ESPN 1230 Local Sports Year In Review

So I've already taken a little time to talk about some of my personal show higlights from 2008 but I figured I'd go back a little and focus on the events here in Kern County that made the year and how they related to our station and 'Home Turf' specifically.
I think the first major accomplishment happened in baseball where the Stockdale Mustangs, ridiculed throughout the Central Valley for playing in the "weaker" Southwest Yosemite League, dominating in the playoffs and winning the Division I valley title. Head coach Dan Lemon came in studio to talk about the victory and it's importance for Bakersfield baseball in general. He also happened to be an assistant coach for Stockdale football back in 1997 when my Tehachapi Warriors team defeated them with a last minute drive and a two-point conversion with no time left on the clock...had to remind him of that for sure.
Also at the high school level, Shafter's Anna Jelmini continued to set state and national shot put records en route to a state title and a spot on a junior team that went worldwide over the summer. She also spent time on the Turf talking about her experience and amazing abilities.
Around that time, Fresno State pulled off one of the biggest Cinderella stories in NCAA history winning the College World Series. While I am no Fresno State homer, I was happy to root for the Bulldogs considering they had one Justin Miller from Bakersfield pitching for them and they were scheduled to play the new CSUB basketball team 7 times next season. Miller came on the program following the season and his draft to the majors by the Texas Rangers to talk about the year as a whole and his step to the next level with the Rangers. With any luck he'll get to pitch in his home town this season during the Blaze's final season affiliated with the Rangers.
In May the Bakersfield Condors finally announced an affiliation with the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL. An announcement they scheduled around 'Home Turf's" air time to ensure maximum coverage. A relieved team President Matt Riley came on the show immediately to talk about the long-time coming accomplishment. The Ducks also made their presence felt on opening night when yours truly got to drop the puck.
The summer came with the start of high school football season in August. Two deaths rocked the area starting with Bakersfield Christian lineman Patrick Allen who passed away following practice. While the heat was intense the lack of salt in Allen's body reportedly caused the untimely death. It was impressive how his team and his school rallied around the loss. Head coach Doug Barnett gave the first interview to "Home Turf" following Allen's passing. The Eagles went on to a 12-1 record and a Division V Valley Title, thanks in part to Derek Carr's Central Section passing records he set throughout the season. Boron's Vinnie Rodriguez also passed following head trauma suffered in a game in September. I also spoke with their head coach Todd Fink on the program about Vinnie's legacy and the fund raising efforts for the family.
From a high school football standpoint it was a down year for Bakersfield teams with four of the six Valley Titles going to the Fresno area, but Bakersfield Christian and Tehachapi overcame controversial seedings to go on the road to win their respective Valley Crowns. Two in a row for both schools
Renegade football started with a ton of hype from last season's run to the state semifinals but unfortunately this year's edition never found a consistent stride and missed the playoffs. Runningback Bruce Frieson ended his career #3 on the all time rushing list for BC and head coach Jeff Chudy appeared weekly on the Renegade Rundown to set up every game. It got tough seeing him and his coaching staff work through this uncharted territory for this program but coach vowed to get right to work to get things fixed for next season. Meanwhile former receiver Brandon Banks made a big splash in the Big 12 for Kansas State, ending the season as the Wildcats leading receiver. He also appeared on the program to talk about his journey from BC to the Big 12, a great interview indeed.
Former Foothill star and Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter came in studio to discuss the upcoming season in which he said the teams goal was to "win the AFC East," despite others saying it was too tough. Call him prophetic but Porter and company not only improved on their dismal record from 2007 but won the AFC East by beating the Jets on Sunday. Porter also came close to the NFL sack record and kept himself in the news by also giving interviews on every topic that popped up in the NFL. His on and off field performances netted him another Pro Bowl.
CSUB baseball got underway with the official start of practice. Head coach Bill Kernan has been no stranger to the station since his hiring doing numerous interviews with Home Turf anytime a big announcement came down about his program. The on campus baseball field also broke ground and is well on its way to being completed. Having just seen it the other day it is in fact a field of dreams. Rising out of a vacant tumbleweed lot into a state of the art field and hopefully one day full on stadium.
Roadrunner volleyball finished the season 18-15 to become the first sport in the Division I era of the school to post a .500 record. Head Coach John Price also gave numerous interviews on the show to track the teams progress throughout the year.
CSUB basketball tipped off their second full Division I season with a pair of tough losses at Wyoming and Air Force before coming home to upset pre season Big West favorite Cal State Northridge. Something about home openers brings out the best in CSUB. They won three straight before losing their next seven but bounced back to beat Cal Poly last week. They posted 4 wins before Christmas where last season they only had two. With a tougher schedule it's progress indeed.
Let's not forget the signing of Garces forward Stephon Carter, a major coup for CSUB since he turned down offers at schools like UNLV, and Fresno State among others. The Runners also announced plans to play UCLA in 2009 at Pauley Pavilion. Welcome to the big time.
It being an Olympic year we were treated with locals like Larsen Jenson winning a bronze in the 400 meter freestyle in Beijing while Taft native Billy Nelson came from behind in the Steaplechase at the US Olympic trials to land a spot in China. Friends and well-wishers for Billy came on the show to help raise money to send his family to Beijing to witness his performance first hand.
Sadly, Kern County's New Home to NASCAR half mile race track stalled because of mounting debt and construction liens. Brian Olsen, a former partner in the tracks development came in studio in December to set the record straight and give a little hope for the future of racing in Bakersfield.
It was a memorable year for Bakersfield sports and ESPN Radio 1230. I hope 2009 holds much of the same. Looking ahead we've got CSUB basketball playing at Stanford, CSUB baseball getting underway, the Condors possible playoff run, several Kern County athletes playing at the next level in whatever their sport of choice may be. It could be the final season for affiliated minor league baseball in town, but we won't let that go without a fight that's for sure. Home Turf also moves to three hours to keep you up to date on it all. See you in 2009 for sure!

