Long time, no talk. You good? Cool. Me too. I watched this new football league over the weekend. It’s called the Alliance of American Football, and it’s a new spring football league that is looking to buck the failed traditions of the United Football League, the XFL, the World League of American Football, the USFL, etc., and so on, and so forth. Now, I had intended to write about what I saw with this new league on Monday with a full detailing of what worked well (the pace, the lack of kick-offs, and some surprising quarterback play) and what didn’t (the app, the Memphis Express’ offense). However, I got violently ill on Sunday, and then had to take my daughter to the hospital for abdominal pain (turned out she just had to fart), so I am a little behind the times. So, instead of doing a week one review and recap of the new league on a Thursday, I am going to preview Week 2 games, which will include some details of Week 1. Cool? Cool.

Salt Lake Stallions (0-1) at Birmingham Iron (1-0), Saturday, February 16th, 11am 

Last week, the Birmingham Iron defeated the Memphis Express 26-0, all without Luis Perez throwing the ball into the end zone, so it’s tough to say if the Iron are that good, or were the Express that bad (The Express were pretty bad). I feel like it’s more the former, but I don’t want to fully say that the Iron are good yet, and this weekend will help with that. Birmingham does have a good defense. I mean, you can’t shut a team out at ANY level if you don’t have some talent, and quarterback Luis Perez, whose story leading up to this league is incredible, showed that he can play quarterback (again even though he didn’t throw a touchdown). So, I think Birmingham may be good, but I am not sure yet. Also, I was fairly ill watching the game as well, so who knows? Salt Lake will be a good test for Birmingham. Salt Lake, until their starting quarterback, Josh Woodrum, went down, was playing pretty well against the Arizona Hotshots (the leagues clear best team in Week One) in their 38-22 loss, and have some offensive tools in Matt Asiata. With Salt Lake, the question is are they a good team or are the Hotshots a great team?  So this game is basically boiling down to, which team is actually good or just a football shrug emoji.

Prediction: I closed my eyes and pointed at a team, and it came back Birmingham

Arizona Hotshots (1-0) at Memphis Express (0-1), Saturday, February 16th, 5pm

If you have read this far into this piece, than you know that Arizona scored a lot of points last week, and Memphis scored none. Let’s dive a little deeper. Arizona’s quarterback John Wolford threw for four touchdowns and was named the AAF Offensive player of the week, while Memphis’ quarterback was 10-23 for 87 years, no touchdowns (again, the team scored 0 points), and one interception. Having watched both of these teams play in their first games, again where one team scored 38 points, and the other team scored 0 points, look for the Arizona Hotshots to score a lot of points. Pay attention to the fact that not only did Memphis not score any points, but their defense also gave up 26 points the previous week. You’re welcome for the advanced analytics.

Prediction: Arizona scoring more points than Memphis

Orlando Apollos (1-0) at San Antonio Commanders (1-0), Sunday, February 17th, 1pm

Yay, two teams I haven’t talked about yet, and it’s a battle of unbeatens! (air horn sound, air horn sound, AIR HORN SOUND). Orlando went off on the Atlanta Legends to the tune of 40-6, and San Antonio beat the San Diego Fleet (stay tuned for a scorching Fleet vs Legends preview) 15-6. Orlando won big, and San Antonio won small, so how do these two teams match up? Not sure, I am comedian, who sometimes writes about alternative football leagues (btw, I am a HUGE fan of alternative football leagues). However, I can tell you what I saw from these two teams last week, and I saw one team that had no problem moving the ball all over the field, and even had some trick plays (please see what has already been called the “Orlando Special” by Apollos Head Coach Steve Spurrier, yes, that Steve Spurrier), and I saw another team, that moved the ball pretty well, but had a hard time getting the ball in the end-zone. Both teams had good quarterback play, Logan Woodside for San Antonio and Garrett Gilbert for Orlando, and the both have good defenses (read above about how they both held their opponents to just six points). This is probably the game of the week in the AAF. Maybe in all of sports. No, just the AAF.

Prediction: Spurrier wears a visor. Orlando wins a close one.

