveys three to take the lead was off, and the Aggies answered quickly with three consecutive three pointers by NMSU guard Jonathan Gibson in 2 minutes. The game was opened up from there and the Aggies cruised to a 77-67 victory.

Kevin Bell led the way with 19 points, Eddie Miller chipped in 11, and Hector Hernandez added 10. Miller and fellow guard Bryan Harvey combined for 6-26 from the field which prove to be the difference, a few more jumpers made buy that tandem and the Dogs steal one on the road. Off the bench, Ned Golubovic had 8 points and 7 rebounds in 26 minutes, but he fouled out with a minute remaining.

What to expect:

Expect a very skilled Saint Marys club to jump out early if the Dogs aren’t ready to play. Both teams enter off of losses so it remains to see what kind of factor that will play. The Bulldogs will need to feed off the energy of the crowd and Eddie Miller and Bryan Harvey to improve their shooting efforts from the NMSU game to compete with the Gaels.

It will be tough going versus a very good Saint Marys team Tuesday night. If a focused and energetic Dogs team shows up they have an opportunity to pick up their best non-conference win for the season.

MBs take:

The Bulldogs show up and play better than expected, but I have a hard time seeing them handle Freshman guard Patty Mills and the size and versatility of Diamon Simpson. It will take and improved shooting effort from the guards and a Pacific like effort from Kevin Bell to knock off the #24 Gaels. At the final buzzer, it Gaels 74 and the Dogs 68.

Lookin for a leg up in Las Cruces

2008-01-05T08:59:00.000-08:00

Maybe a chance if this guy comes back Saturday

‘Dogs try to set the tone vs. Aggies:

The Fresno State Bulldogs traveled from Ruston to Las Cruces for a Saturday night WAC matchup with defending champion New Mexico State. Tip is set for 6pm Pacific and the game will be televised on the CW59, with Ralph Wood on play by play and the “Coach” Bob Dunawald with analysis. This is an important game for both teams as the Aggies (7-9) must defend their home court and the Dogs (8-6) are looking to steal one away from Fresno.

New Mexico State prior:

The Aggies come into Saturdays game with a Wednesday night victory over the University of Idaho in Moscow. NMSU never trailed in the second half but the Vandals were able to knot the game at 61 all with 9 minutes to go. From there the Aggies grinded it out and finished off Idaho 78-68.

Justin Hawkins led the way for the Aggies with 18 points and 8 rebounds, and Jonathan Gibson added 16 points and 5 rebounds. During the final minute NMSU shot 7 of 8 from the free throw line. The Aggies finished the contest with 5 players in double figures.

On the season, senior Justin Hawkins leads the way for NMSU at 18.5 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per contest. Next up in the scoring department are sophomore guard Jonathan Gibson at 12.7 points per game and senior guard Fred Peete at 12.1 per.

Key Aggie Stats:

-WAC leading 39.2 rebounds per game
-lead WAC at +6.1 rebounding margin
-WAC leading 13.9 offensive rebounds per game
-3.9 blocks per game
-shoot 48.3% from the field
-34.6% 3 point shooting
-62.3% free throw shooting
-280 turnovers to 212 assists on the season
-average 76.6 points per game (opponents 72.2)

The Bulldogs entering:

Fresno State comes into Saturdays contest versus the Aggies following a WAC opening road victory at Louisiana Tech 61-44. Senior guard Eddie Miller led the way with 17 points on 5-10 3 point shooting. Senior point guard Kevin Bell added 13 points and 6 assists. The Dogs shot 43.6% from the field while holding Tech to an abysmal 26.3% shooting. One issue was unforced errors, the Bulldogs finished with 15 turnovers which cant be matched on Saturday if they expect to leave Las Cruces with a win.

Bulldog stats and facts:

-The Bulldogs have won 5 straight WAC road games dating back to last season.
-Over the last four games have held opponents to a 49 point per game average
-WAC leading 121 made three point field goals
-shooting 35.8% from three
-Eddie Miller leads WAC with 3.43 made 3 point field goals per contest.
-Dogs rebounding at -4 per game margin.
-shoot 69.4% from the free throw line

MBs take:

This is a serious challenge for the Bulldogs and I don’t see them walking out with a victory from the Pan-Am Center Saturday. The offensive rebounding of the Aggies will be extremely difficult to negate, the Dogs may give up too much on the interior to overcome it even with 10 made threes.

The Dogs come back home after a 67-59 loss.

WAC play opens, unfortunately, on the road...

2008-01-02T22:32:00.000-08:00

Your final WAC season. Make it count!

Dogs hit the road to open WAC play:

Fresno State travels to Ruston Louisiana to open WAC play against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Tip is set for 5pm Pacific and the game will be televised locally on CW59. The Bulldogs will follow up Thursday’s game with a game in Las Cruces Saturday night versus New Mexico State.

Fresno State entering:

The Bulldogs come into WAC play on the heels of a loss at Stanford 55-48. The Cardinal proved too much on the inside with their size and physical play for the Bulldogs to compete with for the entire 40 minutes. Another large first half scoring drought was a major factor in the Dogs undoing at Maples Pavilion also. Kevin Bell led the way with 16 points and 4 assists while Eddie Miller chipped in 10.

This WAC opener provides an opportunity to get off to a great start in WAC play, first getting a win but more importantly a road victory which is paramount in the conference race.

The WAC race is wide open and the out of conference records indicate there are 5 teams that could win the conference and that wouldn’t be much of a surprise. The WAC is wide open this season and because of early draft entries plus all league players exhausting eligibility it has quickly become what appears to be a conference of parity.

Louisiana Tech coming in:

The Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech come into Thursdays contest off of a 73-63 home victory over McNeese State. That victory broke an 8 game losing streak and provides some momentum leading up to the matchup with FSU. Tech was led by Dwayne Lathan’s 19 points and Kyle Gibson’s 18.

On the season La Tech only has 2 players averaging double figures in Gibson at 13.7 and JC Clark at 10.3. Tech is a team that has glaring issues that have been exposed this season. They manage to shoot 38.5% clip from the field while opponents have shot a blistering 46.1%. They only score 56.2 points per game while yielding 68.5 to opponents. They are also outrebounded by 7 per game and have only handed out 99 assists on the season as a team, which results in an abysmal assist to turnover ratio.

What to expect:

If history is any indication, this game will be close no matter what the records or stats say. Fresno State, although improved last season, have not been good on the road in the WAC over the last few seasons. No matter the opponent, the Dogs have struggled. They score less and shoot worse when they venture from the friendly confines of the Save Mart Center.

Can Steve Cleveland and his staff get this team to show up on the road? Can they instill some confidence in an erratic and seemingly fragile team? As usual, it will be up to Senior Guard Kevin Bell to both direct his team and add scoring punch.

Unfortunately, Bell has been thrust into the role of a scoring point guard this season which may hurt other areas of his game. His defensive effort will be crucial also as his quickness and intensity on that end of the floor could disrupt a Tech offense that comes in with enough issues already.

MBs take:

The Dogs look shoddy. Why? The game is not in Fresno, this is a bad road team against anyone in Division 1 and for that matter Division 1 transition team, hell Division 2 teams at that. They win this game, don’t tell me how, can you say nailbiter? The Dogs win, 64-60.

'Dogs face uphill battle at Maples v. Stanford

2007-12-28T10:33:00.000-08:00

Its all on you KB, we need 20 and 7 outta you

Dogs head to Palo Alto to face No. 22 Stanford:

The Bulldogs will head up to the Bay area to play the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion at 2pm Saturday. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net with Ted Robinson as the play by play and former Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery with analysis. Both the Cardinal and Bulldogs have been off since Saturday, December 22^nd, with each team coming away with key non-conference wins.

This will be the ninth meeting in the two schools history, their last meeting was an action packed, heartbraeaking game in Fresno which the Bulldogs dropped 69-67, this will be the Dogs first trip to play the Cardinal in Palo Alto since 1954.

The Cardinal Coming in:

Stanford enters off of last Saturdays victory over Texas Tech 62-61, their sixth straight win. After the Red-Raiders used a 21-6 run to close the 1^st half to lead 33-26, Sophmore Center Brooke Lopez, in only his 2^nd game of the season, led the way in the 2^nd half scoring 17 of his team-high 19 points. Joining Lopez in double figure scoring was guard Anthony Goods with 10 and fellow post player and brother Robin with 10.

The Cardinal come into the contest with a 10-1 record, their best start since 2003-04, and they also enter with a 7-0 home record. Key wins for Stanford are over UCSB, Colorado, Santa Clara, Northwestern, and Texas Tech. The lone loss was an early season road game at Siena, a 69-57 defeat.

The Cardinal feature 4 players in double figure scoring, led by newly reinstated Brook Lopez (19.5 ppg, 5 rpg, 1.5 blks), guard Anthony Goods (12.5 ppg, 3 apg, 41.3% 3pt), Robin Lopez (10.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 30 blks), and Lawrence Hill (10.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg).

Key Cardinal team stats:

-76.8 points per game (56.8 opp)
-49.5 Field goal % (38.8% opp)
-40.2 3pt % (33% opp)
-239 Free Throw attempts (181 opp)
-+ 12.5 rebounding margin
-16.3 assist per game to 13.5 turnovers
-4.8 steals per game (6.5 opp)
-4.7 blocks per game
-Outscored opponents by 137 in the 1^st half

The Bulldogs coming in:

Fresno State enters the matchup with Stanford off of what was their most complete performance of the season at home against the University of Pacific, a 75-58 victory. Besides the opening 4 minute stretch of the 2^nd half, the Bulldogs outplayed the Tigers and showed that there is potential for this team to win big games. The Bulldogs were led by Senior all-everything point guard Kevin Bell who finished with 24 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.

Also contributing with solid games were Hector Hernandez with 10 points and 4 rebounds, and guard Eddie Miller who finished with 15 points on 5-9 three point shooting. Miller leads the WAC in made 3 point field goals with 4 per game. Tyson Parker also played a key role off the bench with 4 points and 4 assists.

As a team the Bulldogs shot a blistering 51.1% from the field, 39% from three, and 78% from the charity stripe. There were only 9 turnovers for the Bulldogs while they were able to force 7 steals and hand out 15 assists as a team.

On the season Kevin Bell leads the way averaging 17.5 points per contest while Eddie Miller comes in at 13.5 points per. The most troublesome season stat that has plagued the Bulldogs all season, and will continue to, is a -5.2 rebounding margin per outing. This is where the Bulldogs must make some improvement but will also have to shoot very well from three to overcome these deficiencies. Against a team like Stanford, the status quo in this area will net you a double digit loss without a doubt.

What to expect:

A loss, but hopefully a close one under double digits and some positives to build on heading out on their first WAC road swing of the season. Getting off to a good start in Ruston and Las Cruces to open WAC play will be crucial for the Bulldogs, and how they play Saturday against the Cardinal may dictate some of that. The Bulldogs will get pounded on the glass, it will take a great shooting effort from the guards, and some semblance of solid contribution off the bench.

MBs Take:

I really don’t know what to expect here, but I do see the Dogs dropping this one in Palo Alto. Bell and Miller keep it close but the size of the Twins and the pounding of the offensive glass takes its toll and the Dogs lose 71-63.

Fresno State at Arizona Preview

2007-12-15T15:25:00.000-08:00

You want to win at Arizona? Can you make 10 threes?

The Fresno State Bulldogs travel to Tucson to take on the #21 Ranked Arizona Wildcats on Sunday at noon in the McKale Center. Arizona enters the contest at 6-2 coming off of a victory over Illinois 78-72 in overtime. The Bulldogs are coming off of a loss in Las Vegas at the hands of UNLV 84-71. Fresno State leads the overall series 3-2 with the last game a victory in Tucson

in 1980.

Arizona will be without legendary Coach Lute Olson for the remainder of the season, the decision was made final on December 7^th. Taking over the Head Coaching duties for Olson will be Kevin O’Neill. O’Neill had previous Coaching stints at Marquette, Tennessee, and Northwestern.

Where the Bulldogs stand:

Coach Steve Cleveland brings his team into this difficult contest with Arizona with many unanswered questions and have been plagued by deficiencies. The biggest issue that has hampered the Dogs all season has been getting off to slow starts and falling behind early. From the second game of the season this has been the trend in nearly every outing. The most glaring was against UNLV where they were effectivelty out of the game in the first 10 minutes.

To have a chance of even being in the game with a much more talented Wildcat squad the early going will be of the utmost importance, Cleveland must have an extremely quick timeout call if even the slightest Arizona run is made. Kevin Bell will need to control the game in the early going by slowing tempo, penetrating, and getting teammates open looks in the. Turnovers plagued the Dogs in the first half in Vegas and must be kept to a minimum Sunday.

It will also take a very good shooting effort to stick around with U of A. Guards Eddie Miller and Bryan Harvey will have to have the stroke going from three. It will take a huge effort by the entire lineup, including the guards, to keep Arizona off of the offensive glass. Controlling Arizona Center Jordan Hill will be difficult but it will have to be done by committee.

A look at Arizona:

The Wildcats come in with the momentum of a big overtime victory over Illinois. The Wildcats were led by Jordan Hill (23 pts, 14 rebs, 3 blks) and Jerryd Bayless (20 pts, 6 assts, 6-6 fts). Both players came up with huge efforts and played their best late in regulation and into overtime. Hill’s performance earned him Pac-10 player of the week honors.

The Wildcats feature 3 players that are posting double figures in scoring, led by guard Jerryd Bayless (19.9 ppg, 4.9 apg), forward Chase Budinger (17.1 ppg, 5 rebs) and forward Jordan Hill (12.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg). Following closely and a key contributor is senior wing Jawann McClellan (9.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg).

Key Wildcat Stats:

-50.6% from the field
-39.8% from three
-77.1% from the line
-Outrebounding opponents by 3 per game
-Averaging 18 assists and 14 turnovers per game
-Scoring 79.5 points per game while giving up 68.8

MBs take:

The Dogs are reeling, I predicted a 12 point loss at UNLV and was pretty close, but the game was never in question. I dont think this one will be either without a poor shooting Wildcat team and a extremely hot Bulldog squad. Neither is likely to occur.

Dogs lose 85-70.

2009 Cars That Can't Seem To Stay Hidden

2007-12-11T02:16:00.000-08:00

Hmmmmm.... looks like this picture of the 2009 Dodge Ram is real, but where have I seen this before? ohhhhh... right..
I realize that you can't change too much from model to model in the truck business as not to offend customers, but I didn't think you went backwards in time when designing new models.
and there is the '09 CTS-v caught and posted on Edmunds. The car overall looks good, but the rear end has some weird looking angles at times. Side view is beautiful.

Go Take a look of the rest of the photos.

Big things are expected for both of these vehicles from both of their respected manufacturers. With gas prices not declining, will this new Ram appeal? What is this CTS-v going to cost? Many questions, and many more auto shows in a matter of a month.

FSU vs. UNLV (Yes, they are an actual D1 team!)

2007-12-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, our leading scorer is under six foot, problem?

We must first thank the baseline official for not watching Tyson Parker jump from 6 inches out of bounds to save the ball to Bryan Harvey who thankfully forced overtime with the desperatation three. Without his lack of attention we would be face with writing to you about the most embarrasing loss in school history. As the old saying goes, Id rather be lucky....

FSU vs. UNLV Preview:

The Fresno State Bulldogs will hit the road to face their toughest opponent of the season thus far, UNLV, at the Orleans Arena Saturday night at 7pm. This is the first meeting between the Bulldogs and Runnin Rebels since 1998 when UNLV defeated the Dogs 77-67 in a WAC tournament semifinal game. This game will also be televised locally on CW59 pregame at 6:30.

UNLV Coming in:

The Rebels enter off a road victory in Flagstaff, Arizona over the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona 83-74. They had 4 players score in double figures, but the key to their victory was their ability to get to the free throw line 32 times and make 27 of the attempts. Junior guards Wink Adams (16 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast, 2 stls) and Curtis Terry (16 pts, 8 rebs, 6 ast) led the way. Terry is the brother of Dallas Maverick guard and former Arizona standout Jason Terry.

On the season individually the Rebels have three double figure scorers (Terry 13.6, Adams 13.3, and Darger 12.5). Terry leads the team in assists at just under 4 per game, Darger leads the team in rebounds at 6.3 per game, while Terry and Adams share the team lead with 11 steals.

UNLV Team Stats (opponents):

-74.1 points per game (66.1)
-42.3% field goals (41.7%)
-31.9% 3 point field goals (28.1%)
-7.6 3 point field goals/game (5.4)
-72% free throws (65.8%)
-35.4 rebounds per game (39.5)
-13.5 assists per game (12.5)
-12.1 turnovers per game (16.5)
-8.9 steals per game (4.9)
-3.1 blocks per game (1.9)

Fresno State Coming in:

The Bulldogs come in to Saturdays matchup narrowly escaping what may have been one of the worst losses in program history against Cal-State Monterey Bay. It took a desperation 3 from Bryan Harvey to force overtime after a controversial save by Tyson Parker in which he was clearly out of bounds. The Bulldogs eventually prevailed 85-80 in overtime. They were led by Kevin Bell’s 24 points and 5 assists, Bell battled cramps in the second half and overtime.

Hector Hernandez had a much improved shooting touch going 4-7 from three on the way to an 18 point, 9 rebound effort. Bryan Harvey had a very nice game scoring 19, collecting 9 rebounds which was key, and added 4 blocks. Most importantly he forced overtime with the deep three. Not to be forgotten, guard Tyson Parker turned in an all around game scoring 4 point, had 5 rebounds, and led the team with 7 assists. He distributed very well after Coach Cleveland moved him to the free throw line area in the halfcourt offensive sets to allow him to be a facilitator.

What to expect:

The Bulldogs have what seems like everything going against them-a road game, a very good opponent, an embarrassing near loss prior at home, and a lack of confidence coming in. The only question is how will they respond to this tough test? How can the Bulldogs leave Vegas with a win? It will take the starters staying out of foul trouble and keeping the Rebels off the line, they must compete on the boards, and they will have to come up with 10+ made threes. Lastly, as always on the road against an opportunistic team, they must value the basketball and keep turnovers down.

MBs take:

Well, since I predicted a 23 point victory against the Otters and was not even close, I see the Dogs waltzing into Orleans Arena and losing to the Rebels by 12. Why or how, Im unsure but they had to escape a D2 team at home so how can I give them a chance against a top 40 D1 team?

FSU vs. Cal State Whaaa? Monterey Bay?

2007-12-05T09:59:00.000-08:00

Yes Greg, we played and beat the mighty Otters!

FSU vs. CSU Monterey Bay Preview

The Fresno State Bulldogs will host the California State University Monterey Bay Otters Wednesday night at the Save Mart Center at 7pm. The Bulldogs come in not having played a game since November 27^th, a 74-64 victory at Winston-Salem State, led by Eddie Miller’s 25 points in front of friends and family that bussed down from Maryland. That was the second part of a two game road trip, the Dogs fell to Sam Houston State in the first game 68-57.

The Bulldogs will play at home Wednesday night and then travel to Las Vegas to play UNLV at the Orleans Arena Saturday at 7pm.

CSUMB enters the game off of a road loss at Cal-Poly Pomona 77-66. The Bulldogs and Otters do have a common opponent this season in Western Washington. The Bulldogs defeated WW on Nov. 4^th at the Save Mart Center 97-67 on a 61 point second half effort. CSUMB played Western Washington twice, losing at home 82-77 and in Bellingham 87-75.

Scouting CSUMB:

The Otters will come in very undersized, their tallest player being Jacob Kernodle at 6’7, the next players down in size are 6’4. Its looks as though Ryan McBride, who was scoring 12.7 ppg is no longer with the Otters. The others scoring in double figures are Augie Johnston (16.3 ppg) and D’Shon Cannon (15.7 ppg) and Joe Mitchell (13.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg). An interesting note is that 6’4 junior guard Jose Sanchez who is averaging 8.1 ppg listed his last school attended as Fresno State.