Runners back in win column, other thoughts...

First of all, congrats to Keith Brown and his CSUB Roadrunners for shaking off another close loss to Boise State on Saturday and bearing down to win a close one Tuesday night against Cal Ploy San Luis Obispo 66-64. Donovan Bragg hit a floater in the lane with 2 seconds to go to seal the win for CSUB who had led big in the second half but had to overcome a couple game ties late by the Mustangs to get the win. Bryan Emmanuel hit a big three to give the Runners to lead late, then took a charge to help CSUB get the momentum it needed for the win. Despite a game-tying three-pointer by Cal Poly with 11 seconds to go the Runners played it cool and get the game winner to go.
Big props to the team for digging this one out, guards were clutch tonight, big men had their hands full with the post play of Cal Poly but in the end the Runners enter the Christmas break with a 4-9 record, CSUB had only two wins at this point last year so job well done for sure. Portland comes to town on the 30th and I hope the team can keep the momentum rolling.
Onto other things, looking back on 2008, a big thank you to all listeners of ESPN Radio 1230 for making our first 9 months in operation a huge success. 'Home Turf' is going great, the show's moving to three hours, 3-6pm beginning on the January 5th, so don't forget to spread the word. All those sports fans you knew that wanted to listen to the show before but didn't get off work until 5 now have a chance to discover what they've been missing.
It's been a great 2008 thanks in part to the station which went on air as ESPN Radio 1230 in April. We're fine tuning some things but I think the new lineup with my show from 3-6p, Jake Stevens from 6-7p and The Herd with Colin Cowherd taking Jake's spot in the AM from 6-9 we're better than ever.
Had a great time this past year, took the show on the road a lot. Who can forget Chargers training camp with the likes of Antonio Gates, Quentin Jammer and of course Ladanian Tomlinson making live appearances? The Sea World show complete with a talking parrot, my RNC broadcasts with none other than Lynn Swann and my travels to the far reaches of the country with the show and CSUB basketball. It's been a great time.
Some of my highlights from this season include the above, as well as interviews with legendary boxing journalist Bert Sugar from HBO Sports. Herm Edwards from the Kansas City Chiefs along with Dick Jauron from the Bills and retired QB Steve Beurlein who all called in from the Lake Tahoe celebrity golf tournament this summer. Steve Garvey was the first big name to come on the show, a move that prompted the competition to scramble and do the same...nice move, would you like me to host your program too? Might as well I'm booking all your guests.
Got to play in the Athletes Against Autism golf tournament with former Houston Rockets guard and all around great guy Ed Ratleff. The tournament also got me interviews with former Dodger Jim Gott, retired pitcher Greg Swindell, Raiders legend Tom Flores and NHLers Olaff Kolzig and Byron Dafoe. I also was exposed to the great cause that is Autism Speaks, and I hope to continue to work with that charity in the future.
What a great 2008, I hope you'll help me make 2009 on Home Turf even better. I'll keep hustling, you keep listening. Deal? Let's do it.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Oh Sweet Bakersfield