Atlanta Legends (0-1) at San Diego Fleet (0-1), Sunday, February 17th, 5pm

Okay, in the Sunday Night Football slot, we have two teams that only score 6 points each in their previous games. However, if you watched both games, and I did, because again, ill on Sunday. Also, side note, the games move very fast (around 2 and a half hours), so they are easy hangs. Anyway, if you watched both games, you saw that San Diego was very much in the game, they just didn’t even attempt to protect to the quarterback as former starting quarterback Mike Bercovici was sacked three times. He also threw two interceptions, and he also had a hard time picking up the blitz. (I am sure you saw this). These plays aside, the Fleet have a new quarterback, Philip Nelson, and a running back that I am a fan of, Ja’Quan Gardner. Now, the Atlanta Legends, looked like a team that put up six points, but was never really in the game (reminder, they lost by 34 points), and of the six point scoring Week One teams, I would say that they seem to have a long way to go, on offense and defense. They have some names in the backfield in Tarean Folston from Notre Dame and Denard Robinson from Michigan, but not a lot to show for it. San Diego has some players on defense, and this will probably be another long night for Atlanta. Or a long, two and a half hours.

Prediction: The PA system at SDCCU Stadium is gonna suck (because it does), but the Fleet power through it.

That’s it! Check back with me on Monday to see if I killed it!

On Saturday, Cal Poly hosted 17th-ranked Montana. The Mustangs came into the game 1-3 on the season, having won just two of their past 16 games overall. 

So, not a great trend. This year hasn’t been easy though. The four games Cal Poly has lost (including to Montana) have all been against opponents ranked in the top-17 in the nation. 

For me, one of the fascinating things about college sports — or any athletics at a really high level — is that there sometimes isn’t MUCH between a team that seems down in the dumps and a team that is in the top-20 in the nation. Saturday’s game, for me, was a fascinating case in point.

Cal Poly moved the ball like they wanted to and played basically as well as you can in a game you lose by 20 (the final score was 48-28).

There were 149 total plays in the game, and here are four that went a long way toward determining the outcome:

The first fouth-and-one

Cal Poly is a triple option team that goes for it on fourth down. A lot. If you depend on rushing the ball and can’t get a yard or two when you need it, then you’re probably not going to win anyway. Also, head coach Tim Walsh has long preached that touchdowns are what win games, not field goals. 

After picking up one first down on their opening drive, Cal Poly had the ball at Montana’s 48 yard line on fourth down and 1. Cal Poly handed the ball to senior fullback Joe Protheroe, but the Grizzlies sniffed it out and stopped Cal Poly short. 

Early fourth down plays can have lasting impacts on momentum in the trenches. 

THE OUTCOME – Well, Cal Poly’s defense forced a Montana three-and-out, forcing a punt. Things looked OK until…..

J’uan Campbell rushed for 31 yards on four carries Saturday against Montana.
Photo by Owen Main

The Muff

Since the Mustangs had gone for it on 4th down, Montana had good field position to pin Cal Poly back toward their own end zone. The Montana punter angled a high kick toward the corner. Cal Poly junior return man J’uan Campbell waved his teammates away as the ball bounced and rolled nearly out of bounds. Inexplicably, Campbell made a last second effort to pick up or dive on the ball. 

Instead, Campbell simply touched it and Montana took possession at the Cal Poly 7 yard line.

THE OUTCOME – Two plays later, Dalton Sneed found Gabe Sulser for a six-yard touchdown and Montana led 10-0, less than seven minutes into the game. 

The pitch-6

Down 10-0 early-on, Cal Poly still had to believe they could get back into the game by sticking with their initial game plan. While the Montana defense HAD earned one stop, Cal Poly’s offense hadn’t even started to roll. Khaleel Jenkins and co. put together a drive that was vintage Cal Poly offense for the first 13 plays of the drive. Protheroe found some rhythm up the middle. Jenkins was making good option decisions. Campbell got back on track. Chuby Danu even caught a ball out of the backfield. Cal Poly used the first 13 plays of the drive to go 60 yards. At the Montana 16 yard line, it seemed like the Mustangs were ready to score a touchdown of their own and get back into the game. 

Instead, the wheels fell off. 

On an option play toward the Cal Poly sideline, Jenkins’ pitch to Danu careened off Danu and right into the waiting arms of Montana defender Josh Buss, who returned the fumble 80 yards for a Montana touchdown.

THE OUTCOME – Instead of the score being maybe 10-7, it was 17-0 Montana with 1:31 to go in a disastrous first quarter. 