Some team stats of note for the Otters:
-Averaging 70.4 ppg while yielding 76.4
-Shooting 46% Fgs, 34% from three, and 79% from the line on 112 attempts
-Getting outrebounded by around 1 per game=
-12 assists per game, but 15 turnovers per

For the Bulldogs:

The Bulldogs continue to be led by senior Point Guard Kevin Bell with his 17.4 ppg and his just over 6 assists per game. There are 4 players posting double figure scoring that are available, though Dwight O’ Neil was averaging 13.5 ppg before his wrist injury.

Hector Hernandez has had difficulty in the early season shooting the Basketball but still is at 10.3 ppg and a team leading 7.9 rpg. Hernandez is the player that needs to make strides and improve his play over the next few weeks. He is critical to the Bulldogs success.

This game should not be a contest that is ever in doubt. What this matchup does is allows the Bulldogs to work on sets offensively, get some confidence shooting the basketball, and utilize this as an opportunity to go into the UNLV game with a clear idea of that they want to do. It wont be a physically demanding game so they will be fresh for Saturday, a game that will be extremely difficult.

MBs Take:

Yes this game has everything-a D2 opponent, a fellow CSU school, a rare opponent mascot (Otter, would a Bulldog beat an otter in a fight? Furthermore, can otters come on land and compete physically?), and a team with no player over 6'7.

This is quite the matchup (not so much) but what really matters is no getting decimated and embarrased in Vegas Saturday.

Through extrapolation, I say the Dogs win this by 23 points.

FSU vs. WSSU preview-Just win please!

2007-11-27T12:12:00.000-08:00

Remember when.....

FSU vs. Winston-Salem State Preview:

The Bulldogs will finish out their road trip with a game in North Carolina versus the Rams of Winston-Salem State. This will be the two teams second meeting in as many years, the Bulldogs beating the Rams 85-63 on November 10, 2006. The Rams are in their 3^rd year of the 5 year transition to Division 1 Basketball. They are competing in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference but cannot compete in the postseason tourney until year 5.

WSSU Coming in:

The Rams enter with a 1-3 overall record and enter on the heels of a loss to Wake Forest 73-53. They were led by Brian Fisher’s 18 points and 8 rebounds. The Rams were dominated in the paint by the much bigger and more physical Demon Deacons.

The Rams are averaging 57 points per game and have only one player in double figure scoring in 6’2” sophomore guard Brian Fisher. Surprisingly, Fisher also leads the Rams in rebounding at 3.8 per game which doesn’t bode well for WSSU.

As far as team statistics go, they tell a very distinct story of why the Rams have a 1-3 record and also what the Bulldogs need to do to exploit WSSUs weaknesses.

-Rams shoot 32% from the field
-Rebounding deficit of 10 per game
-Average 17 turnovers per game
-Assist to turnover ratio of -7

The Rams do shoot the three quite effectively at a 36% clip and are actually outshooting themselves from 2.

The Bulldogs coming in:

FSU enters off of a tough road loss at the hands of the Sam Houston State Bearkats 68-57. The Bulldogs put forth a terrible shooting effort which did not allow them to stay in the game late. When you shoot 28% from the field and 3-24 from three you just aren’t going to win many games at all, especially road games. Couple that with being outrebounded by 10 and there just isn’t a way a team can stay in a game that way.

The Dogs were only able to stay around 10 because they were able to force 24 turnovers and get to the free throw line 24 times which was very promisining for a perimeter oriented team. The Bulldogs were led by Kevin Bell’s 16 points and 7 assists and Hector Hernandez and his 17 points and 9 rebounds.

For the season the Bulldogs are scoring 70 points per game, shooting 42% from the field, 31% from three, and 70% from the free throw line which is very repectable. The issues are the -7.3 rebounding margin and only 12 assists per game as a team which isn’t going to allow the team to be very successful unless those two areas show marked improvement.

Whats at stake:

Self respect. The Dogs cannot trip up against an opponent like WSSU. This team is on the schedule as a sure win. After a dismal 1^st road effort the Dogs must find a way to improve road shooting and get the job done. With a shorthanded roster with many holes, every game is going to be a fight so Cleveland and staff must find advantages anywhere they can and exploit them. This team just needs wins against whoever and wherever because they are going to be hard to come by all season long.

MBs Take:

The Dogs continue to struggle but force enough turnovers and make enough 3s to come home with a W.

Dogs Return home-FSU v. MSU preview

2007-11-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

Gut check time? You bet your a** it is!

Fresno State vs. Montana State Preview:

The Bulldogs return home to the Save Mart Center Wednesday night to host the Montana State Bobcats of the Big Sky Conference, tipoff set for 7pm. The Bobcats and Bulldogs played twice last season with the Bulldogs winning both, highlighted by an overtime win in Bozeman. The Bobcats are coached by Brad Huse who is in his second season at MSU.

Montana State coming in:

The Bobcats enter on the heels of a very impressive home win against Boise State 86-84. MSU led by 13 at halftime but did enough to hold off the Broncos. The Bobcats hold a 2-1 overall record with the 2 point win over Boise State, an 18 point victory over Long Beach State, and an 11 point road loss against UNLV.

They have 3 double figures scorers in their three games-Guards Casey Durham (13.3 ppg, 6 stls) and Carlos Taylor (13.7 ppg) and Center Divaldo Mbunga (10 ppg, 7 rpg). As a team they are averaging 75 points per game, shooting 46% from the field, and 32% from three point range.

What to expect from MSU:

The Bobcats feature a very experienced backcourt and will rely on them to carry a fairly young team outside of their trio of guards. They have a very defensive oriented system and coach Huse stresses excellence on that side of the floor. They also have a true center in Mbunga, a facet they have not been accustomed to. Expect him to cause problems on the interior for a thin and weak Bulldogs frontcourt.

Fresno State coming in:

The Bulldogs enter off of a painful and embarrassing loss down in Bakersfield at the hands of first-year D1 team the CSUB Roadrunners. Not only was it a road loss against a very winnable opponent, but during the game Junior Guard Dwight O’Neil fractured his wrist and will miss at least 8 weeks. Senior forward Alex Blair was limited because of a very nagging heel issue. Couple this with the indefinite suspension of Rekalin Sims and there is definite reason for worry in Fresno.

Guard Tyson Parker will give up his redshirt and make this his senior season as he felt it was best for the team. Both Tyson and Coach Cleveland wanted him to come in as an experienced guard in 08-09 to be a leader on what will be a young team, but he has elected to play now.

The Bulldogs are averaging 70.5 points per game, including 4 double figure scorers in Kevin Bell (19.3 ppg, 6 apg), now injured Dwight O’Neil (13.4 ppg, 2 spg), Eddie Miller (11.8 ppg) and Bryan Harvery (11 ppg). With the loss of O’Neil for an extended period of time, these three need to increase their scoring load, moreso from Miller and Harvey who will see increased minutes.

The obvious issues for the Bulldogs are the 7.5 rebound deficit per game, the 61% team free throw shooting percentage, and yielding 44.5% field goals to their opponents. The fact remains this shorthanded team needs to find ways to win and must do all of the little things to stay competitive. They must make a concerted effort on the boards and improve the overall defensive effort.

What to expect from the Bulldogs:

There isn’t really such a thing as a “must win” this early in the season, but the Dogs need a win to stop the bleeding not only following a 2 game skid, but to help ease the tension surrounding the program both on the court with injuries but also off the court with suspensions.

It is up to Kevin Bell and the guards to lead this team over the Bobcats. Coach Cleveland needs his team to come out with energy and show a spark on both ends of the floor, getting the positive vibe going. They will be forced to motivate themselves most likely, due to what will be a sparse crowd at SMC. This is a role where freshman Ned Golubovic could really help his team.

Its gut check time for the Bulldogs, how will these players and coaches react when their backs are inching ever closer to the wall?

MBs Take:

The Dogs find a way to win and grit one out, but they will struggle and may even be sluggish early, in fact I expect it. They key is to keep the deficit under 10 and not allow momentum to grow for the Bobcats.

Dogs win 71-66.

Random Thoughts

2007-11-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

Push through the Crowd, Altair

Assassin's Creed came out last week, This week we see the releases of Mass Effect(XBOX 360) and Rock Band(PS3/360). Assassin's Creed is not what it appears to be on its surface. All of the screenshots show you as the "main" character, Altair, but the first moments of the game reveal that it is actually set in the year 2012, and your name is Desmond. You use a machine to assume the roll of Altair. I won't even try to explain. With its engrossing story that leaves you wanting more throughout, Creed is one of the large titles that can live up to the hype.

The game at first seems repetitive, and for the most part, it is. But the further into the story you get, the better you get at sword fighting, counters, and silent kills, the more fun there is too be had. Just running across the rooftops and killing guards has taken up alot of my time lately.

I am sure I won't get around to Mass Effect for a while, Creed is a long offline game(something the highly touted Call of Duty 4 is not, online only there). But Rock Band releases tomorrow, and I am crossing my fingers I can get a bundle for PS3.

LA AUTO SHOW

Picture above in the Orange, this is a coupe version of the Genesis Sedan Concept we saw way back at the New York Auto Show. The car is overall not bad, and looks close to production ready. Supposedly the E46 M3(previous gen M3) was used as a benchmark. That was one hell of a car, and if they got anywhere in the ballpark, there could be some wonderful things to come from Hyundai... Wait what? I guess....
Our old friend the BMW 135i is back, now priced. It has not our friend any longer, now it's a distant cousin that comes to visit and wants to have deep conversations with you when you're just trying to play video games. Starting at $35,675, and fully optioned at or around $52,000, Why wouldn't you buy the 335i? Give yourself the extra leg room(lord know I need it). The still competent 128i will start at a slightly more reasonable $29,375.

The Battle of the Valley-FSU v. CSUB

2007-11-17T07:44:00.000-08:00

The leader of this group searching for answers

FSU @ CSUB Preview:

The Fresno State Bulldogs will make the trip south down the 99 Freeway to play new Division 1 entrant the California State University Bakersfield Roadrunners at Rabobank Arena. This will be Bakersfield’s first home game as a division 1 team, and it will be the teams first meeting since 1978.

Fresno State coming in:

The Bulldogs come into Bakersfield winning two of three games in the World Vision Invitational in Fresno, losing in the would-be championship game to San Diego State 89-72. They were never able to find their stride during the tournament and are still looking to define roles and find an adequate rotation, especially in the frontcourt.

The Dogs will also be without forward Rekalin Sims, who was set to play Saturday coming off of an academic suspension. Sims was involved in an incident early Monday morning and arrested on robbery and conspiracy charges. He is suspended indefinitely from the team and will most likely never play a minute for the Bulldogs this season.

The Bulldogs enter with 4 players in double figure scoring led by Senior point guard Kevin Bell (19.3 ppg, 6 apg), Dwight O’Neil (15.7 ppg, 3 rpg, 3 spg), Eddie Miller (13.3 ppg, 50% 3pt) and 6^th man Bryan Harvey (11.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg). One issue may be Kevin Bell leading the team in shot attempts. Coach Cleveland alluded to the fact that he didnt like that stat from his distributor, and although he has been effective, its all about shot selection and that must continue to be emphasized.

On the inside, the Dogs have not found much success at all in three games. Senior Hector Hernandez had an abysmal tournament, shooting 27% from the field, and was very disappointed in his own play. He needs to pick things up on both ends of the floor because if he isn’t providing an offensive spark, how many minutes can he get? Sean Taylor has played sparingly and will look for increased minutes where he has two purposes: defense and rebounding. Alex Blair (6 rpg) will continue to get the start.

CSUB coming in:

The Roadrunners enter Saturdays matchup coming off of two losses (92-75 @ CSUF, 94-66 @ SMC). Junior guard Terrence Johns led the way in the first two averaging 22.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. The other two in double-digit scoring is Junior Forward Santwon Latunde (10.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and Freshman Center Cory Brown (12.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg).

One issue for the Roadrunners has been their ability to take care of the Basketball. They have 24 assists to 36 turnovers in their 2 games. CSUB is also having to deal with replacing the bulk of their scoring from last season as they lost the top 3 scorers from last years team. This early part of the season will be important for the Roadrunners in establishing who will be the complimentary players to go with Johns and where the secondary scoring will come from.

What to expect from the Dogs:

The Bulldogs will need to establish themselves early, especially this being on the road against a winless, hungry opponent, and an arena full of fans looking for a big upset for this new D1 program. Coach Cleveland will need to have his team on an extremely short leash over the first 3-5 minutes. The opening 3 games for the Dogs have featured slow starts highlighted by stagnant offense, poor shot selection, and an inability for anyone to step up and make a play on the offensive end. They cannot continue to dig themselves a hole every time out.

Another key will be on the defensive end of the floor. CSUB has shown they are turnover prone early in the season. The Bulldogs need to keep the pressure on the perimeter constant to make entry passes that much more difficult. They must continue to work on interior defense and rebounding, this is most important for Hernandez. This may also be a good opportunity to get the Freshman Brandon Webster into the mix. Since Cleveland has decided not to redshirt him, it would make sense to get him 6-8 minutes per game. Also look to see Ned Golubovic get into the mix, he has provided a spark off the bench early in the season and brings a cerebral game with him.

Another facet the Bulldogs need to establish is some scoring while attacking the rim. Bryan Harvey has a tendency for too much east-west dribbling, he needs to turn the corner and get to the rim. Dwight O’Neil will need to do much of the same, but he needs to cut down on his team-high 11 turnovers. Eddie Miller needs to shoot more than 8 shots per game, especially when he is shooting threes at a 50% clip.

This looks to be a good opportunity for the Bulldogs to go on the road and work on defective parts of their game, continue to develop new wrinkles, and to get minutes for young players. Coach Cleveland must take a very cautious approach to the development of his team, this will be an extremely delicate early season for him and one where he earns his money. He is dealing with a team that undoubtedly lacks confidence and is fragile in its mindset.

2007 World Vision Classic Preview

2007-11-08T22:35:00.000-08:00

Games that actually count on the W-L record are here!

This Friday night will be the tip of the 2007 World Vision Classic presented by Pape’ at the Save Mart Center. This years field includes host Fresno State, San Diego State of the Mountain West Conference, Portland of the West Coast Conference, and Liberty of the Big South Conference. Each team play all three opponents in a round robin style tournament. Below we will give a brief overview, who to look for, and what to expect from these 4 teams.

Portland:

Portland comes in from the West Coast Conference led by second year coach Eric Reveno. Last season the Pilots posted a 9-23 overall record (4-10 WCC). Reveno played for and coached for Mike Montgomery at Stanford, and he is trying to employ much of what Montgomery utilized and succeeded with during his tenure as Cardinal head coach. This is an extremely difficult rebuilding job for Reveno, Portland’s last winning record was during the 94-95 season.

Guard Jamie Jones would have been the leading returning starter for the Pilots, but he was ruled academically ineligible and left school. They will also feel the loss of All-Conference guard Darren Cooper who exhausted his eligibility during a superb senior season.

Portland will come in with one statistical lead over their tournament opponents, 10 of their 13 players on the roster are freshman and sophomores. The early development of this young team will be critical to their success, just how quickly can this team adapt to Reveno’s system and playing at a high level?

The Pilots areas of success will be rebounding and solid interior defense and overall defensive toughness. Robin Smeulders, who was ineligible last season, and Kramer Knutson will be the inside presence and rebounding force the Pilots need. Add freshman Luke Sikma, son of former NBA star Jack Sikma, into the mix on the inside.

Areas of weakness include outside scoring, a lack of a players that can create, and overall athleticism. If the inside game isn’t on or teams force Portland into shooting jumpshots they could be in for a long night. They were the worst 3 point shooting team in the WCC last season.

Taishi Ito will return to point guard duties after starting his freshman season. Ito averaged 7 points and 3 assists per game. At the other guard will be Walter Thompson (4.6 ppg .276 3 pt %). At the small forward will be Sherrard Watson (9 ppg, 3.8 rpg).

Off the bench look for Luke Sikma and guard Nik Raivio, brother of last seasons West Coast Conference MVP Derek Raivio of Gonzaga. Nik isn’t quite the shooter his brother was but he is a smart player who may be starting early into this season for Portland.

Liberty:

Liberty participates in the Big South Conference and comes into this season off of a 14-17 overall record (8-6 conf) with new head coach Ritchie McKay, who was fired from New Mexico. He brings experience and name recognition to Liberty which boasts the conferences largest athletic budget. They Flames are picked sixth in the Big South’s preseason poll.

Liberty lost leading scorer Larry Blair (20.4 ppg). Blair left Liberty as the conferences all-time leading scorer. The guards must pick up the scoring in his absence, but maybe the scoring by committee will be more beneficial for the Flames as unselfishness will equal greater success.

The backcourt will be led by TJ Bannister, a Virginia transfer with one season of eligibility left. He will be one of the top point guards in the Big South and will be hungry with one final year to prove himself. As he goes, so go the Flames, but can he add the scoring punch this team needs since he never showed that ability at Virginia? Joining Bannister in the backcourt will be Anthony Smith (11.4 pp, 39.3 3pt%), who is also a defensive stopper. Look for BJ Jenkins to come in at times and allow McKay to employ a three guard attack.

On the inside will be Forwards Armon Jones and Rell Porter, and Center Alex McClean (14.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg). Jones and Porter will be very inexperienced and the lack of depth behind them is a real concern for the flames. McKay had to scramble to fill the roster because of the late hiring and lack of opportunity to recruit regionally.

The Flames have a challenging non-conference schedule and the depth concerns will be very difficult to overcome. This team is in flatout rebuilding mode with 3 talented players coupled with question marks at the forward spots and a bench that may not provide much help at all.

San Diego State:

Steve Fisher is entering his ninth season at San Diego State (127-117 at SDSU) and coming off a 22-11 overall record (10-6 MWC). Will the departure of guard Brandon Heath and Forward Mohamed Abukar mean the door is closing on Fisher to make another NCAA run?

Another issue is the dismissal of Jerome Habel, the loss of his 10.9 points and 6.2 rebounds will be felt, Habel was to be a main cog in the Aztec attack. Couple that with the fact that point guard Richie Williams may be suspended for the tournament and you have quite a few early season issues. Habel, Abukar, and Heath accounted for 61% of San Diego States scoring last season.

Junior Forward Lorrenzo Wade (10.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 39 blks) is a very talented player. Fisher will count on Wade to shoulder a much larger load this season and take his game to a new level with all of the departures. The Aztecs will also need guards Richie Williams (7 ppg) and Kyle Spain (6.6 ppg) to step up. They will need to elevate their perimeter accuracy and show the ability to score from the outside to compliment the Aztecs inside game.

They will also look for contributions from newcomers F Ryan Amoroso (Marquette), G Kelvin Davis (UTEP), F Tim Shelton (Local product from Clovis West), and PG DJ Gay right away. They must establish themselves early and gain experience in the non-conference. Gay was a prolific scorer in high school (29.4 ppg).

The Aztecs will struggle in the early going as Fisher tries to solidify a rotation and players fight to establish themselves and for minutes. There is talent on this team but it is unproven and lacks experience so the speed of that development will be key for the Aztecs.

Fresno State (Season Preview):

Steve Cleveland enters his 3^rd season with the Bulldogs on the heels of a momentum building season in which the Bulldogs finished 22-10 overall (10-6 WAC) and lost in the first round of the NIT on the road against Georgia.

