SB Nation User Blog: freesia39

Pac-10 Suspends Official from OSU/USC Game

freesia39 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:54:03 -0000

Pac-10 Suspends Official from OSU/USC Game

For not calling a penalty on Taylor Mays as he tried to rip James Rodgers' head off, one official has been suspended. Unfortunately, the league did not say who was suspended, but the Oregonian reports it was the referee Jay Stricherz who had the best view of the play.

The Russell Westbrook USTREAM Show

freesia39 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:38:15 -0000

The Russell Westbrook USTREAM Show

Russell Westbrook, answering questions that you post live on USTREAM right now!

To find out when the next USTREAM is... he doesn't really announce it, you just have to check out his twitter:
http://twitter.com/russwest44

Arron Afflalo traded to Nuggets

freesia39 — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:23:22 -0000

Arron Afflalo traded to Nuggets

Pistons free up a bit of cap room.

All Decade Pac-10 Football Team

freesia39 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:54:15 -0000

All Decade Pac-10 Football Team

Jon Wilner of the SJ Merc posts his Pac-10 All Decade team, available in Lindy's Sports Mag.

A couple of Bruins show up on the first and second teams. Go Bruins!

Coolest frickin playhouse EVER. It's hanging out at Stanford Shopping Center. Check out the back...

freesia39 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:16:29 -0000

Coolest frickin playhouse EVER. It's hanging out at Stanford Shopping Center.

Check out the back view:

Pac-10 Meetings Highlights

freesia39 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:02:45 -0000

The Pac-10 met and the biggest issue that was discussed was possibly eliminating the round robin schedule.

I can't find a link to the discussion on the Pac-10 website, but I did find it on Wilner's blog at the San Jose Mercury News. Of course, Wilner hates the round robin schedule because he believes it puts the Pac-10 at a disadvantage compared to other conferences because it's one additional loss:

The Pac-10 won’t drop its round-robin football schedule in favor of an eight-game lineup that allows for an extra non-conference game — and presumably an extra win.

Put another way: The league will continue to operate at a competitive disadvantage relative to other BCS conferences.

Sounds about right.

Continuing:

Muldoon said the Pac-10 coaches expressed interested in dropping the round-robin schedule during their meeting, so the issue was placed before the athletic directors.

"It didn’t gain a lot of traction," Muldoon said.

So what’s the status, I asked.

"It’s dead."

Why wouldn’t the athletic directors be in favor of a change that could help their teams qualify for a bowl game? Or improve their bowl position? Or possibly get a second team into the BCS?

"Most people like the nine-game schedule," Muldoon said. "They don’t want to buy another non-conference game. There just wasn’t a lot of interest."

So little, in fact, that the topic didn’t even reach the presidents.

I don't agree with Wilner at all, since I like the fact the Pac-10 comes up with a true conference champion, and hey, a team could go undefeated. Tell $C to stop losing to the powerhouses of Stanford and OSU.

In other Pac-10 News, the major news was about cost containment proposals which I'm sure has everyone in a tizzy but didn't make a lot of news.

Bowls were discussed briefly, along with the TV Network idea:

In other action, the Conference approved a policy limiting institutions to one road weekday football game per season when classes are in session, discussed interest in studying the viability of establishing a Conference television network, met with interested bowl game organizations regarding affiliations for the 2010-13 bowl cycle and approved in concept holding the 2011 Pac-10 Women's Basketball Tournament at USC's Galen Center.

Hopefully the future Pac-10 Network can actually be watched by fans of the Pac-10. Isn't that a current issue with the Big-10 network?

And in news I know everyone here will absolutely love, the Conference Medal has been renamed to honor everyone's favorite former Pac-10 Commissioner:

The Conference Medal, awarded annually to each institution's outstanding senior male and female student-athlete, was renamed the Tom Hansen Conference Medal in honor of Hansen, who is retiring at the end of June after 26 years as Pac-10 Commissioner.

Oh boy.

The only good part about this was the round robin schedule staying. I do remember when I frst came to UCLA, we didn't play every team each year, but when we switched to the round robin, it was nice to know we would play every team in the league. I didn't realize this concept was foreign to other leagues, but I guess if you're too busy trying to beat up Appalachain State... oh wait...

Darren Collison at Warriors pre-draft camp (SFGate.com) UCLA point guard Darren Collison worked...

freesia39 — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:02:25 -0000

Darren Collison at Warriors pre-draft camp (SFGate.com)

UCLA point guard Darren Collison worked out Tuesday, and, although he is viewed as a late first-round pick, he wants to be considered by Golden State.

"Tell the Warriors to draft me," said Collison, who mentioned Syracuse's Jonny Flynn first among the best point guards in the draft. "I thought I showed them everything they want a point guard to do. I showed my speed and quickness, I showed I can create for others or score on my own, and I showed that I can play defense.

"I have the total package."

Another high schooler going straight to Europe with a twist

freesia39 — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:05:45 -0000

Another high schooler going straight to Europe with a twist

So while he has committed to Louisville, he has decided...

to skip his senior year of high school and head straight to Europe.

UCLA on the Road: Coaches Tour

freesia39 — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:48:50 -0000

Bumped. GO BRUINS. - N

Dear Bruins in Exile (And not so exiled)

The UCLA coaches are going on tour to speak about their programs!

Mingle with the stars at the UCLA coaches’ events. There’s no athletic program in college history more storied or successful than the Bruins’. More NCAA team championships than any other Division I school. First to 100. Now at 103—and counting. Come meet some of the men and women who are leading the way today: Ben Howland and Nikki Caldwell, Bruin basketball; Rick Neuheisel, Bruin football; Valorie Kondos Field, Bruin gymnastics; and Derek Freeman, men’s golf. Hear their anecdotes, game plans, and great expectations. Stay for an energizing evening at any one of six coaches events

The locations and speakers are:

San Francisco - Coach Ben Howland, Monday, May 4th
Los Angeles - Coach Howland and Coach Neuheisel, Tuesday, May 12th
San Diego - Coach Howland, Thursday, May 14th
New York - Coach Neuheisel, Thursday, May 14th
Seattle - Coach Nikki Caldwell and Coach Valerie Kondos-Field, Friday, June 5th
Orange County - Coach Neuheisel and Coach Derek Freeman, Wednesday June 17

For more info, please visit the UCLA on the Road website:

UCLA Roadshow

The cost is 20 dollars per person. If you were not sent an invite, there is a phone number you can call for more info. I saw this in the current month's UCLA Magazine, and had been anxiously watching the website since. I'm doing everything I can to get into the San Francisco one.

Poll Dancing: The coaches poll's strange infatuation with UCLA

freesia39 — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:19 -0000

Poll Dancing: The coaches poll's strange infatuation with UCLA

Yahoo blogger says the Coaches love UCLA too much and rank us on name recognition.