We did it. We returned. On a road trip that included a botched landing, strandings in two different cities, four different hotels, a couple flight delays and the storms of the century, we're back.
CSUB men's basketball landed in LA last night, we then promptly learned no road home was open, apart from going out of the way 7 hours to the coast, we were stuck. We decided to get hotel rooms and hang out for yet another night. I was looking forward to getting home, seeing the soon to be wife and the dog, but again I had to go with the flow as did everyone else.
After taking off this morning with plans to head to long way around, we learned shortly into our drive that interstate 5 had opened over the Grapevine and the next thing you know...we're home. I arrived at the radio station at 2:10, enough to get my show together for ESPN Radio 1230 and go on the air...oh the life.
Still haven't actually made it "home" yet. Funny I had the team drop me off at the station without my own vehicle. Was expecting the soon-to-be MRS to come and get me, but now she's stuck with a project at work...stranded again.

Another bad first half, another loss

It was another effort similiar to that at CS Fullerton and this time it turned into a 86-65 loss Tuesday night for Cal State Bakersfield men's basketball at South Dakota State. Despite all the travel, the close calls and the possibility looming that CSUB could snap out of its recent funk, none of that mattered for the Runners who went down early in the loss to the Jackrabbits.
Give South Dakota State credit, they took it to CSUB from the get-go. Taking advantage of miscues and dominating the offensive glass en route to the 21-point win. CSUB was uninspired again tonight, letting mistakes get them down until the mistakes didn't matter anymore as SDSU pulled away early.
It was a better second half for the Runners but at this level if you don't play two halves of basketball, you're not going to win games. And I think the team is starting to understand that.
It's been a grueling emotional December for the squad, those two close losses and Pacific and UC Davis seemed to have taken the team outta stride. The offense isn't meshing, the defense is allowing opponents to shoot the ball over 50 percent and put a lot of points on the board, something the coaches are looking to address.
December is a perfect time to travel for the team, with the guys outta class but it also means a loss of practice time when so many games are thrown into a short period, add travel days into the mix and it's hard to get the team on the same page. Such is life as an Independent however, without a conference you take games at other teams' convenience. No time for excuses though, the team is back at work on Thursday getting ready for a solid Boise State squad coming into Rabobank on Saturday night.
Six of the next seven are at home, all quality opponents though and nothing is going to come easy.
In the overall picture, the team was 1-12 at this point last season so 3-8 doesn't look so bad, we're going in the right direction. I was reminded of a quote today by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr that fits this team to a T.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Well said sir. Well said.

Game Day...and more snow.

Woke up to another snowy morning here in Brookings, SD. The guys had shoot around at 1pm local time at the Frost Arena (I think it's named after a guy, not the stuff all over the ground). Needless to say it was a good workout. The snowy conditions may limit the attendance tonight which could level the playing field even more but then again this is nothing new to the Jackrabbit faithful. Head coach Keith Brown seems optimistic about tonight's matchup with South Dakota State.
Below is the video with Coach Brown's thoughts on tonight's game as well as this long road trip and what's to come in the next few games back at Rabobank Arena. Don't forget, game time tonight is 5pm in Bakersfield on our sister station KERN Newstalk 1410.
Vance Palm will be filling in for me today on 'Home Turf' from 3-5pm. I'll be checking in from the arena during pregame warm ups.

Travel Video

First attempt with the new camera and editing software. Check it out, this was our journey and some of the scenery from Sioux Falls to Brookings, South Dakota.

Made it to Brookings!

About 24 hours after our scheduled arrival the CSUB men's basketball team has made it to Brookings, South Dakota. It was about an hour long drive from Sioux Falls where flew into (twice) and stayed last night. The team had a 3pm film session and are currently resting awaiting practice this evening, their first after yesterday's travel drama.
Legend of our trip is already spreading around back home. Glad to hear everyone is concerned, I've received numerous calls and emails about our ordeal. The good news is we're all fine. Darn cold, but fine.
The sun has just gone down, which means the high of -11 will soon draw colder, it's currently -12 with the "feels like" factor putting it at -28...and yes that is Fahrenheit.
I can't really explain what that feels like, basically I was outside two hours ago in a heavy jacket but with just jeans on...my legs are just now coming too. I also ventured out of Bakersfield without my gloves and everytime my fingers get exposed, the tips go numb. I've never been in that kind of cold before.
Got the video editor all set up, just trying to get a new one uploaded. Will post it here when I do.