The Bulldogs main challenge will be replacing the contributions of Forwards Quinton Hosley (13.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg) and Dominic McGuire (13.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3 apg, school record 114 blocks), who entered the NBA after his junior season. Although the Bulldogs have yet to find a true inside presence under Cleveland, Hosley and McGuire provided defensive intensity, rebounding, and a tenacity on both ends of the floor that will be difficult to replace.

First mention will be the fact that FSU will be without transfer Forward Rekalin Sims for the tournament because of academic reasons. Sims should be back Monday, but his absence will provide an opportunity for players to get extended minutes and minutes they may otherwise not have accrued. This may be valuable early in the season.

This team begins and ends with Senior point guard Kevin Bell (9.6 ppg, 5.6 apg). Bell enters as the favorite to be 1^st team all WAC as he is the conferences leading returning assist man. Bell will be looked towards to distribute to an outstanding perimeter shooting team, disrupt opposing PGs, provide some scoring punch, and not to mention be the emotional leader of the Bulldogs. Bell is in phenomenal shape and even looks to have added a few pounds of muscle which can only help as he will be called on to play extensive minutes, partly due to the loss of USC transfer Kevin Galloway who fell behind on classwork and transferred to a JC.

At guard with Bell will be Eddie Miller (10.5 ppg, 87 3pt Fgs). Miller led the team in 3 pointers made last season and will pick up where he left off. Coach Cleveland expects Miller to make 4 3 point field goals per game. Miller will be asked to help on the defensive boards with his athleticism, and will need to improve his on the ball defense. Hopefully, his confidence off the dribble has improved and he is more willing to put the ball on the floor when opponents fly out at him. His confidence is of the utmost importance and he must be mentally strong all season.

At the third G/SF spot will be Dwight O’Neil. He is coming off of a redshirt season and will provide instant toughness for the Bulldogs. He will be asked to penetrate and slash to the rim, backup Bell at PG, play tough defense, and help on the glass. He seems to have improved his shooting touch which if true could be deadly for an already perimeter oriented team, and also open up more lanes to penetrate.

The Forwards will be Alex Blair and senior Hector Hernadez (11.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg). Blair will fill in for Sims while he is suspended and until he earns his spot back. Blair is an energy player that has defined and narrow roles-rebound the basketball on both ends, play solid defense, and finish when afforded the opportunity to score. Hernandez got valuable experience playing with the Mexican National team in the FIBA Americas tournament. He is in the best shape of his career and will be called on more than ever to provide some semblance of a post presence. He will continue to be a solid three point shooter, but he will be asked to rebound and defend the post also as the Bulldogs are thin in the frontcourt.

Off the bench on the perimeter will be Bryan Harvey, the Louisville transfer, and there may be very minimal minutes for backup PG Myles Green. Harvey brings size to the wing at 6’5” and very solid perimeter shooting. He will have to show an ability to get to the rim and be versatile on an FSU team that needs all players to expand their roles to fill in for obvious shortcomings in multiple facets of the game.

Frontcourt reserves include senior Sean Taylor, freshman Brandon Webster, and fellow freshman Ned Golubovic. Taylor needs to step up in his last season, he will be asked to show improvement in post defense, rebounding on both ends of the floor, and in his general court savvy. Another welcome addition would be Taylor’s ability to hit the jump hook occasionally and show some sort of post game with his back to the basket. His roll is very defined and not much is asked of him. Webster is a long term project who has the ability to become very good. He needs to continue to get in better shape and adjust to the physical nature of the college game. Any court experience he can gain in the early going can only be beneficial as the season progresses. Golubovic was thought to be redshirting but that may not be the case as he has shown the ability to step out and shoot to go with his size.

Lastly, we will focus on who may be the biggest key to the season in Rekalin Sims. Kalin is a transfer from Kentucky with one season to play. He is considered more of an old school player who will not wow opponents with his athleticism but uses his skill around the basket and court sense to make things happen. He is crafty around the basket and possesses the ability to step out and knock down the open jumper. He will have to come up big on the boards and also be able to step inside and show the ability to post up and shoot the jump hook with both hands. He should be extremely focused and hungry as this is last opportunity to leave his mark on college basketball.

Of Note:

Fans attending the tournament games are asked to bring new or gently used basketball. There will be storage bins provided by Papé and World Vision at each of the entrance and there will be one big storage bin collected all the basketball at the end of the day.

The Bulldog Football team will be on the Islands to play undefeated Hawaii, lets keep this thing respectable and get home without any more injuries, this team has suffered more than enough in this season. Ball control, forcing turnovers, winning the special teams battle, and an off night by Colt Brennan and Hawaii will be the necessary recipe for an upset.

Guitar Hero III, The Simpsons Game reviews..

2007-11-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

The Simpsons Game is out for all Major Systems(PSP this week), and reviews have been generally around the 7 out of 10 range. I have the game, and tend to agree with the reviews for the most part. It is one of those games that doesn't have the best gameplay, can be repetitive, but overall is very fun. The Simpsons TV show writers were used, as opposed to some of the past Simpson console games, and the humor is great.

If you are as big a Simpsons fan as I am, and play video games as well, there is plenty to like in the Simpsons game. At the very least, I would say give it a rental, because there is alot to like here.
When it was revealed that Harmonix(Frequency, Amplitude, Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II) was no longer apart of the Guitar Hero franchise, alot of people wondered what would happen with Activision's hit. Activision put Neversoft(Tony Hawk Series) in charge of development for Guitar Hero III, and many people, such as myself, were a bit nervous with the decision.

Guitar Hero is a franchise that really can't receive a bad review. Take the same game, put new songs in it, and there you have it. The song list is obviously extremely important, and that's where this game falls short for me, even with 70+ songs.

The New Guitars (Gibson Kramer for PS2, Les Paul for PS3/360/Wii) are great. Can be tough to hold at times while standing, but the buttons feel great, the strum feels equally impressive.

The Boss Battles Suck. The Multiplayer battle mode sucks. I won't elaborate, they should have stuck with ALL encores, not thrown in Boss Battles.

It's not that the Songs featured are overall BAD(although sections 3-4-and 5 are pretty weak), it's that alot of the marquee songs are songs I can turn the radio on and hear on a daily basis. I like Welcome to the Jungle as much as the next guy, but do I really need to hear it more than I am already subjected to in normal life?

The real gems are Cult of Personality by Living Colour, Raining Blood by Slayer, Stricken by Disturbed, Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson, and OF COURSE, One by Metallica. Everybody's musical tastes differ, but overall these songs are challenging and FUN. And the Dragonforce song, Through the Fire and Flames, is freaking impossible. Alot of people considered Jordan on GHII hard, and it was, but Dragonforce is harder, longer, and doesn't have an easy loop to recover from the hard passages.
Going back to little old Harmonix. They have this game, called Rock Band, coming out in less than 20 days, I have talked about it before. They have MTV and EA behind them, and they have a nice little track list of almost 60 songs, and they have promised some lofty downloadable content in the way of Whole Albums, and many other songs. They have the better Metallica Song, better Weezer song, Better Queens of the Stone Age song. They have Soundgarden! STP, Bon Jovi, Blue Oyster Cult.... ALOT to look forward to playing.

And you won't just have a guitar, you have the EXTREMELY fun drum set, and a microphone as well, and you have a fresh series that may have something going for it. Check your local Best Buy for the demo, it releases Novemeber 21st. I will post impressions when this one is out, because the demo units I was banging on have alot of wear on them.

P.S. Rock Band went gold. It is so close....

Open Practice Pics from Wednesday

2007-10-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Your 07-08 Bulldogs

True Freshman Brandon Webster

Bryan Harvey, Hector Hernandez, Coach, Eddie Miller

Senior Leader Kevin Bell

Reinhart Giving Some Instruction

5 on 5 Defensive drills

Arizona State transfer Sylvester Seay

The new and streamlined Dwight

Ill try to get some thoughts on players and what to expect from this team in the next few days. In short, who will rebound? Who will defend the post with any effectiveness? Who will be the go to guy when the team needs a bucket? Will the defense be as good without Schroyer?

Sony is at it...Again

2007-10-21T22:36:00.000-07:00

I am a little late on this, but better late than never I suppose.
First on Deck is the return of Rumble. The DualShock 3. Sony is bringing back rumble into their controllers after claiming it was a last gen feature, pretty hilarious stuff here. Coming out next month in Japan, sometimes in '08 for North America. But! No region lock means importing is inevitable. Sign me up for a white, just for fun.

NEXT UP: The long rumored 40GB PS3 is no longer a rumor, it is releasing here in North America November 2nd, with a price tag of $399.99, with Spiderman 3 bundled(the movie).....

Avert your eyes, the white 40GB model isn't planned for us. Yet.

Now, here is the catch(it's Sony, there's always a catch). The unit retains built in Wi-Fi from the 60/80GB models, but loses backwards compatibility with PS1/PS2 titles.

Let me say, I think this is a mistake. If you want true backwards compatibility, you need the emotion engine chip built into the 20 and 60GB models, while the 80GB model relies on software emulation.. Something XBOX 360 fans can tell you isn't always the best. I don't personally see a need for playing the old games on mine, and eventually I don't think stopping the backwards compatibility is a bad thing, but not this soon, not when PS2 titles are still being made.

The New Slim PSP's (PSP-2000) is also out, Available in 2 Bundle packs, and a core.
The first Bundle is the Ice Silver PSP featuring Daxter, Family Guy, and a 1GB Memory Stick.
The other bundle is the Star Wars bundle, with a Ceramic White PSP(with silk-screened Darth Vader on the back:pictured above) , and that one comes with the new Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron game.
The PSP Core is available in black, for the good old MSRP of $169.99. The other 2 bundles are $199.99 each.
As a previous(current) PSP Owner, let me assure you that the "Slim" moniker is not just for show, the redesigned PSP is much lighter and slimmer than it looks. Playing for extended periods of time with the PSP-1000 can yeild aching wrists, and overall arm fatigue. The PSP-2000 virtually eliminates this, and the White PSP is quite good looking. Also one last feature for the new one, Video Output! Video A/V cable or Component Cable, you move from the small screen to the big screen now.

Pictures from Kotaku, Engadget, and Joystiq.

Pontiac G8 Coming at Good Price

2007-10-04T14:20:00.000-07:00

Pontiac G8 Concept

During a small media even in New York recently, GM announced the pricing for the good looking Australian Sedan with Pontiac face, and alot were surprised by the affordability.

The 3.6 liter V6 model will come in at $27,595, and the V8 G8 GT will start at $29,995.

The fact that a car of this caliber is starting at under $30,000, with some of the praising reviews it has gotten abroad, we may see some good things to come from Pontiac. Only disappointing item is the apparent lack of Manual Transmission, with the V6 getting a 5 speed and the V8 getting 6 speed Automatics.. Hopefully the G8 GXP (if/when) does have a Manual option box to check, because it may not be popular, but damnit it's fun.

Best of luck to this car and the Pontiac division.

Halo 3

2007-09-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, the third game in the Halo series was released on the 25th.

Many stores had midnight releases, and many people stayed up way past their bed time to get this game. People showed up to stores hours in advance to wait in line.

So what is the fuss all about? Did grossing somewhere around $170million in the first 24 hours of its launch mean anything to anyone? Well it does mean it was the #1 selling game on the first day, ever. That's a big accomplishment.

But how does it play? It plays like a Halo game, fast paced, first person, and fun to watch. But the campaign is lackluster. After the rushed Halo 2, the story mode on Halo 3 needed to be a big hit. My impressions are that they simply ended the story to tie up loose ends, but that the story mode was just a precursor to get more people to pay a monthly fee to play on XBOX Live.
Don't get me wrong, it's still fun as hell, and the new weapons are fun to use, but the Campaign leaves you wanting more, and not just because of the story itself.

Multiplayer has been changed too. They now have a save films feature, where you can go back and actually watch entire matches and see how that guy sniped you, or where he threw the grenade from. You can also do a bit of map editing, for instance, moving weapon placements or even flags in different game modes to change it up and let people have a different gameplay experience online. Also, there is a spartan editor, so you can change your armor color, helmet type, and many others.

Some of the reviews have been high, but I think because of the changes they have made, despite a lacking campaign, it deserves a 9/10.

Long Overdue

2007-09-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

With all the promise in the world to have a competitive game against the Ducks, Fresno St. got thoroughly dominated. I am going to keep it short.

Clifton Smith=bench.

Fresno St. scored 21, Michigan 7 on the Ducks. Lets just say I think Fresno St. could walk into the Big House and possibly lose by 5 touchdowns RIGHT NOW. Thought I was going to say Fresno could beat Michigan because they scored more on Oregon? I'm complex.

Bye week coming at a good time, Hopefully the Dogs can regroup for Nevada next week on the road.

Wild One In College Station

2007-09-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

Fresno. St lost to Texas A&M in 3OT by a 2-point conversion.

I don't really want to recap the game, but I want to say a few positive things about the team.

For one, the defense played a hell of a game. Linebackers were all over the field. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come, but they looked sharp and up to the task, as long as it wasn't Jorvorskie Lane running towards them. Other than Lane, I think the Dogs had an answer for everything A&M did.

I have to give it up to freshman Ryan Mathews. Hopefully his injury is not too serious, but before he entered the game in the 2nd half, with the absence of Lonyae Miller(who we all hope can overcome the ankle) there wasn't really a running game to speak of. He brings a much different look because of his cutback ability, and he is a tough runner. And to think, he was a high school quarterback months ago.

QB TB also had a good game. Down the stretch he made good decisions, didn't lose his cool, and put his team in position to win it. If not for a somewhat questionable 2-point conversion playcall(or Marlon Moore and his tiny hands), who knows the outcome.

I don't want to be too negative, so I won't go there, I just want to say that Clifton Smith does not belong in the backfield, and hopefully Miller and Mathews are alright.

Next week Fresno travels up North to meet the now ranked Oregon Ducks. The Ducks looked impressive against the now fading Michigan Wolverines, who can't seem to stop anybody. Dennis Dixon didn't make many mistakes, but the Bulldogs will not be intimidated by the Autzen Field crowd, and hopefully they can end the Oregon losing streak.

P.S. watching NFL, the Redskins Eagles game ended within 30 seconds of the Packers Dolphins games, both were 16 - 13 final score... Both ended on field goals. How boring.

It's Been Awhile.

2007-08-30T15:41:00.001-07:00

Man over a month since a blog post.

Sad.

Currently it is about 97 here, partly cloudy, lightning filling the sky, and HUMID. It's a sight to behold, rain during sunlight.

College Football kicks off in a little over an hour, and Fresno St. On Saturday.

It is supposed to be about 108 on Saturday, so we can look forward to a fun time in Fresno.

I have been playing the newly released Playstation 3 title Warhawk. It is an exciting Online Multiplayer 3rd person shooter. Not only can you fly the "Warhawk", or the rival plane, you can drive jeeps and tanks, grab a myriad of weapons ranging from assault and sniper rifles to flame throwers, and even climb into Flak guns and SAM sights.

There is no single player story mode included, but if you have the chance to experience it online it is a very fun console shooter. You can hop into a server with 31 other people with rockets and missiles flying every direction, fast paced and never ceasing.

So that is what I have been doing. We will hopefully be posting more now that there is more going on.

E3-07

2007-07-20T22:32:00.000-07:00

E3 has come and gone. We laughed, we cried, we were dumbfounded by Sony(the hallowed price change, which turned out to be a clearance to clear 60GB stock, and possibly the 80GB going down to the $499 spot, WHO KNOWS?!?!?), and there was alot of stuff coming out this holiday season and beyond that will be impossible to pay for with a minimum wage job.

No, SERIOUSLY. Lets think about this for a second.

On my E3 "preview" I mentioned 7 games that are coming to XBOX 360 this holiday season. Each of the 7 will run $59.99,(I won't even add in the guitar or drum cost for Rock Band) with tax in my neck of the woods this would run about $450. But guess what, there are other games worth purchasing. I didn't mention Halo 3, Mass Effect, and many other can't miss titles.

And although there isn't as many PS3 holiday games, there are still many on the horizon, promising that up until summer of next year, any gamer will be BROKE.

G4 TV called Call of Duty 4:Modern Warfare best of show. And after seeing how good this game looks visually, and the promise of weapon upgrades and other customizable aspects makes this sound downright cool. Anything that can get something like my most hallowed Battlefield 2142 onto a console is good in my book.

With Tokyo Game Show right around the corner, hopefully we have some more surprises to be seen. Only time will tell.

We Have Hit the Century Mark.

2007-07-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

Since beginning back in October of last year, we have now put up over 100 posts, and have hit over 10,000 visits since I put the sitemeter up sometime in December.

Thanks to all the people who have been here, whether on purpose, accident, or some kind of weird coincidence.
This one is for you, if you're into that sorta thing.

E3

2007-07-07T00:22:00.000-07:00

The once big Electronics Expo is next week, giving us just as much info on all the future games as it did before, with alot less people in attendance. But that doesn't mean you can't keep up with it, and if you are a big enough Geek like me you will probably be watching G4 (DirecTv channel 354) at the wee morning hours or checking Joystiq.com or Kotaku.com for all the E3 coverage you could ever dream of.

But what am I looking forward to?

Rock Band- Guitar Hero on steroids as I have seen it referred. The original developers of the Guitar Hero series added drums and a microphone. Fun ensues.
Ace Combat 6- Former Sony exclusive, looks as good as ever, and hopefully plays like it too. Apparently you can not only command your fellow squad mates, but you can command ground troops and naval fleets as well, or something of that nature.

Heavenly Sword- affectionately reffered to as Goddess of War, over the top camera control reminds people alot of God of War, and apparently so does the gameplay to a certain extent.
Gears of War- For the PC.

Turok- it has been a long time coming, but this Dino murder fest looks fantastic
Call of Duty 4- same great gameplay, in the future! Modern Warfare, thanks for doing something different, this game looks good.

Warhawk- Online only multiplayer war. Be a ground troop, be a bomber, do it all, on the PS3.
Two Worlds- anything that isn't the shooter on 360 is something to look forward to.

Army of Two- EA shooter that focuses entirely on cooperative play. Insert homophobic comments if you will, good too see developers trying new things.
Mercanaries 2- Open warfield in Venezuela, with any building able to be reduced to ruble. count me in again.
Simcity Socities- When has Simcity let us down before?

Grand Theft Auto IV- heard of grand theft auto?

Not to mention what Microsoft and Sony is bringing. There are so many good titles(especially ones that have been pushed back so many times people have lost count.....timeshift...) So stay tuned, as I try to sift through the truckloads of info and spew forth my own analysis as if anyone is reading.

PS3 Price on the way down, While 360 Warranty on the way up

2007-07-06T23:28:00.000-07:00

Look, I have talked about it a few times here before. And although I am sure nobody really read what I wrote (nsc I am looking at you) I will remind everybody that there is something wrong with the XBOX 360. Sure it looks okay, and when you pull it out of the box you like it. It now has a sizeable library of good and affordable games.

But then it hits, the Red Ring of Death. There weren't any warning signs, I mean your 360 was just as loud as all of your friends. The DVD drive hummed just as beautifully playing Gears as your neighbors. And still, it is flashing red at you, red means stop, red is bad. But we still love it and miss it!

Red happened all too often for too many people, and listening to its customers and the blogosphere, Microsoft has answered the call. If you are stricken with three flashing lights of doom for 3 years after the purchase date of your console, they will fix it for you. Not only is this for new customers, this extends to anybody who has purchased one, since launch. That would mean someone who bought a launch 360 would still be covered for over another year.

Granted, this isn't a full coverage warranty, that is still a year, but this is a big step that needed to be taken, and although the cost may be immense for Microsoft, it will bring them good press, and regain the trust from alot of the consumers.

On the other side, we have Sony. Everybody hates you when you are on top, especially when your higher ups make stupid statements often to the press, as has been well documented.