To their credit, the Mustangs didn’t hang their heads. Jenkins, Protheroe, and newly installed running back Drew Hernandez kept the Triple Option chugging. Cal Poly responded with a drive of over six minutes in the second quarter, culminating in a Protheroe touchdown, but Montana scored on their ensuing drive and once more before the half to go up 31-7 at halftime. 

When you do the math on the 14 point swing of the pitch-6 and what might or might not have happened with the Muff, you might think about somewhere between 14 and 21 points being made-up. That means that instead of being boat-raced at 31-7 going into halftime, Cal Poly might have been within striking distance at something like 24-14. That’s a big difference. 

Again, Cal Poly’s offense seemed to respond in the second half. They scored on each of their first two drives in the 3rd quarter, but so did Montana. Even trading a touchdown for a field goal, Cal Poly wasn’t making up ground. Down 41-21 early in the fourth quarter, the offense needed to keep scoring.

The fourth down, part deux

I hesitated putting this one in here. By the time you’re depending on conversion of a fourth and four, down by 20 points in the fourth quarter, maybe you’re grasping at straws. Still, Cal Poly had life. with 12:16 left in the game, on fourth and four from the Montana 22, Jenkins called his own number. He tried to cut upfield on an option play. He slipped and was smothered for no gain. 

THE OUTCOME – Montana got the ball back on downs and scored on a 68 yard rush three plays later. It was a dagger for a Cal Poly team that rallied for a touchdown late to keep the score within 20. 

****

Each of the above plays creates the circumstance needed for the next one to even take place, but when you put them all together, it makes up for most of the score difference between the two teams. I guess the good news if you’re a Mustang fan is that high leverage situations like fourth downs, special teams plays, and turnovers are things that can improve.

Drew Hernandez (27) was a pleasant surprise for Cal Poly fans, rushing for 135 yards on 14 carries Saturday against Montana.
Photo by Owen Main

Cal Poly out-gained Montana 512 yards to 468 yards and dominated time of possession (38:40 to 21:20). Cal Poly ran 95 plays to Montana’s 54. But two early turnovers weren’t something Cal Poly could overcome.

Cleaning up their play in those high-leverage areas could give the Mustangs a chance to win in the state capitol this weekend against Sacramento State. 

You’ll also notice I didn’t mention the defense yet. Cal Poly’s defense wasn’t horrific, but it wasn’t great. They made some good third down stops (Montana was just 5/10 on third downs), but they also let some big plays happen, including Adam Eastwood’s 68 yard dagger. By the time the defense forced a turnover from the Grizzlies, an interception by Carter Nichols, the game was well in-hand.

The receivers throughout the Big Sky are really good and so are most of the passing quarterbacks. Sacks are hard to come by as quarterbacks are getting rid of the ball quickly. If the offense and special teams play a clean game, Cal Poly’s defense doesn’t have to do huge things with turnovers, sacks, and tackles for losses. If the Mustangs are behind by 20 points though, then the pressure on Josh Brown’s unit becomes higher. With a young defensive front, changing the game plan and becoming more urgent might lead to some of the late breakdown we saw with the long Eastwood touchdown run. 

So, what’s next?

Look this weekend for high-leverage plays and whether they go Cal Poly’s way. Can the Mustangs convert on some fourth downs when they only have 1-3 yards to get? Can the offense keep from giving away possession and points and still run smoothly. 

Smart football is good football in so many cases. With nearly 150 plays last game, there are lots of opportunities to slip-up, but if Cal Poly can play sound football this weekend, they’ll have a chance in the Hornets nest. 

Photos by Owen Main. Click here for all photos

Josh George (Junior, OF)

Josh George was an everyday contributor in 2017. By Owen Main

Season synopsis

In his first two years in San Luis Obispo, George dealt with various injuries. In 2017, George played in all 56 games for the Mustangs, starting 49 of them. George was a contributor to the lineup, hitting .249 with nine doubles, a triple, and 24 RBI’s. He was 7-11 on stolen bases and didn’t make an error in the outfield all season.

George probably didn’t have quite the junior season he thought he’d have, but he contributed to the Mustangs’ 16-8 Big West season. 

Senior Contribution

So one thing I think about in an offseason are big-picture team constructions that can lead to big-time success. Having a big-time upper-class point guard is something that you can traditionally look at in college basketball. Senior quarterbacks who coaches trust in college football are a pretty good bet for good seasons. 

