Don’t fear the tree.

On Wednesday night, Cal Poly men’s soccer will take-on Stanford, the nation’s top-ranked team, at Alex G. Spanos Stadium. The exhibition match will be the first of two this week for the Mustangs. On Sunday evening, they’ll square off against Loyola Marymount before playing their first actual game at North Carolina the following week.

Cal Poly’s first two weekends or real games will be spent on the road. First, they’ll face ACC foes and top-10 teams North Carolina and Wake Forest before traveling to New Mexico to play the Lobos and Air Force the following weekend. The first home match that counts in their final record will be Sunday, September 11th against Fresno Pacific.

Kaba Alkebulan may have more opportunities to do damage front of goal this year. Photo by Owen Main

In their Green-Gold scrimmage on Saturday, key players George Grote and Trenton Matson were unavailable and Justin Dhillon rolled his ankle early in the first half. Though they lost four seniors to the USL and MLS after last year, this year’s Cal Poly team has added some depth in the offseason. Freshmen like Christian Enriquez, Sebastian Herran, Diego Alonso, Patch Johanssen, Kenneth Higgins, and Brayden Myus should all get opportunities to contribute.

Freshman midfielder Daniel Malki (Phoenix, AZ) is a Cal Poly legacy, following in his brother George’s footsteps.

Returning players like Matson, Ramiro Molina-Valerio, Joseph Bolous, Kaba Alkebulan, Adam Olsen, Bjorn Sandberg, Nick Carroll, Jack O’Connor, Jared Pressley, and Ruben Duran look to make improvement over last season to account for the loss in production and leadership from departures of Matt LaGrassa, Kip Colvey, Chase Minter, and Wade Hamilton.

Kody Wakasa, with a fresh white haircut and a familiar gritty attitude will lead the back line along with Matson. Justin Dhillon, who was a top-50 national recruit out of high school, has a final chance to play with his brother Sean — both are in their senior season. Tony Scimeca will compete for time in the middle of the back line and Brett Foreman, who was really effective two years ago before being injured last season.

The biggest question mark for this team might be who starts in goal. Eric Kam is a junior and has been in the program for two years already behind Hamilton. Simon Boehme, a Danish sophomore, has also waited his turn.

On the field, Boehme looks a little more Hamilton-esque, but Kam has been in the program for some time as well. I’ll give a slight edge to Boehme based only on the Green-Gold game, but either could be the guy in goal for the Mustangs this year.

Steve Sampson’s team will face North Carolina, UCLA, Wake Forest, and San Diego State. Cal Poly will have a tough schedule all year, but no game will be more fun than Saturday October 15th at Spanos Stadium against UCSB.

First thing’s first though.

Stanford is coming to town.

Photos from Cal Poly’s – Green-White scrimmage on Saturday

Find them all at photos.fansmanship.com

On Friday night, Cal Poly women’s soccer hosted the second-ranked team in the country and 83 minutes into the game, it looked as though they may at least escape with a tie.

Unfortunately for Alex Crozier, Ry Walker-Hartshorn spun and fired a shot past a sprawling Alyssa Giannetti for the game’s only goal. Giannetti, who holds the Cal Poly all-time saves lead, added seven to her career total in the game.

Cal Poly, who was without top scorer Elise Krieghoff, managed three shots in the game — none on-goal.

Photos by Owen Main

Day 2 of the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championships. By Danielle Boyle Melman

As I sit here reflecting on the past weekend, I cannot help but think how lucky I am to have experienced the 2014 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Final Four Championships at my alma mater, UC San Diego, where I also work. Although this is my third water polo Final Four, this time was a little different. Before I begin to reflect on my personal experience as a Final Four spectator and worker, let’s get to the most important part: the results.

Both semi-final games were intense match-ups, but especially in the second game.

In semi-final number one, UC San Diego faced a very experienced and powerful UCLA team, where the Bruins prevailed 15-6. UC San Diego came out playing hard, ending the first quarter only down by 1. The second quarter was a different story: the Bruins had an explosive offense, outscoring UC San Diego 6-2 and leading 8-3 at the half. UCLA ultimately won 15-6, earning a trip to the championship game.

In Semi-Final number two, USC beat Stanford after two overtime periods and one sudden death period.

