There are few settings that can match the biting cold of an early-season night-game at Baggett Stadium on the Cal Poly Campus. Sure Alaska or Antarctica are colder on paper, but its all about expectation. In perpetually comfortable San Luis Obispo, where average temperatures hover in the 65-75 degree range, there is nothing more jarring than wearing flip-flops all day only to spend the evening wrapped in a thick blanket while wearing long johns under your pants.

Cal Poly Fans in Krukow's Klubhouse get free food and drinks and a great view of the game. Photo by Jamie Pereira

Fortunately, they sell beer sweaters in Krukow’s Klubhouse.

For the unintiated, Krukow’s is named after former Giants player and Cal Poly alum Mike Krukow. Guarded by a lone student in a yellow parka, it is the Hometown Buffett of collegiate baseball.

Once the game starts, Mike Krukow’s legacy — beyond an above average MLB career and a notable broadcasting career — is unlimited beer and hot dogs for seven innings in a separated area above the Cal Poly dugout adjacent to third base. This creates a game within a game.

For some intrepid Krukow’s patrons, a challenge can be to keep pace with the game by finishing a beer and hot dog before the next inning begins. Only one person I know of has come close, getting to 6×6.

The rumor is that he did not have a pleasant evening after the game. We at Fansmanship definitely do not support this type of overindulgence.

The combination of unlimited beer and ridiculously cold winds ferments a certain comraderie among fans. Cal Poly baseball fans are a tepid group, especially when it’s cold . Chanting, or waving, or anything that requires cooperation is something you are not likely to experience when fans are attempting to conserve whatever body heat they have remaining. While the Atlanta Braves have the Tomahawk Chop chanting thing, the Mustangs Baseball team last Saturday had… the scattered golf clap?

No matter the weather though, Mustangs fans — particularly those in Krukows — do excel in heckling.

I stongly believe, with little empirical evidence to back it up, that visiting third baseman consistently struggle at Baggett Stadium because of their proximity to Krukow’s. Tommy Mendonca, currently toiling away in the Texas Rangers system, made at least three errors when Fresno state visited Baggett during his college days. This included a game-losing throwing error on a ball he sailed into right field.

Cal Poly split the doubleheader last Saturday with Tony Gwynn-coached San Diego State. Photo by Jamie Pereira

Ryan Muno, third baseman for San Diego State, made the only error for his team in the first half of the double header on Sunday, March 24th. He was replaced by Steven Pallares late in that game and in the night cap. I attended the night cap and was fortunate enough to hear some of the heckles coming from Krukow’s.

After Pallares first error: “Thats why you don’t eat a stick of butter before the game!” Followed by “You’re fat, 6!” Maybe wearing the number 6 is slimming, like vertical stripes – Pallares looks like he weighs maybe 160. I think the insult was meant to be ironic.

After his second error, the heckling intensified. Perhaps in an effort to quiet the hot-dog filled beer drinking crowd, Pallares bare handed a foul ball. Definately a difficult feat on sharply hit ball. Except since it doesn’t count, thats all it is: a feat.

“Maybe the glove is the problem!”

Pallares was replaced in the next inning.

All told, Aztec third basemen went 1 for 7 with 3 strikeouts as the Mustangs swept the Aztecs in the Saturday doubleheader.

And, if you ask me, the San Diego State third basemen were happy to get away from the roped off area behind the Cal Poly dugout

So if you want a unique college baseball experience, bring your long johns and join the crew at Krukows for some beer and heckling . . . and be glad you’re not a visiting third baseman.

Jesse Pereira is a contributor to fansmanship.com, especially in matters related to baseball and fantasy baseball. 

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After red-shirting last season (during his would-have-been senior year) in order that he might suit up with longtime friend and point guard Amaurys Fermin again, the two are back on the court for the green and gold.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn_LLkf695M

Will Taylor takes the ball to the basket Wednesday night versus. Sacramento State. Photo by Jamie Pereira

Forty pounds lighter with a buffed out wide shouldered frame, the fifth-year senior is serving a greater purpose this season in Coach Callero’s gritty style of play.

Currently, the bruiser’s 9.7 points per game rank third on the team. His 6.7 rebounds rank first, while a torrid 55.8% from the floor and 90.9% from the free throw line are also tops on the team.

But beyond the numbers and stats, the man’s greatest intangible is his work ethic. He is the spark plug who drives Callero’s feisty guard-heavy group. His high energy play mixed with a mouth like a chatterbox never breaks during a forty-minute strap. And while others might take a higher shot total then him, the 22-year old calmly plays “the man” role demanding his share of touches on the low block.

It makes you wonder what kind of numbers he’d put up if he played in a solid 3-2 post set. But in Callero’s swing it, run it and swing it half court montage of three point shooting, Taylor’s minutes are limited. But don’t be fooled by this. Taylor is as important as anyone on the Mustangs roster.

Despite limited minutes, Taylor raises from his seat on the sideline doing what he does best-inspire and root on others. And when his number’s called, which it will be, the big fella drops five to eight foot half-hooks in the key with a soft, velvet touch.

In last night’s affair against Sacramento State, Taylor came out demanding touches and posting with authority. While his defenders commonly fronted the “undersized” big man, his strong lower half and determination sealed a high percentile position.

It seemed like the young man never stopped moving. From left to right, Taylor zig-zagged end line to corner box to free throw line. His defenders looked haggard and worn, while their coach madly questioned: “You can’t stay with him!? If not, Ill have to find someone who can.”

Nobody ever really did. Yes he posted “just” 11 & 6, but Taylor did his usual grinning with an intensity like no other. And as is becoming more and more common in Mott Gym, the Mustangs responded.

Cal Poly 77, Sacramento state 51.