In baseball, having a few seniors who are big contributors and who other younger players can take advice and mentorship from is something that probably matters. Cal Poly’s regional host roster a few years ago included Jordan Ellis, Chris Hoo, and Jimmy Allen. Maybe Josh George can up his game in the offseason before his final season and help shepherd some new guys into the fold at the same time.  

Austin Dondanville (Sophomore, Pitcher)

Season synopsis

Coming into the 2017 season, Dondanville was a pitcher who was one of many with a chance to contribute out of the bullpen. The sophomore from De La Salle High School finished the season with 15 appearances — all out of the bullpen. That number was fourth most on the team out of the ‘pen. 

Dondanville was pretty reliable, going 1-0 on the season with a 3.67 ERA  and a 1.07 WHIP. He struck out 32 and walked just 7 hitters in 29 innings. 

The more the better?

 While Cal Poly had to use a lot of guys throughout the season, Dondanville might be the only pitcher they could have used a little more. Trent Shelton, Michael Clark, and Slater Lee were all very good out of the pen. Dondanville was too, though he was used only about 2/3 as much. 

Stretching out

Dondanville has been starting so far this summer for the San Luis Obispo Blues in the CCL. Perhaps it means the Mustangs will try to use him as a starting pitcher next season. With their top two starters from 2017 gone, having some options for the starting rotation will be important come the fall and spring. His development could provide another shut-down reliever or, more likely, a starting pitcher with a combination of experience and stuff to match the potential role of a weekend starter on a top-3 Big West Conference team in 2018. 

Cal Poly’s opener got rained-out tonight, so I thought I’d finally post something of a Cal Poly baseball preview for this season. 

Last season wasn’t a great year for Cal Poly baseball. Holding a 10-2 record early in the season, the Mustangs lost 9 of 11 games midway through the conference season and fell out of contention for both the Big West title and a regional bid. They finished the season a disappointing 32-25 (12-12 in the Big West). Maybe it says something about Larry Lee’s program that they can have a convincingly winning record in a season that is deemed subpar. 

Erich Uelmen spent the summer in the prestigious Cape Cod League and could contend to be the best pitcher in the Big West this season. By Owen Main

There were many positive signs in 2016 though that could carry into 2017. For starters, the entire starting pitching staff is back, including burgeoning ace Erich Uelmen, Jarred Zill, and lefty Kyle Smith, who was the Mustangs’ Friday guy last season. There is more competition for the final spot in the rotation than there has been in a long time and Cal Poly will decide whether to use Spencer Howard in a weekday starting role or as a relief ace. On a preseason Fansmanship podcast, Larry Lee talked about the emergence of Bobby Ay and Michael Clark. Don’t forget about Cameron Schneider, Austin Dondanville, Thomas Triantos, and Oregon State transfer Trent Shelton, among others. Larry Lee doesn’t have a history of having up to a half-dozen pitchers that he really trusts, but this year’s team may have that many pitchers that Lee and pitching coach Chal Fanning trust.

As a whole, Cal Poly figures to have more pitching depth probably than at any time since I’ve covered the team. 

Can they pick it?

Cal Poly’s big, glaring weakness last season was on defense. The Mustangs made 84 big errors in 2016, the most in a while for a Larry Lee team. Many of them were on the left side of the infield, where freshman Bradlee Beasley will be a defensive upgrade over Kyle Marinconz, who did his best out of position at shortstop for much of last year. Marinconz, a sure-handed second-baseman, will return to his natural position. Throw in a more confident Michael Sanderson at third base, and the Mustangs staff hopes to have a team that doesn’t give away as many runs last season. 

What about the bats?

Cal Poly lost the bats of John Schuknecht and Brett Barbier to professional baseball, but another year of development for Nick Meyer, Sanderson, Marinconz, and center fielder Alex McKenna have fans excited. Even incremental improvements in consistency across the board should make a big impact for the returners. The health factor has been thrown around as a big deal this season as well. Josh George figures to be as healthy as he’s been at this level and McKenna battled injuries for much of last season. 

Nick Meyer behind the plate is someone Lee trusted as a freshman to play nearly every inning last season. His control of the strike zone is really really good. 

So there’s a lot of experience in the veterans on this squad. 

Newcomer Elijah Skipps, who started his collegiate career at Arizona brings some needed power to the lineup and freshmen Scott Ogrin and Jack Kuzma figure to have opportunities for impact. Kevin Morgan is a senior leader with a great approach and above average bat control who will be in the lineup a lot. 