The PS2 was a success. A HUGE success. It redefined the console market, and their will be new software being developed for it well into next year. It dominated from top to bottom, and still sells up there. But here comes Nintendo. Last month reported selling Wii to PS3 at a 6 to 1 ratio in Japan, a region that Sony dominated.

The "experts" have been calling for a price drop since the price was announced, but many have taken the plunge, including myself. Recently a Circuit City add for the Week of July 15th that had PS3 listed with a $100 price break. $499.99? Believe it. It has been seen at Target Stores in many areas inside the United States for the price, and it has been confirmed.
Nevermind that Sony's President said it wasn't true, people are buying it in stores for $499.

So, does this change anything? Will people be more likely to purchase it at $499? I have always said that people would have been more likely to take the plunge if the catalog of games was larger. I still believe this, even with the price drop the PS3 needs more software. But isn't this exactly what happened to the 360? wasn't $399 too high for it on launch?

Pushing it out a year earlier than Nintendo and Sony may have led to plenty of money lost in warranties for Microsoft, but while Sony didn't have many games at launch, and Nintendo bundled the only game people really care about inside the box, Microsoft was sheilded from their shortcomings by the new industry whipping boy, the PS3.

What did the 360 have at launch? Perfect Dark? When the PS3 has double the titles than are currently out by spring, and people realize it is $100 cheaper, let the games begin. Sony may be down, but there is absolutely no way they are out.

P.S.
May I also add that the Discovery Mini-Series Planet Earth looks spectacular on Blu-Ray.

Spy Shots? Official 1 Series.

2007-06-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to 1addicts.com and Autoblog.com. They have provided the car community with real photos of the new 1 series. Pictured is the 135i, the 6 Cylinder Twin Turbo car. Said to go 0-62 in 5.3 seconds, this car really isn't the best looking out there. The lines are a bit odd, the front end is really not too beautiful. But the interior looks quite good, and the car as a package will be hard to compete with.

Where else can you get 300 hp and 300 ft lbs. of torque in a car like this? Not to mention the potential already seen in the 335i in basically the same package.

With BMW re-entering this small car segment, other automakers will soon follow. I hope the 1 series does well because it will only spark Cadillac to follow the same market, and create a true competitor under the CTS. It's just too bad we can't get those diesels.

The 1 Series, 2009 CTS-V

2007-06-07T18:38:00.001-07:00

If you Build it, people in Socal will buy it to remain socially acceptable.

The beloved 1 series is back, this time without that pesky camo. The rear end looks like it has some work left, but everything else looks production ready. I really can't envision a way this car will not sell. I mean I have probably said it before probably, but with this supposedly starting at around $25k, the price, the look, and the prestige is there. See it here at World Car Fans.

Expect this to be what the 3 series of old was, a capable class leading car, that is light and tossable on a track, but also smooth and quiet on the road. And step for a second and imagine the 3.0 liter Twin-Turbo engine from the its bigger sibling the 3 series, in this smaller lighter package. An underrated engine with loads of potential and torque in this small frame would be, excuse me while I wipe the drool from my chin. Instead of seeing the vaunted e46 3 series everywhere you go, expect to see this little Bimmer that can.

The "V" of Envy

Motor Trend has a story in their recent issue about the next CTS-v, claiming 600+hp, from a supercharged LS7. Now, many have been predicting for a while now that the rumored "Blue Devil" Corvette, which WILL have 600+hp, from a 6.2L V8. Why Motor Trend originally ran in print they would put a 7.0L hand built expensive to manufacture engine in this car with concerns about price being to high already is beyond me.

But Motor Trend has backtracked on their website, saying their "sources" are now telling them 6.2L..... Perhaps their sources are bloggers such as myself, or anyone with half a brain who can read any car enthusiast site. But maybe I am being to harsh on Motor Trend, they have been right a couple of times.

Not Even a Smart Car Can Save Us Now

2007-05-20T18:40:00.001-07:00

No disrespect to this man above, but he is obviously a midget to actually be able to fit into one of these.

The DaimlerChrysler owned Smart car is coming to America, but we already know this.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/05/08/beefed-up-cafe-standards-35-mpg-by-2020-approved-by-senate-p/

With the recently announced dramatic increase in Average Fuel Economy across your vehicle lineup, automakers the world over are in trouble. Maybe a car like the Prius makes no money for Toyota(loses money is more like it) but it will definately balance out their plethora of SUV's, not to mention their all new full size Tacoma.

Chrysler, having just been sold to Cerberus, is in the worst shape of the Big 3. I wonder how the release and sale of the smart car, which is said to cost around $10-15k and get around 40-50 mpg, will be affected? They have Plenty of the trucks and SUV's, and even their Sedans like the 300 and the Chargers are not the best on fuel economy, even in V6 trim. The only saving grace for them, along with GM and BMW, is the two-mode hybrid.

The Escalade has been spotted apparently using the in development system. It needs to get into the SUV's fast, along with cars. GM and the other American automakers need to get their 6 speed automatic transmissions out too. It is going to be an uphill battle for all the automakers, but it is do or die.

The way cars are built and released could change dramatically, and alot of the performance cars we take for granted now may really change forever. Hybrid systems could be implemented on cars just to get a higher fuel economy to better the CAFE. But not only will it cost more for the automakers, it will cost more for the consumer. Grim days right now, but hopefully their is light at the end of the tunnel.

Saab 9-3 Facelift

2007-05-14T22:38:00.000-07:00

First there was spy shots, then photos showed up without camo on the car in the wild, and now Saab has officially released pictures of the redesign. Well, as everyone else has said, it takes styling cues from the Aero-X concept. It is nice to see some love finally given to SOMETHING at Saab, and no interior pictures yet means that there should be a pretty nice interior update hiding.

Hopefully they did something very big inside, because this car and this brand needs all the help it can get. The powertrain and engine options have always been pretty good from Saab, here's hoping they can make this one a "hit."

Meanwhile, Barrack Obama thinks we build too many gas guzzling SUV's, but drives a Chrysler 300C... An evil american gas powered V8 non-hybrid ruining the earth Chrysler. I for one am shocked, SHOCKED, a politician would not practice what he preached.

Audi R8 Video

2007-05-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

If you have read anything MB or I have written about cars, you most certainly have seen us(mostly me) gush over the Audi R8.

Please take a moment to enjoy this video, and see this car get tossed around a track. It is a touch over 6minutes 30 seconds, but well worth it.

http://jalopnik.com/cars/video/audi+o+phile-tiff-needell-hangs-the-r8s-ass-out-256831.php

Sounds incredible, looks awesome, is awesome.

Thanks to Jalopnik for letting my unknowningly link their video.

XBOX 360 Elite

2007-05-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

Well I am 3 days late, but here is my Elite. Let me preface this post by saying, I would never have bought it if my Premium hadn't gotten the "red ring of death" at the beginning of April.

It was a long month, filled with very little Guitar Hero, and that is sad. But a black XBOX, to go along with my black PS3, and black Samsung LCD, is a nice proposition. And the black controller looks nice, matte plastic all around.

Now again, my TV is sadly only 720p/1080i, but from my seating position and the size of it, it really makes no difference. Graphics difference between the component cables and the HDMI out are little, if any to my eyes. I would assume someone who really had a good eye could find something, but for the casual observer, there is no way to tell.

The main draw for some is the 120 GB hard drive, upgraded from the 20 GB, topping the PS3's 60 GB. If you download alot of Arcade games, Movies, Demo's, etc... Then you can use it. For the run of the mill consumer they will not need this.
Overall, for the price of $479.99, unless you really like the color black, have another HDMI input to use(like myself), or have to have the best and newest, then I don't recommend it.

Say what you will about the price of the PS3, when the 20GB was still around, it included a Blu Ray drive, HDMI out, and was $499, the Elite does not have an integrated HD-DVD drive, it is nothing more than an HDMI add-on, that doesn't improve graphics, and a bigger hard drive.

But I sure am enjoying Guitar Hero II again, with the 10 new songs for the 360... Possum Kingdom by the Toadies is an oldie but a goodie.. and here was my first try with it on Expert.

Not bad, time to practice.

Right now the Spurs are up 5 on the Nuggets, trying to finish them out. Spurs are trying to keep atleast one really boring team in the playoffs. Don't miss the Suns finish out their series with the Lakers in the late game either.

NBA Playoffs-Part 2

2007-05-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

Well, the Pistons Bulls and Cavs have closed their respective series with Sweeps, we sit patiently(or not) on the edge of our seats waiting for the rest of the first round to unfold.

It looks like the Spurs have control of the Nuggets and will close this series, The Rockets and Jazz series is looking to fall Houston's way with them heading home for game six where they will most certainly close the Jazz hopes of going to the 2nd round, and Phoenix is not going to lose to the Lakers, no they will squash Kobe's hopes of closing this series.

Right now I am listening to the crowd chant Let's Go Raptors VC SUCKS!, and it is pretty annoying. The game is down the wire, and the Nets are still in it. They (nets) have a 3-1 series lead, and if they do not finish Toronto up on the roa(which they didn't), they most certainly will go back home to New Jersey, or New York, or wherever the hell they want to be from, and close the series. They were in it until the end, but couldn't close.

The next game is the big one. Warriors go to Dallas, up 3 games to 1. Dirk already said its over, so lets hope what he has said will come to be. So far in the game Dallas has alot of energy and are up 8, but can this close this game out with time? It will be tough to close the Mavs if they are playing with this much energy and the fans are into it. Perhaps it will take a trip back to the Heartland for the Warriors to close the Mavs.

This post was brought to you by TNT original series' The Closer, and Heartland.

NBA Playoffs

2007-04-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I rarely talk about the NBA. There is too many games, and I would go nuts trying to write about it often.

I can't even write about the Warriors, which to be honest, we didn't do a whole hell of a lot for seeing as how they are listed as one of our teams over there to the right.

But now that the Playoffs have begun, I can reflect on something I said back on October 22nd of last year. Back in this "Weekend Sports Roundup" I mentioned that the Warriors and the Raptors were the only undefeated teams in the preseason. And obviously I called this as a sure sign the Warriors would win it all.

I know alot of you scoffed at this notion, the Warriors hadn't been in the playoffs since the Simpsons were actually good, and the Raptors couldn't do anything in the postseason since Vince Carter was gone.

The Raptors, behind stud all star Chris Bosh, dropped the first game of the series at home, but came back strong last night to even the Series at 1 game a piece. The Warriors stole game 1 from the Mavericks on the road, surprising many, but not me. Ok I was a little surprised, but when I look across the scoreboard for the layoffs, every series is going the way I want.

The boring Spurs are down a game on the Nuggets, The Cavs are handling the Wizards(minus Agent Zero), Andrei Kirilenko is crying and the Jazz are down 2 games on the Rockets(minus Tracy McGradys youth), the young are up on the old(bulls/heat), the Suns are decimating the Lakers... Pistons are being the playoff team we know they are, but the most interesting series is still the Warriors Mavericks. Can't wait for their matchup tonight, 6:30 pm Pacific on TNT.

Two new faces on Clevelands staff

2007-04-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

-Cleve rounds out the coaching staff-

What was needed in the replacements:

Since the loss of Associate Head coach Heath Schroyer who took the Wyoming head job and Fred Langley the FSU assistant whom Schroyer took to be an associate head coach, Bulldogs head coach Steve Cleveland has had the task of replacing those two key assistants.

Thankfully, Senque Carey is staying and is taking on a bigger role, but after Carey there were questions left about the caliber of coaches Cleveland could bring in. This is a difficult and arduous task because of the amount of applicants and the pressure to come up with two replacements in a timely manner coupled with trying to get recruiting done.

Cleveland stated he had over 100 people inquire, apply, or speak on behalf of someone for his open positions. What he needed was an associate head coach who could relieve him of certain duties and that could also help with the defense, post players, and have recruiting connections. The other coach would preferably be young, hard working, and have experience with game film and scouting.

New Associate Head coach Jeff Reinert:

Reinert comes in to become Clevelands associate head coach after a five year stint as an assistant at Oregon State under Jay John. Based on the recent success level of the Beavers both on the court and on the recruiting trail this may appear as a rather weak hire but Im optomistic about what Reinert will be able to add to the staff and team.

Cleveland has a relationship with Reinert dating back to when Cleveland was brought in as a candidate for the Utah Valley State job. Reiner won the job as Cleveland felt as though he was not ready for that position for a few reasons. Reinert even inquired about joining Clevelands BYU staff but the time wasnt right for the two to coach together at that time.

Reinert will be in charge of scheduling, which is to be finished up in three weeks or so. He will be integral in working with the defense and fill that slot that Schroyer left vacant. Reinert will also help with the post players (the few that the Bulldogs have) and my hope is that he can strike a bond with Center Sean Taylor and help him make huge strides. With no impact post players coming in from this recruiting class, it is up to Taylor to show marked improvement in the off season. Im extremely hopeful, but not optomistic.

Lastly, Reiner is a graduate of Gonzaga and played with John Stockton during Reinerts junior season, lets hope he can bring some of the Zags upward mobility to Fresno.

Jeff Reinert Bio

New assistant coach Lee Moon, Jr:

The second assistant brought in by Steve Cleveland is someone that has a familiarity with the Fresno area as Lee Moon Jr returns for a second stint as a member of the Bulldog staff.

He was the video Coordinator for the Bulldogs in 05-06 and also assisted with strength and conditioning and scouting.

Moon got his start as a graduate assistant under Florida coach Billy Donovan. He was involved in film preparation and breakdown, recruiting mailings, and player instruction.

Lets hope that coach Donovans magic touch extended to Moon in his short stint in Gainesville. Donovan has become quite the factory for solid assistants and assistants turned head coaches.

Moon graduated in 2002 from UNC Wilmington but played to years at TCU prior to transferring to UNCW.

Cleveland makes a good hire here in my opinion, getting a solid young coach who is a hard worker and has a lot of experience in game film, preparation, and scouting. I hope he injects an energy into the staff and helps with player development, he could become a great asset to Cleveland and the team.

Lee Moon, Jr. Bio

Recruiting thoughts:

Coach Cleveland had a solid radio interview today and part of it touched on the recruiting efforts. He stated there are two scholarships available. Everyones hope that he could land any sort of impact post player to play immediately were all but shot down. Sadly, it is not happening. He also stated that any recruits that have ended up at Wyoming were not "taken" away by former assistant Heath Schroyer.

3 D1 transfers have expressed interest which is good, but none of them can help next season. I have been calling for at least one or possibly two transfers to hopefully make their way to Fresno to lessen the recruiting burden that will come after the 07-08 season with so many players graduating.

Transfers have played a large role in getting the program back on its feet, but they bring issues with them. First, they have less eligibility because they will be sitting one season out. Second, they left another program for some reason but thankfully it hasnt caused any problems for Cleveland thus far. Lastly, they may leave early like McGuire which not only hurts the team but also the APR.

The advantage to the transfers is that they are generally a higher quality player then the Bulldogs could have attained either from the high school or JC ranks. These players were high level D1 recruits for a reason and would not have considered FSU out of high school, but the Bulldogs become attractive only when they decide to transfer.

I along with many other express some concern with a lack of high school players that are being recruited and committing to FSU. A high school point guard or post player would be a great addition to the program. Four seasons to help a player become a much better physical and mental player. Now the issue becomes would you rather have a marginal high school player or a stellar transfer?

As the program hopefully contintues to grow, one can only assume the program will become more attractive to high school players and especially local talent. Being able to choose from above average talent that would like to attent the university is the ultimate situation everyone is hoping for. At that point, when there are position needs, Cleveland and the staff can choose who they would like to fit the position and program and not scramble for below average to marginal high school talent.

Dom update:

Interesting that during the interview Cleveland told the host that he and the staff were caught off guard when junior forward Dominic McGuire decided to test the NBA waters. He said it may have hurt in early recruiting because they werent looking at a McGuire vacancy and a need to fill his spot.

He also spoke of Doms sensitivity to the program and the university and how much he wants success to be had. He would like to be part of it but obviously has to take care of himself and his family first. When Cleveland spoke of McGuire with respect to academic commitments and the programs APR it raised a red flag in my eyes and I hope that the topic isnt leaning towards someone not keeping up with classes.

The tone towards McGuire when Cleveland spoke leads me to believe what I have since he first decided to pursue the NBA dream-he is about 80% gone at this point.

I wish Dom nothing but the best and ultimately hope that whatever decision he makes he succeeds. He was such a pleasure to watch this past season and in one year became one of my top 5 all-time favorite Bulldogs. He was an extremely hard worker on and off the court and he was an unselfish teammate who played where he was needed not where he wanted to.

Lastly, does Clevelands inability to land a true impact post player help McGuire decide to stay in the draft? McGuire needs to be playing the 3 spot to take advantage of his slashing abilties, ball handling, and to showcase his perimeter skills for the next level. If he is stuck in the post next season, how does that prepare him for the NBA or show the scouts what they say he is lacking now?

NY Auto Show

2007-04-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

There have been many unveils. I don't feel like talking about all of them. I will see them all later this year at the next LA Auto Show, so I don't want to analyze too much before seeing in person.

The Ford Flex minivan was shown. Who cares about vans?

My personal favorite, the Mercedes CL63 AMG Black Series. Huge wheel flares, huge brake rotors, sweet stance... Nice looking car.

Hyundai showed its sweet looking new RWD concept, the Genesis, that has other car companies shaking.. This car has the look, and if they build it, it will be a competitor. Hyundai is slowly growing, gaining a better reputation, and if you doubt me, think about those little junk cars from Japan called Toyota's... not so much junk anymore?

Lexus showed its new LX570, that was in large need of a redesign. I am sure it will sell. It will still be overpriced. It will still not be as good as competition, but it will be fine.

Chevrolet showed 3 mini-car concepts, the Trax Beat and Groove. My personal favorite is the Groove, a "5 door" concept that makes good use of space. It is a Scion XB like vehicle, and if it can be brought here, marketed correctly and have that low chevy price tag, it could do very well. But that is the problem. These cars are WORLD cars, not US cars. So we may never see them here.

Check out Autoblog and Jalopnik for more coverage.

GTA IV Trailer - Controversy

2007-03-31T13:01:00.000-07:00

http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/trailer_splash.html

The Trailer is there. Looks like the next chapter in the saga that is Grand Theft Auto, returns to the place where its 3-d roots began, Liberty City. And it looks like they got a new physics engine, which was a long time coming (the engine used on GTA III, Vice City, San Andreas, Liberty City Stories, and Vice City Stories was all the same, and it originally was used on a game called Body Harvest for the Nintendo 64, so it pretty much had overstayed its welcome).

But, wherever GTA goes, controversy follows. In the 1 minute trailer there are images of the Statue of Liberty, Empire St. building, and many other things. Of course, this is a fictional New York, but it didn't stop New York Mayor Bloomberg or many other people from getting upset about it.

"Setting Grand Theft Auto in the safest big city in America would be like setting Halo in Disneyland" - City Councilman Peter Vallone

"The mayor does not support any video game where you earn points for injuring or killing police officers" - Jason Post, spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg.

Let's not mention that if you do kill a police officer on the game, your heat level goes up, and police begin to persue you. No instead lets tell people you are REWARDED for killing cops, and the article even mentions selling porn to children! Where are they getting this?

This is becoming more common today. The game Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas, based in the city of Las Vegas, you infiltrate Casinos and other Vegas locations to stop terrorists. The City of Las Vegas was very upset about this game.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 is the sequel to the game where you save the Mexican president. These games are set around the year 2013, and in this time there is a wall between the border of Mexico and the US. You infiltrate the border and do missions trying to stop Mexican Rebels. The Mexican Government went as far as removing all copies of the game from circulation.

