Stumptown Sports Hook

New post on the new blog

2009-10-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

As we posted before, the Stumptown Sports Hook is merging into an all-in-one Vanguard blog.

New posts are up, including Allison's thoughts on this week's football game against Northern Colorado, Theo's take from a show at the Doug Fir and video of Lenny Kravitz in a hockey fight (not entirely true).

So, go check it out.

Seriously. Do it!

Stumptown is moving!

2009-10-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

This post is to let you know that the Stumptown Sports Hook will be changing location to the Vanguard's new and improved blog.

Check us out!

http://vanguardblog-psu.blogspot.com/

"This Week in Big Sky Football" and coaches conference call podcast, Oct. 7

2009-10-07T18:36:00.000-07:00

The weekly conference call with Portland State football's head coach Jerry Glanville is available. This week he's the third coach on the podcast after the head's of Eastern Washington and Sacramento State.

The newest installment of "This Week in Big Sky Football" is also up. The guests this week are Northern Arizona's coach Jerome Souers, Montana State safety Kevin Retoriano and David Coulson, the executive director for the Sports Network.

Enjoy!

Live blogging: PSU hosting Sacramento State

2009-10-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

It's an October afternoon at PGE Park and we are ready to see some college football. The crowd is bundled up and--well, sparse to say the lease. But that--and the fact that we here at the sports desk maintain the Internet is a fad--aside, I'm going to try and give live blogging the game a shot.

As we get ready for the coin toss and kickoff, I'll provide a little background. Portland State, 1-3 on the season and 1-1 at home, is coming off a disappointing last-minute loss against Weber State, and Sacramento State, 0-3, is still looking for their first win this year.

Coin flip:
Portland State wins and elects to receive.

More after the jump.

1st Quarter-12:10
Sacramento State held the Vikings' first drive to a 3-and-out. PSU's Thomas Duyndam punts it to the Hornets, who get a holding on the return. Hooray for penalties by the opposing team!

1st Quarter-11:00
The Portland State defense is having trouble stopping the Hornets, who are steadily moving the ball down the field. On 1st-and-10 Sacramento State keeps it on the ground to take it to the Viks' 21 yard-line.

1st Quarter-8:57
The Hornets strike first!

At the PSU 15 yard line, Hornets' quarterback Jason Smith passes to receiver Brett Willis in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown. The point after kick is good. Hornets 7, Vikings 0.

1st Quarter-4:35
It looks like that touchdown woke up the Viks offense. Since the kickoff they are moving the ball down-field with a decent mix of ground attacks and passing. Receiver Lavonte Kirven snags a couple of 20-ish yard passes during the drive.

PSU has the ball at the Hornets' 20, but is held to 4th-and-3. Zach Brown's 36-yard field goal is up...high and dead-center. It's good! Hornets 7, Viks 3.

1st Quarter-2:35
Sacramento State keeps trying the deep attack, but PSU's secondary holds strong. The Hornets are forced to punt.

1st Quarter-1:47
PSU quarterback Drew Hubel splits the secondary with a 44-yard pass to Kirven. First-and-10 at the Hornets' 37.

Hubel tosses to Kirven in between the hash marks, and after a rolling, tumbling and bumbling the ball he somehow comes up with the catch. Where are video crews when you need 'em? That would have made a highlight reel.

End of First Quarter

2nd Quarter-14:04
The Vikings are held to 4th-and-10 and turn to Brown for the 38-yard field goal attempt--it's up, and good. Hornets 7, Vikings 6.

2nd Quarter-10:01
Portland State holds Sacramento to 4th-and-10 at their 39-yard line, forcing the punt. Woods returns it to around midfield, but two offsetting penalties bring about a re-kick. Mulligan anyone?

Hubel's pair of 10-plus passes in a row bring the ball to midfield.

2nd Quarter-9:47
A Portland State tight end gets a reception. The press booth is stunned!