Stanford controlled the first half, leading 7-5. But the magic of USC kicked in. The Trojans outscored the Cardinal 3-1 in the third quarter, and tied the game up with 14 seconds left of regular time. Two overtime periods later, the score was still tied.

In collegiate water polo, after two three minute overtime periods, the game is decided by sudden death. With 5 seconds left of the first sudden death period, USC Senior Kostas Genidounias (Athens, Greece) scored from the outside to lift USC to a win, earning their 10^th trip in a row to the NCAA Final Championship game. I have seen a lot of water polo but this was one of the most exciting games I have ever watched.

The UCLA Bruins celebrating their 9th NCAA Men’s Water Polo championship. By Danielle Boyle Melman

The next day, Stanford had an easy time with UC San Diego in the third place game, winning 20-11. The championship game, however, did not fail to bring drama, intensity and a passion you only see in collegiate sports.

UCLA came out blazing for three solid quarters, earning a three goal lead holding USC standout Genidounias to no goals.

But USC came blazing into the fourth quarter, scoring three goals in a row to tie the game. With 34 seconds remaining, and the score still tied, UCLA sophomore Gordon Marshall (Newcastle, Australia) fired a shot from inside to lift the Bruins to a 9-8 lead. Great UCLA defense on the next USC possession concluded the game, giving UCLA its ninth NCAA Men’s Water Polo title and 112^th NCAA championship in university history.

But intertwined with the crowning of the national champion, an NCAA National Championship weekend celebrates much more than the first place team. It honors the spirit of the student-athlete. It celebrates the sport and the community hosting the event. It recognizes the spectator, participant and volunteer. Everyone has the opportunity to share in the student-athletes playing for their teammates, for their university, for their families, for their high school, for their club coaches, and never for themselves. The student-athletes’ hearts are on out on display for all to experience  – and it is a feeling like none other.

UC San Diego Tritons take home a NCAA Men’s Water Polo 4th place finish. By Danielle Boyle Melman

Some of that emotion and heart is seen before the championship play even begins. In the spirit of the student-athlete, the National Championship Finals includes an award the NCAA hands out in every sport, in every division: the Elite 89 Award.

The Elite 89 Award is given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating in the NCAA Championship Finals. There are 89 NCAA final championships; hence the 89. This year the NCAA honored Stanford junior BJ Churnside – an electrical engineering major holding a 3.786 GPA. Churnside not only excels in the classroom, but in the pool as well: he earned All-American accolades his freshman and sophomore year, and is ranked third on the team for goals this season. Churnside was celebrated at the student-athlete banquet Friday night, and it was a touching moment. Because this award truly embodies the spirit of the student-athlete, it was moving to see him honored in front of his peers and the water polo community. I couldn’t help but think – this is why I got into collegiate athletics.

That theme resonated with me throughout the whole weekend. I am so fortunate to be a part of the growth and development of young adults through collegiate athletics. Being an athletic administrator allows me to have a positive impact on our student-athletes, providing support and guidance through the highs and lows — almost reliving my collegiate career through the eyes of these athletes.

As the championship weekend came to a close, I couldn’t help but be so proud of all student-athletes who participated, my athletics department, UC San Diego and the community who came together to celebrate and champion the collegiate student-athlete!

It was a great collegiate season for men’s water polo and I enjoyed bringing my perspective of the game.  For those who are excited about their next, or first water polo game, you don’t have to wait a whole year for the men’s season to start back up…the women’s collegiate season is just around the corner with the first sprint in January!

With the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championship Final Four set to commence on Saturday, December 6, emotions are running high. Four teams head into the most important tournament of their season and potentially their career. UCLA, Stanford, USC and UC San Diego are in the lineup to play in the semifinals, with #1 UCLA facing #4 UC San Diego at 1:00 PM PST, and #2 Stanford facing #3 USC at 3:00 PM PST. All games are taking place at UC San Diego’s Canyonview Aquatics Center. Below is a preview of the four teams, many of which have had to face adversity both in the water and out this year.

#1 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES

UC San Diego to host the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Final Four December 6-7.