Put it together and here’s what fans are looking at for 2017: a chance for things to fall into place. Yes, Uelmen must be as-advertised. Yes, Zill and Smith must take steps forward. Lee probably needs to use his pitching depth like he never has before. Guys have to hit like they’re capable of hitting. They sure have to field better than last season.  

But the pieces are in place. The culture is there. 

Lee told me that anything that isn’t a regional appearance is a disappointment. That’s the reality of where the Cal Poly baseball program is in 2017. Expect them to be there. 

Photos from the Cal Poly Alumni Game below. Find all the 2017 Alumni Game Photos here.

In December of 2011, a coworker of mine emailed me a link. I work in the field of education and the link was for something called Grantland. I filed it away for when I had more time to look at things like grants.

A few weeks later, I realized my silliness. For the next five or so years, Grantland was a go-to for when I needed something interesting to read about sports or entertainment and the BS Report podcast was in heavy rotation for my bike rides, long drives, and lawn mowing.

The Ringer is going to be awesome!

This week, Bill Simmons, former Editor in Chief of Grantland, announced he’s starting up a new site: The Ringer. In his latest Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons talks in general terms about what he’s gone through

I’m a way bigger and better consumer of sports information than source. When I first read a Simmons column, he was dissing the Lakers in ways I had never heard. Before long, I came to realize was a master troll — someone who could get a reader’s blood boiling. He was the perfect sports writer for the dawn of the Internet age. His podcast was and is earnest and intriguing. His YouTube platform with Grantland was underrated.

Over time, I came to respect his views more and more. Writers and sports personalities without a rooting interest tend to bore me. I’m a big fan of, well, fans — and Simmons is one of the all-timers.

When ESPN let Simmons go and eviscerated Grantland, it left a gaping hole in the online sports and entertainment landscape. We should all be glad that Simmons is building something new with the knowledge he’s gained from his time with Grantland. Simmons said on his podcast that he’s not trying to make The Ringer the same site that Grantland was. It will be different. Hopefully it will be better. I just hope it starts to fill the hole that Grantland’s death left.

Here’s to great content ahead. Here’s to The Ringer.

To me, Chick Hearn was a modern-day basketball Shakespeare. For 45 years, Chick broadcast basketball games and, for those of us lucky to watch games he called, was a welcome addition to any living room or sports bar. It’s been over 12 years since Chick passed away, but it’s still hard to watch a Lakers game without him. For generations of NBA fans, he may as well have been Shakespeare.

Words Crafted by Shakespeare: 

“Words, words, words” is a quotation in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet when Hamlet responded to Polonius’ question, “What do you read, my lord?” Polonius sought a reason why Hamlet was reading but Hamlet took the word matter to mean what was wrong with him. The quotation, “Words, words, words” came to mind because Shakespeare is one of the greatest crafter of words we know of.

He coined words such as:

1. Advertising in Measure for Measure.

2. Circumstantial in As You Like It.

3. Zany in Love’s Labour’s Lost.

4. Swagger in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (actualized in Nick Young)

5. Rant in Hamlet

As a Lakers fan I believe that the modern day Shakespeare is Chick Hearn. Other sports fans can say the same of their favorite announcers.

Picture of Chick Hearn and some of his Chickisms Image via Laker Nation and rareink.com

Chickisms:

Chick Hearn coined most of the lingo used in the game of basketball including:

1. Give and Go (one player passes the ball to his teammate and cuts to the basket after he passes the ball).

2. Air Ball (a shot that does not hit anything involved with the basket such as rim, net or backboard).

3. Slaaaaaaam Duuuuuuuuunk (when a player authoritatively dunks a basketball).

4. Charity Stripe (Free Throw Line where players shoot a shot after they get fouled).

5. Dribble Drive ( A player driving to the basket while dribbling the basketball).

Just as Shakespeare penned most of the words we use today, sports announcers speak words we use as sports fans.

The UU was hopping on Friday afternoon. By Owen Main

Facing a sizeable deficit in Friday afternoon’s outdoor dual meet with Northern Colorado, the Cal Poly wrestling team fell just short, losing the dual meet 23-22.

The match was seen by hundreds of students and spectators who lined the University Union steps to watch. Cheerleaders and the pep band also provided an environment that everyday wrestling fans might not be as accustomed to.