2nd Quarter-8:05
After the encouraging mix of play calling that brought the tight end into the game, the Viks are forced to punt. A bouncer takes the ball down to Sacramento State's 8-yard line.

2nd Quarter-4:05
Portland State can't seem to stop the Hornets. Runs up the middle and passes to the outside are keeping the Viks from stopping the chains.

2nd Quarter-3:17
I eat my words. The Viks defensive line holds two on fourth down. Turnover on downs at the Portland State 35-yard line.

2nd Quarter-2:47
As Hubel said last week, the Viks are shooting themselves in the foot once again. A long pass attempt by Hubel is picked off by the Hornets, who takes the ball down to midfield.

2nd Quarter-0:57
Hornets have the ball in the red zone and strike in the back corner of the end zone...again. Touchdown Hornets. After the point-after the Hornets now lead 14-6. Somebody buy the Vikings' secondary an alarm clock--they need to wake up.

End of First Half
Hornets 14, Vikings 6.

In the first half, the Viks have chalked up 168 yards of total offense, and the Hornets earned 163. Hubel has completed 13 of his 20 pass attempts and has thrown one interception. Kirven leads receiving with seven caches for 123 yards.

3rd Quarter-11:22
The Hornets get the ball at the start of the half and quickly storm down-field. After 8 plays, they cover 80 yards and top it off with a five-yard touchdown reception. Hornets 21, Vikings 6.

3rd Quarter-10:12
Portland State fails to move the ball and punts. The Hornets take the ball at their 28-yard line.

3rd Quarter-9:02
The Vikings' defense must have had some coffee during half-time. They hold the Hornets to a three-and-out, forcing a punt. Woods breaks loose on the return and brings the ball to midfield. Portland State has momentum.

3rd Quarter-6:33
A reception by Nevin Lewis gives Portland State the first down, but they fail to move the ball in the three consecutive downs and punt the ball.

3rd Quarter-5:20
Sacramento State wastes no time in moving the ball down the field. For the first time in my life, I hear a referee say "Simultaneous catch."

3rd Quarter-2:49
A pair of receptions brings Portland State around the 30-yard line.

3rd Quarter-2:35
Vikings' running back takes a pass inside Sacramento State's 20-yard line, and fumbles when he's hit on the tackle. Portland State has seen no lucky breaks go their way this game.

End of Third Quarter
Hornets 28, Vikings 6

Fourth Quarter-13:38
The Vikings' defense hold up and forces the punt. Hubel's pass to Woods on the right side brings the ball out to Portland State's 38-yard line. On a third-and-three attempt Hubel tosses to Kirven for a 20-yard reception. First-and-ten inside Hornets territory.

Fourth Quarter-12:17
And the Vikings' momentum stops.

Held on third-and-long, the Viks punt. But someone needs to remind the punter that putting the ball through the uprights on a punt attempt does NOT count for points. Hornets' ball on their 20-yard line.

Fourth Quarter-8:17
The game continues it's back-and-forth action as Sacramento State punts. The Vikings take the ball at their 18-yard line.

Fourth Quarter-8:09
Hubel's pass is picked off at the 33-yard line. Once again, Sacramento State has the ball. While the Hornets have the ball in the red zone, it might be good to note that Portland State has not scored since the second quarter.

Fourth Quarter-5:44
Sacramento State boots a 27-yard field goal. Hornets 31, Vikings 6.

Fourth Quarter-3:00
Portland State scores their first touchdown of the game off a 22-yard touchdown pass from Hubel to receiver Nevin Lewis. The only way to make that catch look any better would involve a DeLorean and Doc Brown.

Fourth Quarter-1:29
After an unsuccessful onside kick, Portland State's defense held the Hornets, who held the Vikings, who then punted the ball. I think it's safe to say we are out of this game.

End of Game
Final score is Sacramento State 31, Portland State 14.

Weekly media call and "This Week in Big Sky Football"

2009-09-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

That's right folks, it's that time of the week!