UCLA is, clearly, the number one seed going into the Final Four. The road was somewhat predictable for the Bruins, who posted a 27-3 record heading into this weekend. The team is consistent when they are winning, but also consistent when they are losing. The Bruins saw their undefeated season squashed on October 12, when they not only lost to USC, but  four hours later to Stanford as well at the SoCal Tournament. UCLA slowly climbed its way back on top of the polls, entering the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) conference championships as the top seed. Surprisingly, UCLA lost to Long Beach State in the semifinals (whom they previously beat one week earlier by 8 goals). The Bruins went on to face USC in the third place game, beating them 10-5.

Although this team faced untimely loses this season, they will be hungry for the national championship final. I like their overall consistent, powerful play, and even though they crept into the final four by being granted an at-large berth, this team is ready to redeem themselves and show they are the number one team in the country.

Keys to victory

UCLA needs to score double digits both days to get the wins and take home the crown. With their outstanding offense and solid defense, double digit scoring will most likely produce a national championship.

#2 STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Stanford has been on a similar path as UCLA this season, posting a 25-3 record heading into the national championships. Two of their three losses have come from the Bruins, most recently losing only by 1 goal in their last meeting. Unlike UCLA, however, Stanford won their conference (MPSF) by beating Long Beach state 9-8, earning an automatic qualifier to the final four. This team will be a contender; however, UCLA seems to have their number every time they face each other. If both UCLA and Stanford make it to the NCAA Championship game, Stanford will have to be mentally tough to overcome this strong UCLA team. Bottom line: this team is a force to reckoned with and will not back down to any challenge. The key to Stanford’s success will be their offense.

Keys to victory

Similar to UCLA, when Stanford scores less than 10 goals, they lose. They need to make sure their offense is on-point and that they are putting up at least 11 goals to ensure a win. If they do that, they will be hard to beat.

Canyonview Aquatics Center-UC San Diego

#3 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

USC has encountered many ups and downs for a team at this stage, seeing six loses over the course of the season. With a record of 26-6, five of their six loses have been from UCLA and Stanford, with the most recent loss coming from Stanford in the semifinals of the MPSF conference championship tournament. The following day they lost to UCLA in the third place game. Although they have endured more losses to teams of higher seeds, USC has a unique past leaving me to believe we should not count them out.

The Trojans have been the reigning national champions the past six years in a row. Since 2002, Coach Jovan Vavic has taken home nine National Championships and two runner-ups back to the USC campus. This team knows how to win – and they know when to win. The Trojans have not only shown how physically tough they are, but emotionally and mentally tough as well.

In January, USC men’s water polo lost a teammate, sophomore Jon Walters, who passed away unexpectedly. As projected, the news hit the team hard. The have recovered both emotionally and mentally and will be wearing #6 on their caps in memory of Walters. Although almost a year has passed, the memory of Walters is very much alive: his younger brother James is a freshman on the USC team. It is absolutely remarkable how these young adults have rebounded from such a loss, and channeled their energy in a positive direction. USC is my wild card in the bunch, being incredibly unpredictable. They are playing with a heavy heart.

Keys to victory

With emotion running as high as I’m sure it is, anything can happen with USC this year — including some really good things. The Trojans will need to control and focus all the emotion that is sure to be there in order to dominate and bring home their seventh championship in a row.

#4 UC SAN DIEGO

This particular Triton team is two years in the making. Coach Denny Harper took a very unconventional approach in the spring of 2013, when he chose to have his top two would-be seniors, including 2012 conference MVP Josh Stiling, redshirt the 2013 campaign. Both student-athletes were supportive of the idea, knowing that it would create opportunity for the incoming juniors. Now, over a year later, this team is one of the best UC San Diego teams I have seen in a great while. With very experienced upperclassmen who have played with each other now for at least three years, this team is extremely close, can read each other well, and are committed to their coaches and to each other.

Although UC San Diego comes into the national championship tournament with a 16-9 record, all their losses have come from top ranked teams. This final four will be a fairly challenging one for the Tritons, but the program has always thrived on being the underdog. In 2000, UC San Diego faced USC in the NCAA National Championship semifinal game, beating the Trojans 9-8 and surpassing all expectations the water polo community had for the them. The Tritons ultimately fell to UCLA in the championship game, but it was the first ever national runner-up the program ever saw. Although a long shot, this Triton team is the host this year and should be up for any challenge. Great defense with a consistent offense from UC San Diego will be the key to knocking off the number 1 seed in the semis. UCLA’s three losses have come when they couldn’t convert more than six goals.