The meet was just the second ever outdoor meet for the Cal Poly program, having wrestled under the sun last season against Oregon State.

With the loss to Northern Colorado, the Mustangs fell to 0-4 in dual meets this season.

Cal Poly will once again host an outdoor meet on January 29 against Cal State Bakersfield, also in the UU.

Photos by Owen Main

To view on iPhone or iPad, Click here.

We break into double digits talking about our favorite old video games, a special kind of comic JD found, and the lockdown at Righetti High School.

How should young basketball players take charges? JD will break it down for you.

A few years ago, I married a sports nut. But he’s not the typical sports nut who only cheers for his teams and the sports he likes to watch or play. My husband is an ultra-crazy sports nut: one who appreciates all different types of sports, never discriminating between male and female, mainstream and Olympic, professional, college, high school and age group. My husband is open to watching and supporting anything that falls in the realm of athletics — anything. It’s actually the best type of sports nut to marry.

When Dave and I first started dating in 2008, he was quickly thrown into the world of water polo. He had seen a few high school games prior to meeting me, but it was limited exposure. His first game experience with me was a UC San Diego alumni game, where he was lucky enough to meet my closest friends (all former Triton teammates) and see us relive our glory days. Maybe it wasn’t the best environment to expose a new boyfriend to, but he clearly had no idea what he was getting himself into…especially witnessing my aggressive style of play.

Lucky for me Dave was still on the pool deck after that first game, and as our relationship progressed, Dave accompanied me to many more water polo games at UC San Diego. Always willing to go to the pool and learn the game, Dave showed an amazing appreciation for the sport and the work that goes into training for a game and a season. I felt lucky that I found someone who genuinely cared the same about the sport that I love.

But, truth be told, you don’t have to be an ultra-crazy sports nut to love watching water polo: the intensity and athleticism of the game alone will captivate you. 

Water polo, in my opinion, is one of the most fan-friendly sports to watch. Games are about an hour long (compared to a basketball game that can last up to two hours, or a football game that is pushing three. Don’t even talk to me about baseball!)

Collegiate games are comprised of four, eight minute quarters, with a two minute break between quarters, and a five minute break at half time. The game is fast paced thanks to a 30 second shot clock, always challenging the athletes to pass and shoot quickly. The swimming is impressive and the athleticism these athletes portray would be difficult to achieve on land, let alone in 15 feet of water.

The game might be confusing at first (in the words of my husband “I have no idea what just happened.”) Whistles are blown every five seconds, hundreds of ordinary fouls are called, and players get ejected for unknown reasons to the untrained eye. In addition, the sport has also adopted rules that seem unnatural to any sport: if a defender shot blocks a shot on the goal, the ball is rewarded to the defense (where as in most sports, last person to touch the ball is penalized, and the ball is rewarded the other team-usually the offense.) Amongst all the quirks and confusion to the game of water polo, however, the great thing is fans know when an athlete steals the ball, when a great pass takes place, and when a goal is scored. Fans know when a team is playing well and winning, and they can feel the energy on the pool deck.

I am lucky enough to have a career in collegiate athletics, where I witness students coming to Canyonview Pool at UC San Diego every year to watch their very first water polo game. These students, many of whom are not well versed in athletics to begin with, turn into ultra-crazy fans by the end of the game. They don’t know why there was a foul, or why someone got kicked out, but they feel the energy of the players. They see the intensity in the student-athlete’s eyes, are in awe of their physique, and can’t believe the athletic moves they are seeing. They leave recharged and ready for the next game, because for the whole 60 minutes they never took their eyes off the pool.

If you get an opportunity, I challenge you to go watch a water polo game. Whether it is at the high school level, or on the Pac-12 network, watch for at least a quarter. I can’t promise that you will understand everything that is going on, but I can promise you that you will enjoy 60 minutes of a sport that shows a heightened level of athleticism and passion that you might not see every day. Just remember that being an ultra-crazy sport nut is not required; simply being a fan of sport is.

Alex J. Jankowski has been covering the preps beat in San Luis Obispo for the past eight months.

With the high school football season kicking-off this week, Alex joined the podcast to discuss his high school football previews, what he knew about San Luis Obispo before he got here, and what it’s like to move from Alaska to San Luis Obispo county in the middle of December.

You can follow Alex on Twitter @ThePrepsBox