So as graphics progress and storylines go beyond the norm, and extend to issues that may be controversial, the video game industry gets a bad name for itself. And this is at a time when more people play games worldwide than ever before. Will people accept video games in the mainstream? I guess the Wii, even though it is nothing but two gamecube's taped together, can help bring it back to the forefront. (Hecker said what most people were thinking, in my opinion.)

Schroyer to Wyoming-Langley following

2007-03-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

Prepare for the "screamer" Cowboy fans

What we know:

As most everyone knows by now, Fresno State assistant Coach Heath Schroyer has taken the head job at Wyoming and will take over the program that was previously headed by Steve McClain.

Questions following Schroyers departure:

As soon as it was known that Schroyer was headed to Laramie there were three immediate thoughts that came to mind.

1. Which assistants would Schroyer be taking with him?

2. Which players that Schroyer and the assistants had been recruiting possibly end up at Wyoming?

3. Who will Cleveland bring in as his new assistants?

We have an answer to number 1 and that was the more obvious. Schroyer's best friend is Fresno State assistant Fred Langley so his departure was no surprise as he will be Schroyers associate Head Coach at Wyoming.

Cleveland assistant Senque Carey will be staying with the program thankfully and be promoted to associate head coach it would seem. Losing half of a staff is understandable given their opportunities, but losing the whole staff would have been detrimental in my eyes.

Quick Schroyer bio:

This had been Schroyers 3rd stint as an assistant with Coach Steve Cleveland. He was an assistant at Fresno City College in 96-97 and BYU 97-01. Ironically, Schroyer then went on to be an assistant for Wyoming Coach Steve McClain for one season, the same McClain he is now replacing.

He left Wyoming be the Head Coach at Portland State for 3 seasons, leading them to the Big Sky Championship in 04-05. After Portland State he returned to Fresno to coach with Cleveland. Another odd twist is the fact that the Athletic Director who fired Schroyer at Portland State is the same one that hired him at Wyoming.

Recruiting Effects:

How will the departures affect recruiting I dont know, but it will have an impact for sure. The Bulldogs #1 off season recruiting need is a post presence, if Schroyer and Langley were the ones on those players trail, expect one of them to either end up in Laramie or another school altogether. Langley is a solid recruiter, he was credited with bringing in Quinton Hosley who was a two time all-WAC 2nd team selection.

Hole to fill defensively or not?:

Schroyers intensity on the defensive side of the floor will be missed. He was the coach that kept players up and demanded that they get the little things done on the defensive end. The Bulldogs were a much improved defensive squad in 06-07 and led the WAC in multiple defensive categories. He was also the one coach that showed great enthusiasm and tried to raise players intensity levels.

Possible replacements for the departed:

As for possible replacements I have no clue and will not even attempt to put a list together or throw any names out. There have been some rumors and names thrown around but most I dont see as any real option. The main thing is for Cleveland to get one really solid defensive teacher in one assistant and some who obsesses over little things because the head coach cannot micromanage all aspects of coaching. The other assistant needs to have good connections to help in recruiting, hopefully one with Southern California ties.

Well wishes:

Lastly, Id like to say that I hope Schroyer and Langley are able to build a solid program at Wyoming. They were great assistants for Steve Cleveland and the only time I will be rooting against these two is in recruiting and in head to head matchups with the Bulldogs. Best of luck to both Schroyer and Langley, and im really going to miss the "screamer" at the Save Mart Center next season.

Wyoming Guard Ewing "not worried"
Cowboys New Era

G37 leak - Caddy V12 back? - M3 Powerplant

2007-03-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

G37

The G37 I mentioned a few posts down has broken embargo, And when it rains, it pours. Road and Track put their issue for next month online a little early, and with New York Auto Show 2 weeks away, showed everyone what the car looks like. And pretty much every other outlet released their pictures as well.

The G37 will have upgrade the old 3.5L V6 and use a 3.7L, increasing horsepower and torque to an estimated 330 and 270 ft lbs. respectively. Brakes are also said to be upgraded, decreasing stopping distance. The car is now weighing in at nearly 3,700 lbs, which is not light by any stretch given its proportions.

The problem I have with this car, and most of Nissan/Infinity really, is the uninspired styling. Look at the 350Z, look at the G35. The Murano, and the FX 45. The Pathfinder Armada, and the QX56. Take a look at the new Altima Coupe even. I have no problem with platform sharing, and Nissan has hardly any platforms, but the cheaper Nissans look every bit the same as their more expensive Infiniti counterparts. Perhaps with time they will grow apart in styling, but for now, not happening. Maybe the Twin Turbo G37 I mentioned will look alot different from Skyline. And I am sure they will both be really cheap. Now that's sarcasm!

V12

According to Automotive News, the on-again off-again V12 in development for Cadillac is back on-again. The very nice 3.6L V6 GM uses in the CTS, the Outlook/Acadia/Enclave, and other vehicles, is said to be fused together with another 3.6, making a 7.2L V-12. Said to produce somewhere around 600hp and 540 ft lbs. It is also currently said to be testing in the land down under at Holden, where GM is sending alot of its products and vehicles to test.

What might we see a V12 in from Cadillac? Let me recall 2 concepts for you.

2001 Cadillac Cien Concept. Mid-Engine, RWD.

2003 Cadillac Sixteen Concept. Front-Engine, RWD.

The first, the Cien, is an absolute beauty. I love that car to death. The Sixteen is a great example of what Cadillac was and what it hopes to become. Cadillac had a V16 decades ago, but because of technologica deficiencies it never came to fruition. But now that technology is no longer a hurdle, it was a car to showcase Cadillac's climb back to the forefront.

This new V12 will likely end up not in a Cien type car(like the Audi R8 we here love so much) but in a large front-engine car, something like the Sixteen concept, a huge Sedan most likely, something that can compete with the Mercedes S-class. A car like this will cost a huge amount, but GM is still the King of performance for the price. I can't imagine this Cadillac costing more than its Mercedes counterpart, and it should match it in every aspect from ride quality, acceleration, quality of materials, and overall presence.

M3 V8
What's that M3 concept? You want me inside?

The last item for today is the new V8 going into the new M3. With the Twin-turbo V6 in the 335i making 300hp(rated) and the previous M3 making around 340, this new M3 is going to be a big step upward in the power department. Taken from the M5/M6's 5.0L V10, the new V8 is 4.0L. Said to produce 420hp and 295ft lbs. of torque, this engine apparently loves to rev, having a redline somewhere above 8,000RPM.

We all love high horsepower engines, but a sub 300 torque rating is somewhat disappointing. I guess that's what you get when you go high feature.

Good while it lasted-McGuire declares for NBA Draft

2007-03-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

The end of the reign of Dom on the WAC

McGuire Exploring options:

Fresno State Junior Forward Dominic McGuire has declared for the NBA draft. He is without an agent at this point which allows for him to return if things dont go to his liking.

I will say though to not get your hopes up Bulldog fans because Dom fully intends to be playing in the NBA next season. He has 9 weeks to prepare for the all important Orlando pre-draft camp. He needs to show the ability to hit the midrange shot and finish around the rim more consistently.

He has so many great attributes, even some were held back due to the fact he was forced to play the four for the Bulldogs this season. He has the size at 6'8, the wingspan, quickness, jumping ability, and ballhandling to be an intriguing prospect. He will be a small forward at the NBA level and will give up nothing physically to the competition.

A lot will remain to be seen after the NCAA tourney and in the coming weeks as other college players begin to decide on their basketball futures. At this point McGuire is projected as a late 1st round pick from a few sources.

If he shows well and some other college stars either dont show well or decide to stay in school then look for his stock and status to raise. If more players come out coupled with his inability to show a solid midrange game he may slip into the 2nd round.

If he falls to the second round (I dont see it) then there is a possibility you may see him back in a Bulldog uniform next season. No guaranteed money in the second round would be the driving force in him returning to Fresno State.

What it mean for the Bulldogs:

It becomes a problem without a doubt. Although many realized McGuire would test the waters there was the expectation that he may return. His return for a senior season puts the Bulldogs as a projected 2nd place lock in the WAC and would give them a real opportunity to win the WAC and get an NCAA birth.

McGuire staying would surely have seen him play the three next season and showcase his talents on the wing instead of being forced to play in the post. We saw glimpses of what he could bring to the Bulldogs if they would be able to add a true post player.

The only slight, and I mean slight positive to McGuire leaving woulf be the ability to sign a high school forward with the ability to come in and play 20-25 mintutes per game right away. A player like Edison (Fresno) High star forward Darshawn McClellan. Chances are Cleveland and staff will have a difficult time selling Fresno State to any high school senior including McClellan.

The only selling point the Bulldogs have to an incoming freshman is playing time. They are being negative-recruited without a doubt, the location isnt the greatest, the conference is not well thought of, and there is no real TV deal. Too many strikes against against the FSU program at the present time.

The dream scenario:

The dream scenario involves looking through the eyes of the Fresno State Basketball program which would start with the return of Dominic McGuire. He returns to be the senior leader with point guard Kevin Bell and becomes the WAC player of the year averaging 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists per game.

The Bulldogs new additions of Rekalin Sims (Kentucky), Bryan Harvey (Louisville), and Kevin Galloway (USC), provide the depth, athleticism, and toughness that the squad needed so badly in 07'. The Bulldogs win the WAC going 8-0 at home and 5-3 on the road. They lose in the final of the WAC tournament and receive a 7 seed into the NCAA tourney.

Now it is obvious that these are very hopeful projections but there is without a doubt a lot of potential on the team as we know it to be for sure. If Cleveland can somehow land one true post player and a high school guard or forward things look even better.

After an NCAA tourney run the Bulldogs get over the hump, McGuire is a lottery pick, and suddenly it is acceptable for a high schooler to sign with the (gasp!) Fresno State Bulldogs. Maybe there is even an opportunity to sign a local high school player which would be huge.

The importance of the 07-08 season:

This is why I see the 07-08 season as the defining year for Coach Steve Cleveland. He had a 5 year plan and wanted to first restore the integrity to a broken program. He needed a quick fix to be competitive early so he went the only way he could which was the transfer route. It allowed him to make the Bulldogs competitive but it takes high school players ultimately to sustain a program.

He has hinged success on the tranfers coming through for him and building a reputation and parlaying that into high school signings. With McGuire leaving Clevelands plans take hit but there is still enough of a nucleus provided 3 more key signing are made to make the run and continue the growth that Cleveland set out for.

Up next:

I will try to look at the returners and the new faces that we know of an what they will need to bring to the table to make up for the lack of McGuire and to put the program in the position it needs to be for the future.

Lets all hope that Cleve, Senque, Heath, and Fred are making some kind of headway out on the recruiting front. These are very critical times and they must come out of this whole process with some key contributors immediately and into the future. (Crosses fingers for a true post presence)

Lastly:

Best of luck to Dominic in his quest to make it to and compete in the NBA. Hope he gets after it in the next two months and shows the scouts an GMs what a true gem he is. He has been a pleasure to watch for this one season and throwing out the longevity factor, he is one of the 5 best players to ever play at Fresno State.

If things arent exactly looking the way that Dom expects them to then he knows the fans and the community of Fresno would love to have him back for what would be a special senior season. He could be part of building something great at this University. Either way, Im glad he chose to spend at least one season here in the No.

Fresno Bee on McGuire
Draft Express on McGuire

Measured Buildup Heads to the Track

2007-03-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

Look at me Im a boy racer in a V car!

I clunked my way to 125 MPH too!

A Godsend of a Road Course is Buttonwillow

KTM X-Bow, BLS Wagon, G37?

2007-03-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

X-Bow

The KTM X-Bow was finally revealed at the Geneva Motor Show recently. But instead of those stupid showroom floor glamour photos, here it is on a track testing. This is KTM's first foray in 4 wheel, better known as makers of Motorcycles.

The engine in the X-Bow is an Audi sourced turbocharged and intercooled direct injection 4 cylinder beast, producing about 220 hp and 220 ft lbs of torque. Curb weight is just over 1500 lbs. This is aimed at a very small yet intriguing market, one where the Ariel Atom is very well known.

Time will tell how this purpose built track car will do.

BLS

The somewhat unsuccessful Saab in Cadillac's clothing, the Cadillac BLS, now has a new variant. Also revealed at the Geneva Motor show, this car really is platform sharing at its best. If you looked at the picture of this car, would you think it is rolling on a Saab chassis?

Cadillac is trying their best in Europe, giving them a car that only a European could love, a Wagon. I am not saying this is an unattractive car, because overall its not bad, but its still a wagon, and I only get excited about cars that get somewhere south of 15 miles per gallon.

G37?

The G35 coupe is no more. No, Infiniti is not exciting the coupe market, their G35 coupe will now be reffered to as G37. Not only that, but apparently there are whispers of a 500hp twin turbo version somewhere around 2010. This, after it was announced that the Skyline GT-R would be branded Nissan in the US. The aforementioned G37 has not been officially revealed as of yet, people say the rendering above is pretty dead on.

Pictures from Autoblog

FSU v. Georgia Preview

2007-03-13T23:15:00.000-07:00

Key to the game: UGA Junior Forward Takais Brown

The Fresno State Bulldogs traveled to Athens

Georgia

for a 4pm tipoff at Stegeman Coliseum to face the Georgia Bulldogs. This is the third meeting for the two teams with the series split 1-1. Fresno State enters with a 22-9 record while

Georgia

enters with an 18-13 record. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and will be called by Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes.

Keys for the Georgia Bulldogs:

-High intensity from the opening tip as FSU struggles early
-Establish Takais Brown in the post early and often
-Brown must react to the double team quickly either score it or find open shooters
-Levi Stukes must get some early looks from three
-Get to the free throw line and get FSU in foul trouble (no depth)
-Outrebound FSU like they have done to teams all season
-Pound the Bulldogs on the offensive glass
-Force turnovers and frustrate Forward Dominic McGuire and Quinton Hosley
-Make plays defensively and get into transition

Keys for the Fresno State Bulldogs:

-Avoid early lapses defensively and quick shots in the opening minutes
-Double team Takais Brown quick and recover to shooters
-Do not give Brown the same look continuously, get in his head.
-McGuire and Hosley cannot afford early foul issues
-Show patience offensively and value possessions
-Take advantage of free throw attempts by making 70%
-Kevin Bell being assertive and scoring on penetration
-Eddie Miller and Hector Hernandez need to provide some 3 pt shooting

Random thoughts on the Bulldogs of Fresno State:

Come out ready to play and if there is any hint of let up or sluggishness, Coach Steve Cleveland must call a timeout. They should not fall in love with the three point shot early. Kevin Bell on penetration, or post ups from Hosley and McGuire should be focal points early.

Eddie Miller will get open looks off of effective offensive execution in the early going. He must allow the game to come to him along with Hector Hernandez. Miller must also be willing to put the ball on the floor to create for himself or others. He has improved on that facet as of late.

Bench play, well the 3 potential contributors, could be key. Although the starters expect to log minutes in the mid to upper 30s, a contribution from Alex Blair (Flu last time out) Sean Taylor (A homecoming game basically) or AJ Riding (Senior walk-on guard) would be helpful.

Blair and Taylor could aid in the defense of Brown and provide help on the boards and energy on both ends of the floor. Their impact can be made in few minutes. Its not that they need to score but rather a steal, block, offensive or defensive rebound, or keeping a ball alive to make a play.

In the end though, the key to the game rests in the hands of the senior Hosley, McGuire, and Bell. They will be the three that have done the most late in the season and will be counted on yet again to play huge minutes but perform consistent and on both ends of the floor.

MBs Take:

It’s a road game, but it wont be as hostile as the WAC road games the Bulldogs were able to win late in the season. With Georgia on Spring Break, it looks to be a smaller crowd then the season average.

Dominic McGuire was a man in the first half of the Boise game, he was hampered without Hosley in the second half. If he can continue play on that level and Hosley can bring back his inspired play then things will go well.

Kevin Bell has been great late in the season, he is scoring more and has raised his assists per game also. He will need to control tempo and keep everyone on the same page. It wont be a running game, but it wont be a grind it out halfcourt affair. He is in charge of finding that balance.

All that said, I think that the Fresno State Bulldogs will leave Athens with a 4 point victory.

UGA-FSU share more than Bulldogs
Takais Brown is key for Georgia
GoBulldogs preview
Georgia Basketball Update

A statistical look at FSU v. Georgia

2007-03-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

-Stegeman Coliseum and 10,500 Georgia fans await-

Individually:

Georgia top 3 scorers-

#42 6'8" Junior Forward Takais Brown-14.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg
#33 6'4" Sophmore Guard Mike Mercer-13.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg
#14 6'2" Sophmore Guard Levi Stukes-12.2 ppg, 76 3Pt Fgs

Fresno State top 3 scorers-

#14 6'7" Senior Forward Quinton Hosley-14.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg
#3 6'8" Junior Forward Dominic McGuire-13.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 110 blks
#21 6'9" Junior F/C Hector Hernandez-10.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 69 3Pt Fgs

Georgia Assist and Steals leaders-

#2 6'1" Junior Guard Sundiata Gaines-142 assists, 66 steals

Fresno State Assists and Steals leaders-

#1 5'10 Junior Guard Kevin Bell-169 assists, 40 steals

A look at FSU-Georgia team statistics:

Points per game-UGA 75.4, FSU 71.1
Opp points per-UGA 68.3, FSU 65.5

Field Goal %-UGA 46%, FSU 42%
Opp FG %-UGA 43%, FSU 38%

3 point FG %-UGA 38%, FSU 34%
Opp 3Pt FG %-UGA 35%, FSU 30%

Free throw %-UGA 67%, FSU 65%

Rebounding Margin-UGA +5.8, FSU -3.0

Assists/TOs game-UGA 14.8/15.7, FSU 14.3/13.4

Opponent TOs per game-UGA 16.1, FSU 13.8

Steals per game-UGA 8.9, FSU 5.8

Blocks per game-UGA 4.6, FSU 6.5

Tommorow:

We will get into what to expect from each team Wednesday, what key areas to focus on, and I will make my usual close but wrongheaded prediciton. Lets hope the Bulldogs of Fresno can pull the road upset and extend Q. Hosleys senior season.

Georgia Coach on Postseason birth:

NIT Bid
Coach Felton SEC Teleconference

Georgia Coach Dennis Felton:

Bio

Georgia Roster:

Roster

Stegeman Coliseum:

Overview

Dogs season will continue vs. Georgia in NIT

2007-03-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

-A chance to finish the way we expect Q to: playing hard-

About the "new" postseason NIT:

The Bulldogs were able to get a bid to the new version of the postseason NIT Sunday night. The new tournament is down to 32 teams from the 40 team tournament it was prior. There are 4 regions seeded 1-8 similar to the NCAA tournament and there is a selection committee in each region made up of former coaches and administrators like Dean Smith and CM Newton.

Opponent and seeding:

The Bulldogs were given a #5 seed in the west region and are matched up with the #4 seed Georgia Bulldogs out of the SEC, it sets up the epic NIT matchup of the Bulldogs. The game is set for 4pm Wednesday on ESPN2 and will be played at the Stegeman Coliseum in Athens.

A bit about the Bulldogs of Georgia:

Georgia enters with an 18-13 overrall record and an 8-8 record in the SEC East, which was the the tougher side of the SEC that sent 4 of its 6 teams to the NCAA tournament. The SEC East featured Florida, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky.

Key wins for Georgia include at Wake Forest, Gonzaga, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and at Arkansas.

The Bulldogs have 4 players in double figure scoring led by junior forward Takais Brown at 14.1 ppg, Brown also leads the Bulldogs with 5.8 rebounds per game.

Few things I noticed: Georgia averages 75 ppg and shoots 46% from the field as a team. The one issue they look to have is there near 16 turnover per game average, although they force nearly the same amount.

Georgia averaged about 7500 fans in their 17 home games this season.