Update from road

Looks like we'll finally make it to Brookings, SD. Left around 1pm local time and its a clear cold day with the blowing snow no longer a factor. Hope you had a chance to view the videos from yesterday, they are on the post below. More to come this evening.
Point of interest, just passed the hometown of Laura Ingalls Wilder...if you don't know who I'm talking about, read a book once in awhile. I guess every state has to be known for something right?

Now that was a travel day (video below)

It's nearly 3am Central Time and the CSUB Roadrunners have finally arrived in South Dakota, landing around 12:30 local time and making it to the hotel about an hour later. It was to say the least an adventure on the road and in the air today.
We knew it was going to be a long day when before departure at LAX we learned roads were already closed into Brookings, South Dakota where South Dakota State is located, forcing us to make plans to stay in Sioux Falls where we were scheduled to land around 8:30 local time. We did...for about 2.1 seconds.
Our initial flight to Sioux Falls from Minneapolis made a quick touchdown before the pilot pulled up and decided it was too windy to get the plane straight enough for a landing. Winds were clocked on the ground at 30-40 mph and blowing snow caused limited visibility on other runways. We were then sent back to Minneapolis for reorganizing.
We eventually, after a short wait that included information we wouldn't be getting out of Minnesota, got on a later flight to Sioux Falls.
With stomachs still in knots from the first ride to South Dakota, the team was needless to say a little worried about what the next flight had in store. It was an easier ride until landing time. The winds had died down and visibility was up but the landing was still interesting.
But we made it. Below are some videos from the Minneapolis terminal after our first failed landing in Sioux Falls. More to come tomorrow as we attempt to bus up to Brookings which was hammered by the recent storm.

Wow! What a trip...thus far.

As it stands now the CSUB Roadrunners and myself are in minneapolis...again. After flying there from Los Angeles we boarded and flew to sioux Falls South Dakota where our pilot did a "touch and goal landing, deciding at the last minute the cross winds and blowing snow made it to dangerous to land, so we flew back to minneapolis.
Travel plans have changed numerous times today, we were supposed to fly into Sioux Falls and bus to Brookings but that changed when a blizzard blew in and closed the roads. We are planning to stay the night in Sioux Falls...if we get there.
Got some great video of the storm and of the players killing time in the airport. Hopefully post it tomorrow. More updates to come when available

Road trip starts with loss

Josh Akognon isn't the #5 ranked scorer in the country for nothing. He lit the Roadrunners up for 42 points last night en route to a 87-64 CS Fullerton victory here in Fullerton. It's the final leg of a long 5-game roadie for CSUB who has now lost five in a row.
Credit the Runners for fighting in the second half, actually outscoring Fullerton 39-35 with aggressive offensive play. Unfortunately its hard to find an answer for a guy who makes incredible shots from incredible distances. Keith Brown was happy with the second half effort and hopes after three straight uninspired halves of basketball, his guys will take this one on to South Dakota State.
Travel day today with the Runners heading to Brookings South Dakota. Weather is not supposed to be pleasent with high temps in a teens plus a little ice storm on the horizon. Hopefully everything goes as planned and we're on schedule. The team actually has an extra day than normal with the game not being played until Tuesday so should there be any hiccups with the travel plans it gives us plenty of time.
Check for updates from the road today. Pics and hopefully VIDEO...to come.

Best Teams Playing for BCS Title...