Keys to victory

If the Tritons can somehow hold the Bruins to six goals or less, their chances of winning the semi-final game increases dramatically, repeating their 2000 NCAA efforts.

Chris Eversley scored a season-high 25 points on Sunday but it wasn’t enough as Cal Poly lost to Stanford. By Owen Main

Sometimes, the game of basketball comes down to the making open shots. In its penultimate non-conference game this season, the Cal Poly men’s basketball team looked sharper than in recent games, but failed to make open shots or effectively defend the paint in a 79-62 loss to Stanford at Maples Pavillion.

The Mustangs opened the game by getting, and mostly missing, open field goal attempts. Good defense kept them in the game throughout the first eight minutes, but bad shooting caught-up with them against the longer Cardinal.

“What we have a difficult time [with] is scoring on a consistent basis against that length and that’s what really was a breakdown,” said Cal Poly head coach Joe Callero. “Two areas we were most disappointed with is the ability to score when you have those golden opportunities. You have a dive to the basket, a shot off the backboard, you’ve got to be able to finish those and get a percentage that should be up around 45 percent instead of 35 percent.”

The Mustangs didn’t shoot a free throw in the first half and shot just 9-35 from the field (25.7 percent), including just 2-10 from three-point range. By the middle of the first half, Stanford was attacking the paint and scoring against Cal Poly’s post players, much to the coach’s chagrin.

Sophomore David Nwaba continues to be more and more consistently active for Cal Poly. By Owen Main

“We would defend the post a little bit and then we would allow angles to the hoop and then we would defend the post but we wouldn’t take a left shoulder comeback move,” said Callero. So out of the biggest areas we have to improve upon are that consistency with scoring and a consistency on the post defensive side of the ball.”

Nine players on Stanford’s roster stand at 6’9″ or taller and their starting shooting guard, Anthony Brown, stands at 6’6″.

“It definitely helps us get a feel for how it’s going to be rebounding-wise,” said sophomore forward Joel Awich. “Teams like that, they can block shots and jump over us, so we’re going to have to be more physical to get more rebounds… . We need to establish a presence down low. I think that’s very important because usually a team that dominates in the paint wins more games.

Awich scored a career-high 11 points and grabbed a team-high five rebounds before fouling out of the game, which Callero deemed as a positive sign of Awich being more assertive.

“Coach has been talking about just going out there and playing aggressive, but he has confidence in me that I can make more shots, so I just got to have that confidence in myself and just employ it into the game,” said Awich. “Honestly, I just wanted to go out there and be more aggressive.”

Two years ago, Chris Eversley provided an offensive spark with strong athletic energy off the bench in his sophomore year. This season, Awich may be a candidate to follow in his teammate’s footsteps. If Cal Poly finds success in conference play, it could be because of contributions from players like Awich.

“I think that we’re really searching for a different combination of guys who can give us something off the bench, and Joel has been probably the guy who’s been able to find the best opportunity to give us a little spark there,” said Callero. “He blocks a shot, drives, gets a tip-in. It’s his maturity level and desire to say, ‘Hey, I can play with anybody.’ I think he knows that he can do this and I think he’s getting more excited about that and I think he’s falling in love with the game.”

For his part, Eversley scored 25 points — his best output this season.

“In order to win this game or even have a chance, we had to make shots,” said Eversley. “I felt as though we had a lot of good looks, we just had to knock them down. In time those will fall. We’re on the road [against] a Pac-12 team, packed house, so I’m not really trippin’. I know that as we go into conference guys will start getting in the gym because we have time off from school so those shots will fall. I have confidence in all my teammates.”

With the loss, the Mustangs’ record falls to 4-8 on the season, with just two wins against Division 1 opponents (Santa Clara and North Dakota) and losses to three Pac-12 schools, Pitt, Nevada, Loyola Marymount, Fresno State, and Pacific.

“We need to do a better job of giving resistance down low. We’re just getting killed down low,” said Awich.

Can practice make perfect?

Callero talked at length early in the year about practice intensity and how it needed to improve. When preparing for an extremely long team like Stanford, Arizona, or UC Irvine, there is another challenge practice poses. Trying to figure out how to be comfortable playing against a team that is substantially bigger.