Redemption for Q?:

I feel good for senior forward Quinton Hosley who was a big part of the reason the Bulldogs melted down in the second half of the first round of the WAC tournament versus Boise State. Much maligned for obvious reasons (prick) Coby Karl baited Hosley to throw the elbow on a scuffle for a rebound. Unfortunately Hosley threw it and was ejected at the 17 minute mark of the second half.

That ejection depleted a Bulldog team even further when they were already thin in the depth department. Without Hosleys team leading 14.1 ppg and 9 rebounds it was too much to hold off the Boise State charge.

Hosley has been nothing but class in his two seasons with the Bulldogs. The incident versus Boise State was the first poor on or off court decision he has made since he has arrived in Fresno. Im glad Q gets the opportunity to play another game and go out in his hustling, sellout style of basketball.

Game preview:

Look for a full game preview on Tuesday with a more in depth look at the other Bulldogs and what needs to be accomplished to come away with a road win.

The beginning of a special run?

2007-03-07T22:32:00.000-08:00

Can KB and the Dogs pull off the unthinkable?

The 3 seeded Fresno State Bulldogs are in Las Cruces for the WAC tournament to take on the 6 seed Boise State Broncos. The two teams split the season series with each home team coming away victorious, the Broncos 65-61 in Boise and the Bulldogs 78-77 in Fresno on Kevin Bells last second jumper.

Who does it for Boise:

Coby Karl- Karl is the leading scorer for the Broncos at 14.8 ppg and averages 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game. He is capable of leading his team and if he catches fire look out. The Bulldogs have contained and frustrated Karl in both meetings this season.

Matt Nelson- Second on the team in scoring at 13.9 ppg and leads the team in rebounding at 9 per contest. Plays well with his back to the basket but does not shoot outside of 12 feet and shoots nearly 59% from the field. Must keep Nelson from getting deep post position or it could be a long night.

Reggie Larry- Tied with Nelson at 13.9 ppg and second in rebounds at 8.1 per game. Plays well with his back to the basket and has a decent midrange jumper. Scored 19 against the Bulldogs in Fresno. Only threat to block shots for the Broncos at around 2 per game.

Eric Lane- Can shoot the three well when his feet are set and he is in rhythm. Second on the Broncos in 3 pointers made. Made 7 threes in two games against the Bulldogs. Must limit his open looks and be aware of his court location.

Who will do it for the Bulldogs:

Kevin Bell- Bell has been playing extremely welland has scoring the ball at a high rate of late. He has directed his team well, distributed, and penetrated and finished through the 6 game winning streak. The Bulldogs need his toughness and playmaking to continue.

Quinton Hosley- Heart and soul of the team and he is a key rebounder and playmaker. Will be asked to chase Koby Karl around and frustrate him with his length and quick jumping ability. Must avoid foul trouble and must get to the rim and finish. Free throws must go down.

Dominic McGuire- Must provide a post up game and take it strong to the rim. Must help keep the Broncos off the offensive glass and change shots with his shot blocking ability but avoid the silly fouls. If he can get a midrange game going he could be lethal. Free throws have been a real issue must improve or success will be hindered.

Eddie Miller- Needs to find open spots and pull the trigger. Has to use screens effectively and be willing to step back and shoot the 25 footer. Also must help on the boards and play solid defense. Must be confident and let it fly from three.

The rest:

Bulldogs must slow the Boise transition game that they held in check in Boise but had some issues with in Fresno. Finding shooters and closing out hard is critical.

Must front the post and fight hard over the top on ball reversal. Cannot let Matt Nelson and Reggie Larry get deep post position or they could be in for a long night.

Coach Steve Cleveland needs to use his timeouts wisely to try to get his high minute starters a breather, yet have some in his pocket for setting up a play or late in the game to comeback from deficit.

The free throw shooting has to be 65% or better. Cannot win games shooting 40%.

Show patience offensively, no quick jumpers in transition when the Broncos on a run. Need to minimize the size of Bronco runs, need answers and cannot get out to an early deficit.

Lastly, the Bulldogs must keep themselves in the game and keep it close throughout. If they can get to the final 4 minutes tied or with a small lead they have the confidence and recent game experience to pull out the victory.

MBs take:

This is not going to be an easy go of it for the Bulldogs. The Dogs need timely shooting, more of the great defensive effort, and to avoid foul issues and make free throw shots to get this thing done Thursday night.

It is going to take a huge effort from all 5 starters and hopefully the 3 bench players can combine to make any sort of impact to help alleviate the starters load just a bit.

If they can stay close and keep Boise from making any large, demoralizing runs then they will be in it and have a shot. If they come out and struggle early, Cleveland cannot hesitate to call the quick timeout.

It will take a great defensive effort, timely shooting, poise at the free throw line, competitiveness on the boards, and good coaching decisions to get this thing done.

In the end of it all I cannot go against the Bulldogs momentum and do not forsee Quinton Hosley going out against BSU so Q and the boys will pull out a nailbiter 73-70.

Postseason honors for Hosley and McGuire

2007-03-06T22:07:00.000-08:00

2nd team all WAC-all defensive and newcomer teams

2nd team all WAC for 2 consecutive seasons

I just wanted to make a post on the accomplishments of these 2 Bulldogs before the WAC tournament begins Thursday and I throw out the game preview tomorrow.

Q. Hosley:

Both players are very deserving and I believe that Quinton Hosley should have been on the first team over Boise States Koby Karl. If the league didnt think Hosley was good enough then they should have considered Ramon Sessions of Nevada.

Take Hosley off of the FSU team and they are no better than 6th place and the product on the court would look much different. The guy is the heart and soul of his team and his effort cannot be bested by anyone on that first team.

Hosley goes down as one of my favorite Bulldogs of all time and he only played here for two seasons. His attitude on and off the court is commendable and he continues to work hard through his adversity and success.

Hopefully, he can put three special games together in Las Cruces on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to remind the league there is no doubt he should have been on the first team.

D. McGuire:

McGuire came in with much promise after transferring from Cal, I expected 10-12 points and 6-8 rebounds from him and he has more than delivered. The biggest surprise was his ability to block shots (107) at a high rate. Since the Bulldogs lack a true post presence, McGuire provided the only intimidating force in the paint. He has not only blocked many shots he has changed quite a few too.

He was an obvious second team all-WAC and defensive and newcomer team selection. When you block 3.5 shots per game and get 9.7 boards you belong on the all-defensive team. He was an instant impact and gave the Bulldogs a huge boost from the get go.

McGuires versatility has been welcome because he is able to run the break and handle the point duties at times even though Kevin Bell is going the distance these days. He has also shown the ability to pass the ball and find open teamates. He is not a selfish player at all and he only averages 10 shots per game in 33 minutes.

To Reiterate:

Congrats to both Dom and Q and we will definately miss a class act in Q and we all look forward to Dom returning for his senior season and with the influx of talent for the 08' season, Fresno State needs a leader and that will be Dominic McGuire.

Up Next:

The Bulldogs play 6 seed Boise State Thursday in their opening round WAC game in Las Cruces. The Broncos have eliminated the Dogs each of the last two times they met in the WAC tournament.

I should have the preview up sometime tomorrow or by Thursday AM and Im looking forward to the Bulldogs gutting it out and making a run in the same fashion they have shown during the current 6-game winning streak.

Postseason honors for 2 Bulldogs

#3 in the WAC

2007-03-03T22:27:00.001-08:00

40 Minutes, 25 Points, 7 Assists.

I didn't get a chance to see the game live, and am watching it now starting around 10:15pm. This is JB by the way, so forgive me for not being nearly as articulate or as knowledgeable as my brother.

Fresno St. came out with alot of energy. By the time they reached the under 16 timeout, they were up 12-8 and everybody had been involved. You could see early on that FS was letting them get too many easy shots in the paint, but still, the effort was there. This was the time that Utah St. threw in a quick zone to try and slow down FS.

And slow Fresno down it did. Fresno was not really pushing the issue against the zone, passing it around the perimeter, and allowing USU to dictate pace. Fresno took some quick shots, and what was a quick start has come to a screeching halt.

FS began to turn the ball over, miss lay ups, and needed to stop taking shots early in the clock. KB played huge down the 2nd 10minutes of the first half. He took it into the paint and drew fouls twice when FS needed it most, and kept his team in the game. FS was down 7 with about 4 minutes to go, and did an excellent job on capitalizing on oppurtunities to cut USU's halftime lead to 2. KB even banked a 3 in from the corner (I had to watch this 3 or 4 times because it didn't seem possible).

Carroll came out early in the 2nd half and really tried to press the issue. He knew he needed to get into the game, and hit an early 3 that we all hoped was not a sign of things to come. You could tell that a big halftime adjustment for Fresno was to work the inside game more, and take advantage of mis-matches.

Dom got 2 quick fouls around the 14 minute mark, questionable calls. Fresno has been lucky avoiding foul trouble in a majority of their games however. The game really started to pick up pace, but not many points were being scored until around the 8 minute mark. From then, until the 3 minute mark, both teams traded baskets on many straight possessions, and Fresno maintained a small lead throughout.

FS caught some breaks down the stretch, Hosley got a three to rattle, USU had a rebound off of a missed free throw snared, and lost it out of bounds. They didn't particularly shot well from the line down the stretch, but USU had an inability to score effectively and it was one of those games that fell Fresno's way for once.

Negatives:
-Little bench output
-Didn't attack the rim in the 1st half
-41.7% FG shooting 25/60
-39.3% Free Throws 11/28
-Allowed Spicer to score 22, And DuCharme 13 off the bench.

Positives:
-Low turnovers(8)
-Playing while tired
-37% 3pt fg's... 10 for 27
-41.7% FG shooting 25/60 ( I know it's on negatives, but over 40% is actually pretty high for Fresno St.)
-Getting Carroll in foul trouble, making him a non-factor when it mattered most, only scoring 6 points.

Individuals:
Kevin Bell was fantastic(8-12 FG, 7-12 FT, 7 assists). He did everything you want your PG to do, and then some. You really cannot expect this much output from him every night, and the team around him needs to adjust to situations and get it to the rim like KB did when they needed it.

Quinton Hosley did not have a very good shooting game(3-11, 9 points), but hit the glass hard with 12 rebounds, and was guarding Carroll alot of the game. Did what was asked of him, and looked more tired than anybody through certain stretches. Great effort.

Dominic McGuire came out after halftime and went inside. They were perimeter oriented in the 1st half, and he really came out and sparked his team. His presence on the interior was felt in the 2nd half. He finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Hector Hernandez was 3-7 from the field, with 7 points on 8 rebounds. Overall a solid effort, happy with his ability to play tired, and really make it a point to get on the glass for his team.

Eddie Miller (12 points, 4-11 3pt fg's) made a nice contribution, and had possibly the most important defensive play late in the game when Utah St. had a wide open lay up on the backside, and he lept into the air and grabbed it with 2 hands.

You cannot expect the team to shoot well from the Free Throw line when they are getting no rest and the game was that fast paced. Rebounding was pretty even, 50 for USU 44 for Fresno. Overall it was an extremely good win, although alot of it had to do with Utah St. just coming up short down the stretch, with their sharpshooter Carroll silenced.

Recap

Box Score

Senior night at the SMC and 5 straight?

2007-02-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

Last home game for one of my favorite 'Dogs?
Ive enjoyed watching Q hes been a joy for 2 seasons

The Fresno State Bulldogs return home to the friendly confines of the Save Mart Center to face the Boise State Broncos Thursday night. In their first meeting on January 25th the Broncos came out on top 65-61, the Broncos put four players in double figures that night led by Coby Karl’s 21.

The Bulldogs coming in:

The Bulldogs come in on a four game win streak and they are playing much better basketball on the defensive end of the floor of late and seem to have come together as a unit. In the last outing in Las Cruces, the Bulldogs came away with a 60-58 victory.

The ‘Dogs played inspired Basketball on the defensive end which helped the lead for the games first 36 minutes and allowed them to hold off the late-charging Aggies. The Bulldogs had four players in double figures led by forward Dominic McGuire and guard Eddie Miller with 15. Kevin Bell distributed well and finished with 10 assists.

Guard Tyson Parker is out for the season with a broken arm, he suffered the injury in the victory over Louisiana Tech. His loss further depletes and already thin roster for the Bulldogs. Walk-on senior guard Ajay Riding will get an opportunity to shine in his final games of his career.

If Riding can play 10 minutes a game to spell both Eddie Miller and Kevin Bell, it will be a big boost because at this point Bell and Miller are both looking to play 40 minutes per game if Riding cannot perform.

Look for Riding to seize the moment and perform admirably, he has been a great teammate and tireless worker without much playing time at Fresno State.

Boise State entering:

The Broncos enter Thursdays contest after a 95-81 home loss to WAC-leading Nevada. Boise State played extremely well and Coby Karl and Matt Nelson both had 19 points and Reggie Larry chipped in 15. They shot the ball well going 27-57 from the field (47%) and 22-26 at the line (85%).

The issue for the Broncos was not the ability to score the basketball at a high rate or be efficient, the problem was they could not stop the Wolfpack. Not many teams have been able to slow the Pack down this year to the Broncos defense.

The Bronco average 76 points per game, shoot 47% from the field and 35% from three point range. They do have issues with ball security, they average 15.5 turnovers per game. Although they average 76 points per game, the Broncos are apt to give up points in bunches and will give up extended runs.

What to expect:

Look for the Bulldogs to be inspired as they return home to the SMC after a stellar road trip. If they cannot get motivated Thursday on Senior night I do not know what they can get up for. They have an outside chance of winning their final two WAC games and ending up in 2nd place.

If they continue to play and perform on the defensive end as they have recently, they should be successful and put themselves in a position to win. They also have the revenge factor with the Broncos due to the loss in Boise. There are just too many motivational factors to have a letdown.

The Broncos will come in upset minded and play loose, they have the weapons to score the ball and keep up with the Bulldogs, but will they be able to be consistent or overcome the defense they face?

MBs take:

The Bulldogs are on a roll but the last thing they need to let the 4 game winning streak due is give them a false sense of confidence. They need to continue to fight and scratch for every rebound and loose ball. Every victory from here on out will be due to effort and being able to overcome major adversity and grin it out.

Hopefully coach Steve Cleveland can insert senior guard Ajay Riding into the game and get him 10-12 minutes. They are going to need a contribution from him to succeed down the stretch in my opinion. Riding needs to spell Kevin Bell and Eddie Miller and provide solid defense and good decision making.

The keys to this game aren’t changing and are simple:

-Keep the Broncos off the offensive glass

-Continue to give the effort defensively and on the glass

-Control pace on the offensive end and show patience

-Attack the rim and finish

-Shoot at a higher percentage cause 35% from the field isn’t cutting it.

That being said, the Bulldogs win Thursday by 7 and keep the Broncos at arms length the entire way.

Audi A/S 5, Corvette "Blue Devil"

2007-02-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

The A5.

The S5.

pics from AudiWorld

I am a pretty big fan of Audi when it comes to looks and performance. But when it comes to price, the skeptic in me shines to the surface. These new large coupes from Audi are very nice looking, inside and out, and will have pretty good power. But they will be overpriced, as most of what Audi has to offer is. And if you live in the flat lands, if you are going to drive overpriced German junk, you drive a BMW.

Not stock hood? What is that down below in the bottom opening?

Looks like GM has another test mule for its supercharged intercooled 600+hp SuperVette. The end all be all of performance cars for the cash. This "spy picture" comes from a worker for a transport company who was supposed to be loading this car up, but decided to take pictures. Apparently the car is headed to Germany, so that means it will be on the Nurburgring soon. More pictures available at Jalopnik.

Huge road victory puts streak at 4

2007-02-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

NMSU tried hack a D-Mac and it didnt work

It was a huge road win for Coach Steve Cleveland and the Bulldogs last night, extending the win streak to 4 and finishing their last true road trip 2-0. After fouling and free throws, the Dogs led by 2 60-58 and NMSU had 10 seconds to make something happen. Great defense by the Bulldogs disallowed an attempt by Elijah Ingram, he passed to leading scorer Justin Hawkins and Hawkins desperation 3 would not fall.

This was a great job by FSU of overcoming adversity in a hostile environment and showing an ability to win a tough road game when not playing great offensive basketball. Snapping a teams 19 game home winning streak shows something about the growth of this team and their willingness to gut it out and play with maximum effort.

Lets talk negatives first:

-32% FG shooting on 19-59 total
-29% 3PT shooting on 9-31 total 3-15 2nd half
-Had issues switching and finding people on ball screens gave up 7 3s
-Were not getting the most favorable calls in the 2nd half
-Kevin Bell 1-10 from the field
-Hector Hernandez 0-5 in the 2nd half

Why they won the game:

-NMSU 0 2nd chance points
-16 more FG attempts than NMSU makes up for 32% shooting
-14 offensive rebounds gave the Dogs more possesions
-Kept the much larger Aggies off the glass only 7 off. rebounds total
-Only commited 7 turnovers on the road and made the Aggies work defensively
-Aggies committed 16 turnovers and were frustrated
-Kept NMSU at arms length the whole way lead for first 32 minutes
-Kevin Bell with 10 assists he played a great game distributed masterfully
-Eddie Miller hits five threes on 5-11 and is a threat all game long
-Hector Hernandez was hot in the 1st half played very well defensively and his effort was great
-Great game plan by the coaches they adjusted and got them to play well defensively
-The effort was special and they wanted it bad
-They made 9-10 from the free throw line down the stretch which was the reason they held off the Aggies. McGuire and Hosley were true leaders and knocked them down.

Lets talk individuals:

-Eddie Miller- I said he needed to score 12 or more points and he had 15, he was a threat the whole game and made shots in both halfs. He also helped on the glass and had a career high 6 boards. Nice effort E.

-Kevin Bell- Did not shoot well at all (1-10) but the one shot he made was really sweet. The scoring wasnt the thing here, he was the most important player on the floor because of his leadership, ability to break the press, and his distributing. They had him for 10 assists and I thought I counted 12-13 in my replay. Take a bow son, take a bow.

-Hector Hernandez- Great game. 11 first half points and got the offense going. Nice to see him do that in front of the 200 friends and family. He did not hit a shot in the 2nd half but he played much better defense, and he played inspired, full effort basketball that I have been asking for. Well done HH.

-Quinton Hosley- Steady. A few erratic offensive touches where he was unsure of whether to shoot or pass. Got on the glass and battled finished with 7 rebounds. Made 6-6 at the line which was huge. Scored points late on the line when the Dogs were in need. He also added three steals. Just do what you do Q.

-Dominic McGuire- Scored 15 points, steady effort and battled. He did not block the shots weve become accustomed to but that wasnt the point. He changed shots and had 7 rebounds. Had free throw issues early but hit all but one in the last two minutes, he was a leader. He also buried a deeep three right in front of the FSU bench to extend the 2nd half lead to 7. Keep it up Dom.

-Alex Blair- 17 minutes. Had two offensive rebounds and played hard. His dunk right before time expired at half was huge and pushed the lead to 31-23. Has had issues catching the ball and traveling inside of late and needs to work on that leadind up to the Boise State game. He made 1-2 at the line which is improvement. Love the effort keep bringing it.

-Cleveland and staff- The emphasis on defense is obvious, it has allowed them to both compete in and win games where the offense has been sluggish or they have shot below 35%. The emphasis on the defensive boards has been huge and is a key to the winning streak no doubt.

They have slowed the team down offensively and dictated tempo of late and limited the extent of opponents runs by running clock and avoiding high numbers of quick shots. They realize that as the season wears on it is the teams that can defend in the halfcourt and execute and score in the halfcourt are the teams that will have the most potential for success.