Audio from the conference call with Portland State football's head coach Jerry Glanville is up. The file starts off with the end of Eastern Washington's Beau Baldwin taking questions, but then includes the head coach from this Saturday's game--Sacramento State's Marhsall Sperbeck--before Glanville fields questions.

Guests on "This Week in Big Sky Football" include Sperbeck, Idaho State wide receiver Jaron Taylor and David Coulson, executive director of FCS football for the Sports Network.

Enjoy.

Viking recognized nationally

2009-09-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

Portland State wide reciever and kick returner Aaron Woods was named as both the Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week and the Sports Network's National Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Saturday's game against Weber State.

The press release says it best:

Woods returned five kickoffs for 202 yards and a 97-yard touchdown to keep Portland State close in its 36-29 loss to No. 11-ranked Weber State at home. His kickoff return for a touchdown helped the Vikings climb back from a 28-10 deficit late in the third quarter. Woods had five catches for 128 and two TDs, his second scoring catch on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Drew Hubel gave the Vikings the lead with 1:15 remaining.

Woods finished with 330 all-purpose yards. Woods leads the Big Sky Conference with an average of 192.8 all-purpose yards per game, ranking third in the nation in that category. This season, Woods has jumped all the way from 10th to second in career kickoff return yards (1,387) at Portland State. Woods set a school single-season record with 908 kickoff return yards last year.
Mike Lund
Assistant Athletics Director
Portland State University

It Came Down to One Play

2009-09-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

Vikings fall to Weber State, 29-36
by Allison Whited, Vanguard Staff

Sad. Deflated. Empty. All of these describe the looks on the faces of the football team after the game Saturday against the Weber State Wildcats.

They should have been proud. They lost by only a single touchdown to last year's conference title holder. They kept running back Trevyn Smith, the conference's current rushing leader, to 30 yards when he came in averaging 115.7 yards per game. They played well after the Montana game, something they have struggled with historically.

Head coach Jerry Glanville said it all after the game: “No comments, just disappointment.”

So what happened?

As the clock wound down to 1:12 in the fourth quarter, the Vikings were ahead by one point, 29-28. Less than twenty minutes before the Vikings had been down 10-28. It had been a scrappy comeback, with special teams, defense, and offense scoring to edge out the Wildcats by that one single point.

All day, Wildcat quarterback Cameron Higgins had been picking on the left side of the secondary. Glanville had originally lined up cornerback DeShawn Shead, who is almost always lined up on the right side of the field, against receiver Tim Toone, but, as Glanville put it, “he kept getting into trouble.”

When Shead couldn't answer the call, Glanville put him back on the right where he's comfortable and called Tracy Ford's number to replace him. According to quarterback Drew Hubel, Ford is a team leader who practices more than anyone else on the team and is heavily laden with heart and soul.

When the Wildcats began their run that would eventually lead to a victory, they did what the defending champs would do. In six plays and 47 seconds, they drove from their own 16 to the Portland State 38, aided by a Vikings' pass interference penalty.

After a Viking timeout, Higgins hit Toone in the end zone for a touchdown. That pass looked like a pick to everyone; Ford jumped up to the ball, was in perfect position, and somehow, someway, the ball sailed through his hands.

“I thought we had a pick,” said Glanville.

Even the Wildcat head coach and quarterback thought it was an interception.

With 55 seconds left in the game, the Vikings were emotionally and physically done. The game ended on an incomplete pass to Aaron Woods.

In a game with so many positives, including Hubel going 17 of 26 for 353 yards and two touchdowns, Ray Fry tearing it up for 196 receiving yards, and freshman fullback Ben Bowen rushing for 100 yards and garnering a gaudy 6.7 yards per rush average, the only thing Glanville's men will be thinking about today is that last play.

Like Hubel said after the game, it shouldn't have come down to that one play to win the game. Bowen had fumbled on the goal line and lost possession. Kicker Zach Brown missed two field goals. The team was penalized ten times for a total of 104 yards. Adjust just a few things, and that's the game.