“We can’t simulate enough in practice what you see in the game,” said Callero. “You sit close to the game, you see a different game… . You talk about how Brown is a 6’7″ two-guard. It takes an adjustment. It takes anywhere from five to fifteen minutes for guys to adjust to that speed and quickness. Now, it’s kind of like OK, now you’ve dug a hole. You’ve got to be able to score to keep that that hole from being dug. But that’s why we keep playing, eventually it becomes the norm. I don’t think we’re intimidated by the environment anymore, I think we’re just getting used to the speed, quickness, and length against high-major talent. It’s flat-out just better players. Better length, better athletic ability, better teams right now, which is why we’re doing it.”

Final tune-up

Cal Poly has one last chance to pick-up their fifth win of the season and first road victory before conference play begins January 9. That opportunity comes January 4th in Newark, Delaware against the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens.

“We want to go back and get one of our big goals, which is beat one of these teams on the road in the preseason, which is going to Delaware who just played Ohio State to a very difficult game. They’re a very good team and a conference favorite,” said Callero.

Photos by Owen Main

[See image gallery at www.fansmanship.com]

Cal Poly’s Club Baseball team, aka, “The Everyday Joes”

In case you haven’t noticed, and judging by the attendance you haven’t, the Indians have managed to win a few here and there, and are threatening to climb out of the cellar.–Bob Uecker as Harry Doyle in the movie Major League

They’re the everyday Joes: the too busy, too average, too small, ball playing mongers, screeching “atta babe,” “cannacorn,” and other things I would rather not mention, considering it’d take this article from partly crude to tongue whipping pornographic.

But that is why they’re more entertaining than any other Saturday endeavor not named beer-pong or bunny rabbit petting at the nearby Atascadero Zoo.

Harry Doyle would be proud, 10 to 15 fans speckle the orange rusting seats at a blazing hot Sinsheimer park, mocking the opposing squad (Stanford), and talking to the back plate umpire with a verbal intimacy as deep as a steaming love affair.

He tells you to shut up. You ask him why he’s paying more attention to you than he is the game. Shut up. You shut up.

The game continues.

A bad Doyle wannabe begins the game’s announcement, but becomes sidetracked with the tag sale Sears merchandise cutting out like a hoarse Roseanne. Once he gathers himself, he begins naming off the Cal Poly roster with a childish vibrato, cracking like a sour violin.

A frail, no more than 5’9″ baby faced kid comes bobbing his head to a bit of Lil’ Wayne, pounding his micro chest, before taking a stab at the ol’ home plate.

“Play ball,” the ump shouts with authority. Play ball? You think, as you check the crowd for Little League cougars cheering on their grammar school all-star. You quickly discover this is no Little League game. Why? because the few “Poly Dollys” sitting in the stands illuminate the park with a Jesus-like glow. Their lingerie, uh-hum t-shirts, leave as much to the imagination as a Rex Ryan press conference.  By this, you rest assured, that these are in fact college athletes, and settle down for the game.

The NCBA, otherwise known as the National Club Baseball Association, is the better version of NCAA athletics. Their players are no-namers, like a pair of rugged, twenty dollar hiking boots, bought at a yard sale.  Yet they still do the job for any baseball lover who doesn’t want to sell his left arm to enjoy a day at the ballpark. The free admission not only promotes the sport, but the betterment of community, where families or co-workers can talk and collaborate within a serene setting. Over 2,000 college club teams compete nationwide, where regional playoffs dub in Las Vegas, before the main stage, the World Series, played in Columbus, Georgia. Yes there is a NCBA World Series; the winner last year was Northeastern.

Locally, Cal Poly competes in the The Southern Pacific Conference (historic, right?) with the likes of UCSB, UC Merced, and UC Santa Cruz.  Currently the Mustangs are 4-1 from splitting a two game set against UC Davis andsweeping the Stanford Cardinal last weekend.

Their roster is filled with a group of young people committed to the love of the game. Starting catcher Nick Anzalone, a fourth year Construction Management major, says he plays club ball amidst his incredibly busy schedule (4 hours in class, 4-8 hours a day in lab!) because, “it’s fun, and most importantly,” he continues, “this game has been my passion and love for all of my life.” In the second of two games on Saturday, Anzalone surprised a cynic like myself, when twice, he gunned balls to first and second nearly picking off eager runners. His arm was far superior to some college catchers I’ve seen, and the accuracy and his poise behind the plate, anchored the ball club.