FSU-NMSU Recap

Box Score

Up Next:

The Bulldogs get a little break before they return to the SMC Thursday to face a Boise State team that defeated the Bulldogs in the 1st meeting this season. They have a few days to rest and regroup and work on some deficient areas on the offensive end. They will be practicing with a very positive tone because of the recent success.

The fans should show up to the SMC Thursday in larger numbers and show the team an appreciation for the road effort they put together. They should come out and play well, they need to avoid overconfidence and getting away from what has keyed there recent success.

Looking for 4 in a row in Las Cruces

2007-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Must keep Mr. Nelson off the offensive boards

The Fresno State Bulldogs will be in Las Cruces Saturday to play the New Mexico State Aggies. The Bulldogs enter off of Thursdays road victory over La. Tech 64-63, their 3rd consecutive victory. The Aggies defeated Utah State Thursday night 76-73. The Aggies are also looking to win their 20th straight game at home in the Pan-American Center.

The first meeting of the two teams on Feb 10th went the way of the Bulldogs 75-69, a game which the final score did not indicate the true margin. In that first meeting the Bulldogs outshot the Aggies 48-39% from the field and had 34 points in the paint to NMSUs 20.

The Aggies had 21 turnovers and the Bulldogs capitalized scoring 30 points off of them. Quinton Hosley lead the way with 22 points and 10 rebounds and Kevin Bell had his career-high 16 points to go with his 7 assists.

'Dogs Make it 3 in a row

2007-02-22T22:29:00.000-08:00

19 pts-13 rebs-and 6 blks for the single season record

The Fresno State Bulldogs were able to win their second WAC road game of the season when they were able to hold off the Lousiana Tech Bulldogs in Ruston Thursday. The Bulldogs were led by a huge effort by Junior Dominic McGuire who was able to pass former Bulldog star Melvin Ely for the single season blocks record. Ely had the previous record at 92 in 2000. McGuire swatted away six and now has 96 on the season with at least 4 games remaining.

How they were able to win:

The Bulldogs were able to win because of some great play by individuals in stretches, yet overcome some poor performances and mistake prone play. Lets review my primer for victory in the preview

-Shoot 40% from the field-shot 37.5% but had 7 second chance points. Barely enough but it worked.

-Shoot 70% from the line-shot 70.8% for the game and made key free throws down the stretch. Kevin Bell 6-6, McGuire 5-6, Hosley 4-8 but made the eventual game winner. Nice Effort.

-Hold La Tech to 10 or less offensive rebounds-They finished with 7 total and only 2 second chance points which was huge. Well Done.

-Do not have more than 10 turnovers-not even close, had 16 turnovers, 9 in the first half. The key though was they commited zero in the final 3 minutes. This wont work Saturday in Las Cruces.

-Share the basketball and show patience-Negative on the first one and check on the second. How do you score 64 points and only end up with 4 assists? That does not even seem possible but go back and watch the game and that was pretty accurate. On the second point the Bulldogs only forced about 5 to 7 shots the entire game and only 2 or 3 were early in the shot clock. When La Tech went on runs they were able to minimize them with patience on the offensive end.

Individually:

-McGuire was a stud as previously mentioned. He blocked all 6 shots in the second half and was worth sooo much on the defensive end negating shot attempts and keeping La Tech off the offensive glass. It was a truly impressive performance and he is without a doubt the player of the game. Im calling him as WAC player of the week after a big game vs. NMSU Saturday.

-Kevin Bell tied his career high for the third time this season with 16. He was 0-4 from three but made 5-11 from two and more importantly 6-6 at the line. He should have had a handful more assists but Mr Blair needs to learn to have his hand above his waist in a position to catch a pass when players penetrate. Bell was a true floor leader tonight.

-Hector Hernandez played a great first half and was able to return to a form of himself from earlier in the season. He shot 3-8 from three which is an improvement, he also had 5 rebounds and made plays defensively. He was very active tonight and was able to have quality minutes and contribute well. Maybe Alex Blairs recent success has forced him to see the light and understand he has to be more than a stand up jumpshooter.

-Quinton Hosley had 12 points and 8 rebounds to go with one brutal and nasty spill trying to dunk in a Kevin Bell miss. It looked painful on TV and I was surprised he got up and shook it off so easily. He made 2-5 from three and was frustrated around the rim but had a putback and a couple free throws late that lead to the victory. Keep busting ass Q.

-The bench was not much to speak of. Alex Blair needs to make himself more accessible and not watch the play but cut to the rim and have the hands ready. Tyson Parker looked lost and was not willing to pull the trigger and the coaches got on him for it. Sean Taylor got bullied near the rim and didnt do much. Ajay Riding played well and I liked his effort and contributions and he did not turn the ball over which is key off the bench.

-Eddie Miller was a ghost and beholden to the law of averages coming off of his career high 27. Better figure it out by Sat. E Miller.

Bottom line was it was a road win and those are hard to come by for this team and I was happy with the effort. If they played with this effort and attitude at home they beat La Tech by 15.

Up Next:

The Bulldogs return to action and look for their 4th straight win Saturday at 6pm versus New Mexico State. The game will be televised locally on KFRE and Ralph Wood and the guy he calls "the coach" will make the call. He is a good old boy who calls the team "we" and "our guys". He is also more enamored with unsuccessful plays then with plays that are made it seems, he is just a special color guy and we here at Measure Buildup would love to do a podcast with "the coach".

I miss the old day of Physioc and Belluomni calling all the Bulldog TV games. Hard to believe they were the guys now that they have their Fox Sports Net deals. Oh the good old days of "he hits" and "how do you like it?"

On the road looking for a 3rd straight W

2007-02-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Looking to set the season record for Blocks Thursday

The Fresno State Bulldogs face the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Thursday (5pm pacific) in a game that will decide which team can extend its winning streak to 3. FSU comes in with wins over New Mexico State and Sam Houston State while La Tech enters with victories over Idaho and Southeast Missouri State.

A look at La Tech:

Tech features two players scoring in double figures in guard Trey McDowell and forward Chad McKenzie at 13.4 and 13.2 points respectively, they are integral to the ultimate performance of their team. As those two play, so goes their team.

In the last meeting between the two teams the Bulldogs of Fresno State were able to get the best of visiting La Tech 70-64. FSU was able to outshoot La Tech from the field (45%-38%) from three (40%-25%) and from the line (74%-57%).

One area of success for La. Tech is their ability to crash the offensive boards with reckless abandon. There are always 4 players hitting the boards, with the 5th player willing to take risks in attacking the offensive glass.

The offensive rebounding is critical because of La. Techs inability to shoot a high percentage from the field. If they are only going to shoot 35-40% then they must increase shot attempts and possessions to make up for the lack of shooting prowess.

Lastly, Tech is opportunistic defensively and will force teams into turnovers. They favor a grind it out pace where they can exert themselves physically and outwork opponents on the glass.

A look at FSU:

The Bulldogs enter off of the big 78-60 victory over Sam Houston State. Guard Eddie Miller scored a career high 27 points and Quinton Hosley added a double-double. Bench production was also great scoring 22 points with Alex Blair scoring 8 and Tyson Parker scoring 12.

The only issue was forward Dominic McGuires early second half foul trouble. He cannot repeat those type of unwarranted, silly fouls in a road game. Coach Steve Cleveland needs 30 minutes of unhampered play by McGuire, who also is only 2 blocks shy of the single season school record.

One area of success recently has been the increase in field goal percentage. That number cannot dip much below 40% for the Bulldogs to remain successful. Eddie Miller must continue to shoot the ball well and must find quality shots early in the game.

Bench production is also key and contributions from Alex Blair, Sean Taylor, and Tyson Parker will be important. Each minute of quality play the three can provide puts the Bulldogs in a better position to come away from Ruston with their 3rd consecutive victory.

MBs Take:

I think this is one road game that the Dogs can win. The keys are simple:

-Shoot 40% or better from the field
-Shoot 70% or better from the line
-Hold La. Tech to 10 or less offensive rebounds
-Do not turn the ball over more than 10 times
-Share the basketball and show patience on the offensive end

In my opinion they will accomplish these goals or be darn near them. Dominic McGuire will break the record for blocks in a season, and the Bulldogs will win their third in a row by 4 points.

'Dogs over Bearkats 78-60

2007-02-18T12:54:00.000-08:00

Q played great, but the night belonged to E Miller

What went right for the Bulldogs:

-Got off to a good start- No they were not spectacular out of the gate, but there was not a 5 minute scoring drought or a deficit at the first tv timeout.

-Got Eddie Miller going early- In my game preview I spoke about getting Miller looks early so he is not lost in the fold. They found him on the right wing early and that helped set Miller up for a great night.

-Intimidated SHSU early- Most of the 7 blocked shots the Bulldogs had came fairly early in the contest and established dominance. This ealry success in negating the Bearkats inside led to them shooting fade-aways and off balance shots.

-Shared the Basketball- FSU finished with 22 assists Saturday and they moved the ball around well. Everyone got into the assist action and there was not any selfishness. The willingness to make the extra pass was great to see and I hope that trend continues.

-Shot the ball well!- A great shooting night and a continuing area of improvement for the Dogs. Shot 47.3% from the field as a team and 46.7% from the three. They finished at the rim, hit open jumpers and were deadly from three. Made 14 threes as a team.

-Bench production- Alex Blair and Tyson Parker were great sparks off the Bench. Blair was cutting to and getting around the basket and making himself available and he finished. Only bad play he made was missing the highlight dunk. Parker came in and was confident in shooting the three and helped moved the ball around the perimeter also. Both players were good on the defensive end, Blair 8 boards and Parker 3 blocks? Sean Taylor was nowhere to be found but that was a matchup issue mostly.

-Defensive intensity- Forced the Bearkats into difficult shots at times, stopped penetration and did not allow the guards to get to the rim much. Intimidated SHSU around the rim early. A lapse late in the first half and early in the second half led to open looks from three. Both NMSU and SHSU shot bad from the field for sure, but Id like to give credit to the defensive play and not just bad shooting.

What went wrong:

-McGuire in foul trouble- Two games in a row he gets two fouls in the first half and Cleveland sets him late in the first half to prevent the uneccessary 3rd. Two quick fouls to open the second half has McGuire watching for extended minutes from the bench. When he comes back he is out of sync, cold, and not effective on the offensive end. Needs to watch this in the upcoming games, 1 quick foul can snowball.

-Left Jeremy Thomas open- Thomas was the one Bearkat player that shot it well. He only played 16 minutes but scored 13 on 4-6 shooting from three. The Bulldogs cannot fall asleep and get crossed up on ball screens and baseline screens. Lack of communication led to open looks for Thomas. Every team will get looks, its just a matter of getting a hand and not leaving shooters uncontested.

-Free throw shooting- Finished 12-21 from the stripe. The 4-10 effort in the first half was the problem, it should have been a double digit lead if they had shot 70% in that half. This has cost the Bulldogs in close games and will thwart them down the stretch in coming games.

-Yielded too many offensive boards- Gave up 20 offensive boards to the Bearkats. Now the numbers were most likely going to be around 8-10 because of the low shooting percentage of the Bearkats but 20 is unacceptable. Part of this is due to the fact that McGuire sat with foul trouble, if he plays his normal minutes he gets 18 rebounds.

-Turnovers- Too may turnovers against a team that did not pressure the Bulldogs. I could live with 10 due to the fact that a handful were off of an extra pass that players did not handle. A little less carelessness goes a long way. Five more possessions in a game can make the difference.

Individually:

-Eddie Miller- Lights out. He gets a career high 27 points. 7 of 10 from three is quite an accomplishment. He got it going early and often and his shooting stroke dictated the game from the onset. Also got out in transition and got a couple of dunks, cut backdoor and had a nice left handed reverse layup. Chipped in 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

-Quinton Hosley- Been playing great. Looks extra explosive and healthy. Favorite player to watch because of effort and toughness. Extremely efficient from the field again going 2-2 from the field and 2-3 from three. 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and one ridiculous block where he came from nowhere to pin the shot with both hands on the backboard on a Beartkat guard layup attempt.

-Dominic McGuire- Rebounded well as usual, finishing with 11 total in 24 minutes. Limited due to foul issues for the second straight game. Cannot pick up uneccessary fouls early in games. They dont seem like much at the time but before you know it the officials call a cheap and egregious over the back and an offensive foul when a defender flopped and McGuire has four. Did a nice job handling the ball in transition and finding shooters, he had his head up at all times which many guys his size dont do when they are handling it.

-Hector Hernandez- Did a better job on the boards. Showed a little fire and intensity on the defensive end and also had a steal. It was an improvement from the nothing efforts he had been giving. Hopefully this game was a stepping stone to more improved intensified play. Still shooting terribly he finished 2-12 from the field. If he does not pick it up defensively he will continue to see playing time decline because he is a negative on offense. With his inability to make shots, its better that he defers and lets Hosley and Miller get more attempts. Does it make sense that Hernandez shoots 12 shots in 22 minutes and Hosley shoots five shots in 28 minutes?

-Alex Blair- Another great effort by Blair. 8 points and 8 rebounds were critical. Not only the defensive rebounding is important but his post defense is key. Not trying to block as many shots now which is great, he forced SHSU players into tough shots and fade-aways. Holds his ground well in the post and does not get pushed around. Cuts to the basket in transition and gives Bell and others an option at the rim when penetrating. Whereas Hernandez runs to three and stands, Blairs cuts to the rim and shoots layups. Efficient at 4-5 shooting he should have been 5-5 since he missed the easiest of his attempts a highlight dunk(a blocking foul on SHSU nonetheless that went uncalled).

-Tyson Parker- In the preview I wondered if he could have another La Tech type effort. He did. He was a confident shooter and shot 3-4 from three and 3-4 from the line. He was willing to shoot with a hand in his face. He managed to block three shots by surprising shooters and sneaking behind penetrators. Boxed out against bigger players on the defensive end and rebounded well finishing with 5. Also had two steals and did a nice job on the defensive end.

-Kevin Bell- Great job distributing, he lead the team with 8 assists which should have been nine on the McGuire alley-oop. He set the table early with moving the ball and everyone followed with unselfishness. Handled the ball well and dribbled around and through double teams well. Did have 4 turnovers but the way the game was played and the amount of plays he made negated it. Did not shoot the ball well but did not force shots due to the tough shooting night. His selectiveness and willingness to defer were critical. He came in off a career high 18 points and followed it up with 3 which puts him at his season average for two games. Stats do prove true I guess?

Odds and Ends:

SHSU Coach Bob Marlin should have been given a technical foul in the first half. He was all over the officials and even went off on a member of the event staff at FSU. It makes sense to go off like that with your team shooting at a 25% clip in the first half.

The officiating stank but that is the norm at the SMC. Phantom charge calls, over the back when there is no contact and calling a foul on Hosley when Bearkat forward Ryan Bright stuck his face in front of Hosleys elbow. They let the game get out of hand a bit. At least it didnt get ugly although Q had one extremely hard foul as retaliation for a swipe in the face after a defensive board.

Cleveland showed some emotion after the 4th foul on Hosley, the way the lead was I think I would have went off on the officials and got a t if I was in his shoes but he showed that Clevelanesque restrain/nothing will ever phase me thing he has going.

Bearkat leading scorer Ryan Bright pump fakes like an 8th grader every time he gets the ball at three. He has no jab-step, pass fake, or suttle head fake. He looked like a little kid when he got the ball and did that overly fake head/pump fake, no one falls for garbage like that.

Up Next:

The Bulldogs return to action Thursday in Ruston to face the Lousisiana Tech Bulldogs, who have been playing much better of late. Game preview to come Tues/Wed.

Game Recap

Box Score

Notes and Quotes

FSU-SHSU Preview

2007-02-16T20:52:00.000-08:00

Marlin and his brilliant half court sets may work in the Southland Conference but they are no match for Schroyer and his sideline screaming. Best of luck Bob, but Heath has had 6 days to review film on you and that is far too long for a brilliant tactician like him.

The Fresno State Bulldogs welcome in non-conference opponent Sam Houston State at 7pm Saturday at the Save Mart Center. The Bearkats of SHSU are from the Southland Conference; they currently are a 1/2 game out of first place with a 10-2 conference mark and have an overall record of 18-7. Entering Saturday, SHSU is 5-6 in road contests.

SHSU Coming In:

The Bearkats enter the contest Saturday off of a victory over Stephen F. Austin 63-51. Forward Ryan Bright led the way with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Seniors Aaron Wade and Jejaun Plair chipped in with 12 and 11 points respectively. The win by SHSU was their sixth in a row, and with that string of games the Bearkats will enter the SMC with confidence.

What to expect from SHSU:

The main factors that contribute to the Bearkats success is their ability to get out of the gates early and start well and that they have depth. They play 9 players 10 minutes or more per game. They do not have a single player in the top 15 in the Southland Conference in minutes per game. Also, this team has a willingness to share the ball and that is exhibited in their 19.8 assists per contest.

They are a balanced scoring team, but much like the Bulldogs rely heavily on the outside shot. In losses, the lack of a solid shooting percentage from both the field and from three has hampered the Bearkats success. Much like the Bulldogs they have shot a woeful 58% from the free throw line in losses, they enter shooting at a 64% clip from the line.

Look for the Bearkats to go to the bench early and often, it is a key to their success as the bench averages 29.1 ppg while the Bulldogs bench production is minimal, especially since Eddie Miller is in the starting lineup. SHSU has jumped out to early leads in all but four of their games this season so that is something to watch for based on FSUs recent struggles to find points early in games.

What to expect from the Bulldogs:

The Bulldogs enter the game Saturday with confidence after the 75-69 victory over New Mexico State. Although the Dogs were unable to score in the first five minutes, they were able to score 40 points in the final fifteen minutes of the first half. Quinton Hosley had a great outing and scored his 22 points efficiently and also added 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals.

The Dogs should also enter fresh after getting 6 days off since the NMSU victory. They even got an extra shooting opportunity at the Save Mart Center Thursday due to Jamie Foxx snubbing Fresno on his tour. I salute Mr. Foxx for his commitment to Bulldogs Basketball and understanding they have had shooting woes at the SMC recently and letting them get some extra shots in.

Because of the lack of an inside presence by SHSU, look for Hosley and McGuire to be posted up early and often. As has been the case all season, the two forwards must be aggressive when attacking the rim and initiate contact and if they don’t score the basket they need to be shooting two free throws.

Kevin Bell was an excellent floor leader the last time out against NMSU and look for that trend to continue. He was a great distributor and his shot selection was superb on his way to scoring a career-high 18 points.

Bell’s defense on Bearkat point guard Jejaun Plair will be critical and something to key on when watching the game. Plair averages 5.8 assists per game for the Bearkats and is the catalyst for them offensively.

With the Bearkats going 9 or 10 deep, how will Coach Steve Cleveland respond with his own substitution decisions? His use of forward Alex Blair early against NMSU was critical to the team’s ultimate success. Will Blair have a role to play against the Bearkats or will he be lost in the shuffle? Will backup guard Tyson Parker return to the type of play he employed versus La. Tech?

MBs take:

The Bulldogs will finally open a home game with above average play. They have come out flat in 4 consecutive home games, luckily for them so did their opponents and they were able to stay in it. A 2-4 minute scoring drought to open the game cannot be had against SHSU because of their great play early in games.

I see Cleveland pounding Hosley and McGuire on the low block and in the double-hi set in the early going. SHSU is not a physical team on the interior and does not block shots. I also think it is critical to get Eddie Miller looks early from his home on the right wing. He needs confidence early so he does not slip into non-factor mode.

Maybe this is the game where Hector Hernandez can play with some fire and show everyone a new look. He has been mired in both a shooting and effort slump and he needs to find a way out bad-so why not against SHSU?