To steal the words from the pre game ritual of the USC Trojans..."it's 'bout to get crazy in here." The BCS final tally placed #1 Oklahoma and #2 Florida in the national title game and I must be crazy for saying this but "the BCS got it right."
That's right, the me hater of all haters, the BCS-dislikin', playoff-wantin', clear-cut national title hopin', 20 bowl game-watchin' stooge that I am will admit it, OU and Florida are the best in the land.
I know the system for putting them in place is far from perfect, but look at the numbers and it's hard to disagree. These are the best two teams in the country heading into the bowl season. Oklahoma has won seven straight since that loss to Texas, putting up over 45 pts in each contest while beating four ranked teams in the process. The Sooners beat a total of five Top-25 teams this season, same as Florida. Texas, USC, Alabama and Texas Tech only defeated three. I gotta go with the teams that pushed the envelope this season, and came out on top 5 times.
As far as the Big 12 three-way tie argument goes, I have to consider it a wash. Texas beat Oklahoma, Texas Tech beat Texas and OU trounced Texas Tech. Had the beating not been so harsh by Oklahoma, maybe things would be different. I think Texas can thank their buddies in Lubbock for rolling over and making the Sooners look like a National Title contender again.
Florida is playing in a class of their own. While I could make a case for USC because their defense has allowed 10 or fewer points in 8 of their 9 games since the Oregon State loss, the Trojan offense has been a little under performing this season and definitely not at the level of Florida or Oklahoma as we speak.
I don't like our current system, the computer rankings are funny, the formula doesn't make any sense and what happens on the field doesn't always turn into rewards in the post season. I get all that, but I think we're fortunate this year to have the two best teams going head to head January 8th.
I told you..."it's 'bout to get crazy."

Two Close losses up North, ouch

What's the difference between 3-5 and 5-3? Try 5 points. That's it. After taking on Big West foes Pacific and UC Davis this week up North the CSUB Roadrunners came out on the short end of things in the final minutes of both contests.
Honestly, Pacific was a win, check the video from Channel 29's Greg Kerr, Terrance Johns was called for a phantom travel on a rebound that would have secured the win. Instead Pacific was awarded OT and went on for the 67-63 win, sometimes you're just unlucky. Saturday was CSUB's best shooting performance of the season, as it was also the same story for UC Davis. Both teams exchanged shots and three pointers like a heavyweight fight, until eventually it was the Roadrunners breaking down at the end with missed free throws, and costly turnovers that opened the door for the Davis comeback. Ouch, sometimes it's the team that makes the final mistake that pays for it, and in this case it was the Runners.
So heading into Fresno State Wednesday CSUB is 3-5, the Bulldogs are coming off a last second win over Pacific on Saturday 64-62. Should be a great game, hopefully the Runners shooting continues to be hot, but the turnovers and mental breakdowns when the game's on the line go away. CSUB could be 5-3 right now heading into the Valley showdown, but no use crying over spilled milk, it's go time now with the Bulldogs.
For some reason the Fresno community dismisses last year's CSUB win as a fluke. We're going to their place this time. I hope CSUB makes it 2-0 to send a clear message to the fans up north...you're no longer alone at the D-I level, welcome to the rivalry.

Long week starts with loss for Runners

It was a good San Diego team, a real good San Diego team, and the Roadrunners played with them for most of the game...most of the game. Hanging tough wasn't enough for CSUB Monday night as they lost the first of three games they're scheduled to play this week 77-65 to the WCC's San Diego Torreros.
Trent Blakely was on fire, hitting 10 of 11 from the field and a perfect 6-6 from beyond the arc en route to a career-high 26 points. Blakely hit three pointers like they were free throws and kept CSUB close for the majority of the game. A four point deficit at halftime grew to as much as a 15 point lead for the Torreros before all was said and done and CSUB's three-game winning streak came to an end.
It was a game the Runners could have won, or at least made very interesting at the end but a poor stretch of shooting by the Runners in the second half proved to be their doom when USD took advantage of mismatches to build their lead for good. It was a different team than CSUB beat last season, better with guard Brandon Johnson healthy and unwilling to miss many shots on a night when they sank over 60 percent. The Roadrunners were a better team as well, but just not good enough tonight.
But when you look back at this one, CSUB was competitive against a team that has logged wins over powerhouses like UConn, Kentucky and Gonzaga in recent memory. While a loss is still a loss, it was apparent the Runners are reaching that next level in their Division I transition.
It was the start of a long stretch for the Runners that heads out on the road Wednesday at Pacific. The Tigers are a team CSUB has lost to the last few seasons and they return to the Spanos Center in Stockton with a chance at getting one against the Tigers. They'll also see former D-II foe UC Davis on Saturday before heading to Fresno on December 10th for a rematch against the Bulldogs, we all know what happened last time. A trip to Fullerton next Saturday when leads into a long roadie at South Dakota State a few days after.
It's a busy month as a whole with some chances at more wins and some adversity no doubt along the way. Things are looking up despite the recent loss. It's gonna be an interesting December that's for sure.