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Lady Mustangs Lose to Pepperdine

Faith Mimnaugh’s Lady Mustangs (3-3) suffered a series of blows in their 80-78 loss to Pepperdine on Wednesday night. The Mustangs squandered an 18-point lead and team leader Kristina Santiago suffered an ankle sprain. The severity of the sprain is unknown. Santiago sat out the last thirty-plus minutes of basketball while her team looked discombobulated and out of sync. Ashlee Burns led the way for the Mustangs with 14 points and sophomore point guard Jonae Ervin chipped in 13. Fifth year senior guard Katie Menton dropped 27 in the W for the Waves.

Go hand in hand. Nice rhyme scheme, no?

I am sitting at Mott Gym beneath a gray dome and ambient lights— Kanye West blaring from a quadrant of amplified speakers.

Out from opposing corners, a reef of coaches— wide-eyed, serious, walk from their humble fighter’s corners amidst a chorus of rat a tat jibber jabbering drum beats.

Players peel out like ping pong balls high on a heavy dose of the oldest drug in the book — adrenaline.

It is paralyzing.

This is College basketball. Call it what you will, but this is College hoops, mates — and it’s temperamental as always.

November is shall I say, kinky? A time when coaches work through their early rotational woes, so that by January when Conference play begins they might be set and ready for a possible run into March.

In a matter of a few minutes, a tip-off followed by a blurry mess of fandom swallows the stadium whole.

Fresno state comes out drilling three point bombs left and right.

A fan yells from afar, “Is this Hiroshima?”

Kristina Santiago grabs back the run with a dose of drop step crab dribble layups. “Girl’s got game,” says a gruff man behind a Moses beard in a large winter trench coat and baggy green slacks.

Cal Poly's Kristina Santiago drives past a Fresno State defender on Sunday, November 20, 2011. Santiago scored 27 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in the game. Photo by Jamie Pereira

A turnover follows on the next play down. Fresno state 15, Poly 12.

I am taken by Coach Mimnaugh’s three out guard set. She is centered. Her demeanor quiet and calm, defiant in her team’s up-tempo pace.

I am less taken with her team’s scattered haze of defense. Fresno is having their way with an inside-outside guard attack. Stop, pop, lean back, cross over, attack, rebound, and Fresno is drilling Poly 30-21.

Yet that never stops the bands “Hoorahs!” They’re situated Westward side behind the visitor’s basket—a lilting left-right montage of Fansmanship wildly displaying faithfulness to their beloved classmates.

Years from now I’m sure they’ll remember these moments: hand in hand, brass piece in brass piece under one united hedge way: Cal Poly. A school long known for cow patties and long rows of farm tractors, now an upturning sport school with a basketball program worth rooting for.

And it works.

Poly’s inspired play is recognizable; Each Lady Mustang swelling in her belief that an early deficit is as I said a kink in the long strand of a forty-minute chain.

Two uncharacteristic defensive stops, two more Santiago lay-ins and the score is equalizing. Fresno state 32, Poly 31.

I tweet @SLOcollegebeat (local Tribune beat writer Josh Scroggin) “Watching this game is like a speedy welter weight classic.” He returns, “It’s sure a shock to the system after covering yesterday’s men’s game.”

And boy is it. These girls are speedier than Gonzalez himself. They hip hop dribble around a court faster than the ball they carry. Halftime: Poly 41, Fresno state 40.

Then a raucous celebration, Poly band lets loose a charming diatribe of the Macarena and Smooth Operator. A small child enveloped in a Poly sweatshirt bobs her braid to the tight tunes of the Mustang band.

Now back to the game: Tempo is stilling.

It is amazing how turnovers can distill an up-tempo basketball game. Lady Mustangs and Bulldogs look tired and disoriented.

Until a streak in the name of point guard Jonae Ervin fire cracks in a huff. A drop pass to role-playing spark Ashlee Burns for a layup ignites a much needed mini run pushing Poly back in the game.

Coach Mimnaugh lets loose a smile. Her team is elevating again. Fresno state 49, Poly 47.

This welterweight is becoming a slogged bash between two tiring squads. Shooting percentages are decreasing. How could one imagine they wouldn’t, after this sort of up and down haggle?

Ashlee Burns is doing her spark plug deal again. She just hit a corner three, pulling Poly back into a deadlock.

Cal Poly's Ashlee Burns (00) takes a three point shot from the corner on November 20, 2011. Burns scored 18 points including four three-pointers. Photo by Jamie Pereira

Cal Poly 57, Fresno state 57.

Then we spar. Both teams make a run and the other responds. Santiago goes coast to coast on a stunning steal and layup,
but her counterparts answer with a three point field goal.

“No let up! No let up!” Coach Mimnaugh yells from her sideline.

And both sides for a moment must have heard the coach in her grace. Fresno’s unrelenting press disturbs Poly’s inbound possessions, leading to various turnovers.

Now in the final two-minutes Poly answers with a similar turnover. A poor inbound pass by the Lady Bulldogs leads to a two-shot foul. With the score tied pressure is mounting. Christine Martin steps to the line and drills one of two free throws to tie the game.

42.6 seconds, crowd a riled pack of hungry dogs.

Lady Bulldogs answer with a quick layup and confuse the Poly inbound pass. As it dribbles to the sideline out of bounds, Ashlee Burns the effective Mustang guard, loses her cool. “Calm down,” Mimnaugh says, patting the wet back of her energizing guard.

Again the Bulldogs answer. Quick foul results in two-more free throws and the Mustangs are forced to heave a dramatic half-court shot.

It clangs. The chain breaks. Fresno State 79, Cal Poly 76.

It took forty minutes to officially change my perception of things.  I’m more of a believer now in the women’s game, watching as my cynical ego shyly suspends into the rafters and out into a cold starry world.