Defensively, the intensity and focus must be at a high, the Bearkats are an excellent passing team and find the open man. They are difficult enough to defend on one possession so the boards must be cleared by the Dogs. They must not fall asleep and do a good job of communicating, bumping cutters, and stopping penetration on the defensive end.

The way I see it is the new look Bulldogs (for two games at least) will play inspired ball and defeat the Bearkats by 7.

FSU-SHSU preview from gobulldogs.com

Know your opponent: The Sam Houston State Bearkats

2007-02-15T23:58:00.000-08:00

Leading scorer-Junior Ryan Bright at 14.8 ppg

The Fresno State Bulldogs have a non-conference game Saturday night at 7pm in the Save Mart Center in ESPNs bracketbusters (non-tv game). The Bulldogs were matched up with Sam Houston State. Here is some info on the opponent.

A little Bit about Sam Houston State:

The Sam Houston State Bearkats are members of the Southland Conference and currently reside in second place 1/2 game behind Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 10-2. Their conference losses have been against UT-Arlington and McNeese State.

Southland Conference

Coach Bio:

The Bearkats are coached by Bob Marlin. His record at SHSU is an overrall 138-93 in 8 seasons. He coached previously at Pensacola Junior College where he amassed a 123-35 record in 5 seasons. In 1993 he was named National Junior College Coach of the Year. Prior to the head job at Pensacola JC he was an assistant at Alabama, Marshall, and Louisiana-Monroe.

SHSU Coach Bob Marlin

Season to date:

Sam Houston State enters with an 18-7 record and an RPI of 97. In the Pomeroy Ranking they are rated at 138. The quality losses they have amassed are against the likes of Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, UCLA, and I will include Southern Miss which was on the road. Bad losses include the likes of UC Irvine, McNeese State, and UT-Arlington. Pomeroy predicts a 73-67 FSU victory. Three of SHSU victories were over non division-1 opponents.

Schedule, results, and predictions

Statistically speaking:

Three Bearkat players enter with double figure scoring averages. They are Forwards Ryan Bright (Junior) at 14.8 ppg and Aaron Wade (Senior) at 12.2 ppg. Guard Jejuan Plair (Senior) enters with a 10.8 ppg average.

Nine players play 10 or more minutes per game with no player averaging over 30 minutes per game. The Bearkats average 76.4 ppg and outscore their opponents at a 10.7 ppg clip. They shoot 46% from the field, 36% from the three, 64% from the line, and also average 8.3 made 3pt FGs per game . They enter with a +1.4 rebounding margin.

Of note is the fact that SHSU averages 19.8 assists per game, showing the teams willingness to share the ball and find open players. They also have issues with ball security shown in the 15 turnovers per game.

Season stats

Crowd control:

Lastly, I will point to the fact that the Bearkats have played in front of a total of 70,728 fans the entire season. That averages out to be 2,811 per game. Saturday nights game should a tough experience, although they have played down at Texas Tech, Gallagher-Iba Arena, and at Pauley Pavilion. Those were all double digit losses though.

Seems to me the Southland Conference draws smallish crowds comparable to some Valley High School Basketball leagues.

BMW Sportvan, Redesigned Mercedes G, The Demon

2007-02-15T20:37:00.000-08:00

BMW is always trying to expand and develop products into the ever-changing automotive industry, and this looks like the next venture. Much like the Mercedes R class, this "Sportvan" looks more like a squating hatchback than a Van. This pictured version is based on the 5 series, but there are plans to also have a smaller cheaper version based on the 3 series. Because the X5 is also based on the 5 series chassis, we know this will be easy and cheap for them to do, of course that is when you factor in how much they will charge for something like this.

Picture from Motortrend.
The Mercedes GL has never been good looking, or made much sense. The "redesign" further proves this, by staying pretty much exactly the same everywhere but on the inside. You have seen them possibly driving around. Usually a woman is behind the wheel, someone who wanted a Hummer, but thought it wasn't high class enough for them and their bleach blonde hair, fake breasts, and their new Louis Vuitton handbag.
Picture from Jalopnik.
The Dodge Demon. Dodge tries to cut into the 2 seater open air market. They are aiming at the Mazda Miata market. The exterior design is a little odd, probably something you really need to see in person to pass final judgement on, as is any car this small in size. Interior looks nice, looks to have plenty of room, and easily as good as the other cars in the class. Hard to not look better than the boring and uninspired Miata, but it will be hard to look as good as the Saturn Sky does in person, especially if you have to look like a Dodge.

A Statistical look at the 'Dogs in the WAC

2007-02-12T20:09:00.000-08:00

Quinton Hosley throwdown courtesy of Kevin Bell

Since the team will be off this week and return to action on Saturday, I felt it was worth taking a look at what this team has been able to accomplish statistically thus far.

I will preface this post by stating that Im a stat guy, not in the Fantasy Sports kind of way but more in the was of seeing trends and gauging teams successes and failures through them. Here is my attempt to explain that.

Scoring Offense:

Fresno State is 5th at 71.2 ppg. New Mexico State is the leader at 80 ppg with Nevada just behind them at 77 ppg. I would have predicted this team would be right around 75 ppg during the conference schedule but that 42 point effort vs. Hawaii didnt help.

Scoring defense:

This is the stat that has to please Coach Cleveland. Leadind the WAC giving up 66.1 ppg through 12 games. This is an area that has been a focus for the staff this season and for the most part they have put themselves in a position to win games with their scoring defense.

Free throw percentage:

Currently fifth at 66% which is not good. For some teams this may be acceptable like New Mexico State due to their size and multiple post players getting to the line. The Bulldogs are a perimeter oriented team that should be shooting no less than 70% and probably in the 72-75% range. It has hurt them on multiple occasions this season.

Field Goal percentage:

The killer stat in my opinion. They are sixth at 41.5%. A lot of this can be attributed to a perimeter oriented team, but those that have watched every game would know that there have too many missed opportunities around the rim. After the top five teams in this category the number drops off dramatically and those under those five struggle at times. The Bulldogs have had too many sub 40% field goal games, and when that occurs it will always be difficult to win.

Field Goal percentage defense:

The saving grace. The Bulldogs may not be the best shooting team, but neither are the teams they face. Is this good defense or two teams clashing with anemic offense? In the last three home games, they have come out flat and primed to be decimated by the opposition. Thankfully opponents have been equally bad out of the gate and allowed FSU to stay in the game.

Three-point field goal percentage:

Sixth at 34.1%, a number that would be nice to see in the 36-38% range. A few atrocious shooting efforts helped push this number down. They have attempted 150 more 3s than anyone else in the conference.

Rebounding margin:

Another difficult stat to ovecome, average margin is -2.5 rebounds per game. The Nevada game was the killer being outebounded 51-25. Explained by the lack of post presence and inability to keep opponents off of the offensive glass.

Blocked shots:

Leading the conference at 6.64 per game. Mostly due to Dominic McGuires's 3.5 bpg. Speaks to the athleticism of the team when they can lead the conference in this category without true inside players garnering the numbers.

Assists per game:

A stat I would like to see the Dogs lead the WAC in. I like teams that share the ball, the success level rises as teams are willing to make the extra pass. Currently third at 14.5 per game. Not bad but this is one category I want more of.

Steals per game:

Here is one category one would think FSU would average more than 6 per game. Im guessing it is more the lack of real gambling that the defense does. I give them a pass here due to the fact that defense has been great for the most part.

Turnover margin and assist/turnover ratio:

Done a nice job and find themselves at second in both categories. Comparitive to their conference foes, not too bad of a job protecting the basketball. Like Ive said all year, Hosley and McGuire need to average only 4-5 turnovers per game combined, but that number has been far too high in a number of games.

3 point field goals made:

Not a surprise at all that they lead at 9.24 made 3s per game. This was what they needed to do to compete in the WAC. With the volume they shoot they are going to be in this range. A little higher percentage would put this team over 10 per game which would be big.

Attendance:

The only WAC team with a home average over 10K fans per game. Although that may be enough for top honors in the conference, with an arena like the Save Mart Center with a 15.5K capacity its not enough. If the program can make strides next season and improve then this number will climb considerably.

Individually:

McGuire leads the conference in blocks per game because he is 6'8", has long arms, and he can elevate with anyone. He needs to be careful or he will be in foul trouble much like he was against NMSU.

Kevin Bell is leading the conference in assists at 5.16 per game. Its what you like to see out of your point guard obviously, but if his teammates could knock down a few more threes and finish a few more around the rim Bell could be at 7 per game.

Quinton Hosley at 4th in the WAC at 2.76 offensive rebounds per game. This stat shows the effort that Q plays with and just how hard he works. These arent those happen to fall into to your hands because your big rebounds-these are the fight, claw, and scratch your way to an offensive board.

Lastly, the Bulldogs feature three players in the top ten in minutes per game in the conference. This also may be a reason for some of the difficulties experienced at times this season. Other teams have great players but they have young talent to spell them. This team does not have that luxury and hopefully next season we can be begin to see a more versatile team that has multiple options.

'Dogs with solid effort to defeat Aggies 75-69

2007-02-10T23:37:00.000-08:00

-Player of the game Quinton Hosley-
22pts-10rebs-2assts-2stls-2blks

The first 5 minutes:

After the opening tip and until Coach Steve Cleveland called a timeout at the 15:40 mark, things look bad for the third straight home game for the Bulldogs. After two games that featured awful starts, this one was similar yet the Dogs were able to compose themselves and climb back into it. Thank goodness the Aggies were shaky to start things also.

Player Breakdown:

-Quinton Hosley-

Player of the game with a huge night. Efficient in shooting the ball at 8-11 from the field and 6-8 from the line. He pounded the offensive glass and finished with 5 offensive rebounds. He ended up with 10 rebounds total to go with 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.

He was the heart and soul of the team tonight and was all over the floor. He played 4 inches taller than his 6'6" height. It was a pleasure to watch him fight and scrap for every rebound and loose ball. Great job Q.

-Kevin Bell-

Two great outings in a row for Bell against the top two teams in the WAC. Handled the pressure well all night (played all 40 minutes) and distributed 7 assists. Shot 5-7 from the field and was selective in shot attempts and chose to shoot at the right times.

Took it to the rim well and finished strong. Also must mention the outstanding job he did on the NMSU PGs he was matched up with. He was stifling at times and frustrated the Aggie guards and did not allow them to do what they wanted. Great game KB.

-Dominic McGuire-

A nice night for McGuire with 8 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 assists. Not a good job of decision making on the defensive end when he got himself in foul trouble early in the second half. He attempted to block two shots against Tyrone Nelson and Hatila Passos when he should have let them score.

He forced Cleveland to set him down for extended minutes and he got out of sync. It was a night that it worked out okay because of the huge effort from Hosley. Also having free throw issues in back to back games only shot 1-4 against the Aggies. One missed layup, but at least the number of them is falling. Solid effort Dom.

-Eddie Miller-

Miller found his shooting stroke again and he needed to in a bad way. He made a huge three that was the Bulldogs first points of the game out of a timeout when they were in desperate need. He finished with 14 points and shot 4-9 on threes.

He needed that kind of effort after two less than stellar efforts prior. Miller also helped keep the Aggies off the offensive glass with 4 rebounds and added two steals in a solid defensive effort. Welcome back E Miller.

-Alex Blair-

Alex Blair was a big surprise and he was brought in early and was a huge lift. Cleveland entered Blair into the fray after forward Hector Hernadez was obviously providing nothing for the Bulldogs. Blair responded immediately with inspired play on both ends of the floor.

He hit the offensive glass and had a putback. He cut to the rim in transition and Bell found him for a layup. He also played great on the defensive end and would not be pushed around by the taller Aggie post players. He was fiery and gave an effort that made Quinton Hosley proud. Big time showing Mr. Blair.

-Hector Hernandez-

This wasnt pretty and hasnt been for quite a few games now. Ill advised shots early in the shot clock, poor decision making, lack of effort on defensive end. Not allowing game to come to him. A one dimsional player that doesnt provide anything if he can shoot. 6'9" and no defensive rebounds in the last two games that he has played 50 minutes combined. I will commend him for sticking his nose in and taking two charges. How bout diving on floor sometime, it will do you a lot of good.

Coach Cleveland:

He has had back to back solid coaching efforts even though he only won the NMSU game. He put his team in great position to have success on the offensive end in both games. The difference was they finished around the rim versus the Aggies and failed to against the Wolfpack. Good utilization of the timeouts and also a great job substituting. The quick hook on Hernandez and the confidence in Alex Blair was a huge move that proved highly rewarding. Keep it up coach.

Odds and ends:

-The Bulldogs had 34 points in the paint to the Aggies 20. This was done against a frontline that had a huge size advantage. Nice job moving the ball around and flashing Hosley to the free throw line area. They also shared the ball well and finished strong at the rim.

-Had 8 steals and forced quite a few turnovers. Played inspired basketball on the defensive end. Although they gave up 17 offensive rebounds, the Aggies only finished with 15 second chance points.

-Capitalized off of NMSU turnovers to the tune of 30 points. Huge key to victory.

-Shot 47.4% from the field which was a huge climb from the mid 30s where they have been recently. Shot selection was much improved.

MBs key to the win:

What I think was the key to the game as much as anything was the overrall shot selection. Although they only finished 6-24 from the three, all but 2 or 3 of those shots were good. There was solid ball movement and the players were more than willing to make the extra pass to set up their teammates.

Also key along with the shot selection was the patience displayed on the offensive end. Very few quick shots in transition or force the issue plays that result in turnovers. Got the ball to the high post and kicked it out, swung the ball around the perimeter fast, and actually utilized some head fakes on three point attempts.

By running the shot clock into the low teens and high single digits, it forced NMSU to play 25-30 seconds of defense and allowed them to find higher percentage shots. When this is done it makes it much more difficult for teams to make a run. Usually the runs arent as big and the point differential is minimized. Instead of that 10-0 run in 1:10, you now have a 10-4 score over 2:10.

Up Next:

The Bulldogs will get some rest and get themselves a fair amount of practice time next week as they prepare for a game against Sam Houston State Saturday night at 7pm at the Save Mart Center. This matchup is a result of ESPNs Bracketbuster package but the FSU-SHSU game will not be one of the 16 televised games. Look for the game preview and overview of the Sam
Houston State Bearkats on Thursday.

FSU-NMSU Recap

FSU-NMSU Boxscore

Coach Fuller brings Deering High into the SMC

2007-02-09T14:59:00.000-08:00

Tyron Nelson from inside and Julie Connor from outside
should be a dynamic duo for Deering errr NMSU?

My Post title and caption title are obviously a little joke on New Mexico State Coach Reggie Theus and his stint of 3 seasons(1995-98) on NBCs "Hang Time". Theus played coach Bill Fuller and led the boys basketball team at fictional Deering high in Indiana. The Tornadoes (sweet mascot for the upper midwest though) Boys team featured sweet shooting female guard Julie Connor who was not only dominant but apparently a 25 year old in a high school.

When Connor got the inside-outside game going with big man Teddy Broadis (Anthony Anderson) Coach Fuller could only sit back an marvel. Eventually Theus left the show and gave way to gridiron great Dick Butkus who played coach Mike Katowinski. The show lost its believabiltiy when the change was made in 98' and I lost interest. Katowinski taking over for Theus compares to whoever takes over for Lute Olson at Arizona.

They played on a court that was a bit undersized some would say, I would bet the dimensions would be about 45 by 30. I would guess it was an accurate depiction of high school ball in Indiana and I think I could have been a heck of a player for Deering given the shot.

If I could have knocked Danny Mellon out of his stating role I think I could have not only landed Julie Connor as a girlfriend, I would have bypassed her for head cheerleader Mary Joe Pemberton. She may have been that chick that was a bit off up top and waaay out there but you know she was as sweet in the sack as Connor's 14 foot 3 pointer from the wing.

Coming In:

The Fresno State Bulldogs will be hosting the New Mexico State Aggies on Saturday night at the Save Mart Center. The Aggies enter after a road loss in Logan Utah to Utah State 75-63. The Bulldogs enter off of an 81-68 loss at home to the #11 ranked Nevada Wolfpack.

About New Mexico State:

New Mexico State comes in as a team with strengths which are precisely what Fresno State cannot handle: post play, depth, and aggressive on the offensive glass. They were defeated by a Utah State team that did a nice job of neutralizing their inside game, but it never hurts to have a guard like Jaycee Carroll score 44 points.

The Aggies were baited into taking a few too many perimeter shots and finished 7-23 from three. The Aggies shot the ball rather well at 46% from the field, but only made 10-18 from the line and had 13 turnovers.

Look for coach Reggie Theus to get his team back on track against the Bulldogs. Much like Nevada, the Aggies will realize they can get shots off any time they want against FSU but need not settle and instead dictate the tempo and pace of the game.

The Aggies are led in scoring by guard Justin Hawkins at 16.3 ppg, he has scored double figures in 18 games this season. The other three players averaging in double figures are guard Fred Peete, forward Tyrone Nelson, and center Hatila Passos. Each player is right at the 10 ppg mark. Nine players on the Aggie roster average 10 or more minutes per game.

As a team, New Mexico State averages 81 ppg, shoot 48% from the field, 38% from three, and 66% from the line. Their rebounding margin is a +3.7 difference. They average 14.5 assists per game and 16.5 turnovers.

An interesting stat is that the Aggies feature five players shooting over 50% from the field that are regular contributors.

The Bulldogs:

Although there was much improvement for the Bulldogs from the Hawaii to Nevada game in terms of shooting efficiency, they managed to shoot a woeful 10-25 from the free throw line. Couple the free throw shooting with 5 or 6 ill-advised shots early in the shot clock along with 22 offensive rebounds for the Wolfpack and one can understand how this loss occurred.

Another issue that surfaced was a lack of attentiveness to transition defense. The Bulldogs have done a very good job defensively in transition for the most part this season but were definitely exploited on multiple occasions.

Guard Eddie Miller and forward Hector Hernandez combined to shoot both a dismal and back-breaking 5-24 from the field.

What to expect:

Expect the Bulldogs to continue their home woes. They have issues in the opening minutes of both halves and have either put themselves in a hole or have not taken advantage of the road teams sluggish starts.

One area they can be successful is forcing turnovers, New Mexico State averages 16.5 per game. Limiting Aggie second chances is critical along with Hernandez having improved shot selection and playing with more effort.

Coach Cleveland’s team is as fragile as any right now and the Save Mart Center is a home court advantage only in theory at this point. Look for New Mexico State to come in and pound the ball inside early and take advantage of defensive lapses and miscues. An example would be forward Hector Hernandez trying to leak out into transition without closing and boxing out on shooters.

New Mexico State will look to continue their success forcing turnovers as they lead the WAC in steals at 7.6 per game. Also look for Theus to utilize his deep bench as usual and emphasize pounding the offensive glass, a place where Nevada flourished against the Bulldogs with 22 offensive rebounds.

The Bulldogs best chance is to not fall in love with the three point shot and continue to execute out of the double high post set with both forwards Quinton Hosley and Dominic McGuire. The only issue with that is if they draw fouls can they make free throws? If they are not confident at the line it will cut down on their aggressiveness going to the rim and they may fail to draw contact which is a recipe for disaster.

MBs Take:

This team is in shambles mentally and it has been an ongoing descent from good, to average, to mediocre in the shooting department. Reaching 40% field goals has been set as a huge success. The team shoots 75% on the road from the line and at home it seems to be about 7.5%. The Save Mart Center has been relegated to a neutral court and the Bulldogs seem to hate playing there.

It is a bad sign when your forwards are slashing and attacking at will and look to be unstoppable. Then, when they get fouled being aggressive attacking the rim and do not convert at the line they shy away from contact to avoid going back in their home Arena? That is sad and shows an utterly pathetic lack of confidence.

The Dogs will lose their third straight at home by 6 points unfortunately. If they have no confidence in themselves then what should I have in them?