According to Anzalone, he has the green light to call pick off plays on a whim. “I can call plays. I have a triage of things I can call,” Anzalone said, before finishing, “I have been catching for over ten years. I was an all-league candidate at Armijo High, so I know what I am doing.” The reality, is that a player like Anzalone could play ball at many smaller universities, or community colleges. Many of his teammates from Armijo, a large school in Fairfield, Ca, went on to play at Oral Roberts. So why not? “I don’t have the time,” Anzalone smiled, as he spouted a grocery list of responsibilities. His girlfriend blushed, when he listed her as one.

Team coach, Anthony Pannone, a former minor leaguer who played six years in the Giants organization, joined the club this season as the head coach. The twenty-nine year old, former fire baller, played with Matt Cain, Travis Ishikawa, and Nate Shierholtz. Born and raised in Orange County, Pannone became a standout early on, and went on to play college ball at Seward County Community College in Liberal, Kansas. In 2000, the pitcher was drafted in the 16th round, 481st overall to the Giants, and in 2006,  reached triple-A with the Fresno Grizzlies, before injuring his elbow. A career of 29-30 in the minor leagues, Pannone finished with a 2 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio, and an ERA of 4.24. When asked about his coach, Anzalone stated, “Coach Pannone’s experience in the majors not only sets a precedent for our ball club, but sets the bar high enough to help us excel. He expects only the best from his team, and his wisdom of the game is superior to most.”

In Saturday’s double header, it was evident Pannone was a serious coach with the ability to call a play. With limited support, the head coach, who also acts as the third base coach,  could be seen shooting quite a few calls to his first base runners. His aggressive running approach has birthed, “a hunger from his players, and the run support necessary to relieve our pitching rotation,” Anzalone said. Which according to Anzalone, is the reason for this year’s hot 4-1 start.

The recap?

Game 1, this past Saturday, saw Cal Poly jump to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning. Stanford’s starting pitcher, a lefty with poor placement, and a Cliff Lee style release point, was as wild as Wilt Chamberlain’s sex life. Three bases on balls, two wild pitches, and a collection of extra base hits attributed to his rattled demeanor.  In the bottom of the fourth, after two straight one-two-three innings, Poly once again got to the haggard lefty, leading off with a triple, a double, a couple of walks, and a second triple, to further their lead to 8-0.  Poly, on the other hand, used three pitchers to complete the effort, giving up 6 hits, walking 4, and no runs. The finals score: Poly 11, Stanford 0.

Game 2 saw Poly begin the game slow, striking out twice in the first inning. Stanford’s pitcher came to throw, delivering pitches in the mid 80’s. Yet, it was his straight zip, that allowed Poly to time in and unload several bombs on him in the 2nd and 3rd innings. A triple in the 2nd inning, with a walk, a wild pitch, and a couple of singles, knotted the score at 4-4. Poly’s pitching core settled down after a rocky start, and finished the final 5 innings, using 2 relievers, giving up just a couple hits and no further runs. Final score: Poly 8, Stanford 4.

As I finished with Anzalone, I asked him if Cal Poly’s collegiate program ever invites his club team for a scrimmage. “Not a chance,” Anzalone jokes, “They give us equipment, that is about it.” I was impressed with the answer, because it tells me something about these kids. They are hardworking individuals who play the game untainted and pure, with little to any recognition. For a fellow like myself, who beholds the purity of the game, like one would a biblical teaching, I am less of cynic today than I was on Saturday, filled with a hope for a sport that has been corrupted with large collegiate programs, who recruit illegally and promote a poor graduation rate (which is usually higher than expected, considering the sort of grade enhancements many players receive, if you get my drift). Club baseball is not a limelight sport, it doesn’t have the top 100 recruits, nor the programs filling buses and buses on end with cheer squads, beat writers, photographers, and riled athletes. They aren’t in need of performance enhancing drugs, nor publicists and agents to better their chances at playing professional ball.  Their professional ball spans four years. It is now or never.

As for the miniature, Lil’ Wayne adoring athlete I snickered at earlier, his name is Nick Jacoy, the starting 2nd baseman, and the team’s best hitter.  A few pitches into my cynical rant of the kid, he roped a 325 foot triple to left, nearly clearing the fence. Let’s just say my snickering stopped, because he clearly had the last laugh.

–Luke Johnson