But sometimes it does come down to just one play. It's a lesson that the Vikings and the Wildcats would do well to learn.

Game Thought About Weber State

2009-09-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

by Allison Whited, Vanguard Staff

Not that my opinion means much, but from now on, before Saturday's football game, I'm going to write a brief article about how I think the game is going to play out. I will provide some analysis of the opponent and mention what I think will be the key aspects of a Viking victory.

This week's opponent is Weber State. They shared the conference title with Montana last year, so this game is a biggie. In his media call this week, coach Glanville sounded a little bitter about this week's match up. He again and again reiterated that the Vikings have never played well in the game following last week's opponent Montana. Traditionally, the schedule has seen Glanville's men face Montana State after Montana, so this year Glanville asked for a change. This adjustment to the schedule leaves Portland State playing the two conference title holders from last year in consecutive weeks. Ouch.

Weber State has a record of 1-2 with their sole win coming over Big Sky competitor Idaho State. They entered the season with the league's top returning rusher, passer, and receiver.

Opponent Analysis

It will be all eyes on No. 25, running back Trevyn Smith. He is currently fifth on the Big Sky Conference's all-time leading rushers board. He needs just 110 yards tomorrow to move into third. He enters the game averaging 115.7 yards per game. He has also racked up 117 receiving yards so far.

Receiver Tim Toone will be quarterback Cameron Higgins's main target, but I would look for Cody Nakamura to have a good day. He has only 79 receiving yards less than Toone's 263, but twice as many touchdowns. I believe he will have to step up because the Viking secondary is going to put the squeeze on Toone.

The Wildcat defense doesn't strike me as overly stiff. They give up 373 yards of offense per game, and have only registered five sacks on the season. Their strong man on defense, at least statistically, is middle linebacker Taylor Sedillo who has 24 total tackles on the season. That's a respectable, but not mind blowing, 8 per game average, and he has not had a game in which he made more than 10 tackles.

Their secondary also seems a little thin with only three interceptions.

Viking Analysis

Enough can't be said about run defense in this game. If you take away Smith, there is no Wildcat running game. The next leading Weber State rusher is Bo Bolen who has had ten carries for a net 35 yards on the season. The run defense did look good at practice this week, I have to say.

Taking away the run would also force the Wildcats to the air where Higgins does make mistakes; he has thrown seven picks. I've said it many times, but I really like the Viking secondary. It is steady and has big play ability on every snap.

Offensively, the Vikings need to just play their game. Weber State allows an average of 221.7 yards through the air and 151.3 rushing yards per game. I don't want to say specifically what I saw the offense doing this week at practice, but I will say I don't like it. If you have a quarterback you can trust, and I think Hubel is certainly trustworthy, I say take the training wheels off and do it often.

The offensive line will stay strong, despite Moses Punzal's absence and Adam Kleffner's undetermined status. Kyle Ritt did a good job filling in this week, but Manual Rojas missed some stuff and was chastised on a couple of occasions. Lucky for them, the Wildcats don't appear, at least numerically, to have a severe pass rush.

In the End...

For the Vikings to win, they have to play perfect football, something they have not as of yet showed an ability to do. I'm more hopeful than Glanville seemed this week during the media call, but, at the end of the day, it will probably go the Wildcats. Their offense has all three parts working together like a machine.

Tonight's the night...at the Stott

2009-09-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

As a part of new student week, Campus Rec is hosting their annual Night at the Stott event this evening from 7:30 to 10 p.m. The event is free and features a shrimp boil as well as a laundry list of activities, including rock climbing, personal training, yoga, basketball and soccer.

As part of the fun, the aquatics program is sponsoring a "Dive in Movie," where they will project Yes Man on the two-story wall of the pool.

So, bring your Speedo and feed your Zooey Deschanel addiction while getting your swim on.

This Week in Big Sky Football

2009-09-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

Another edition of "This Week in Big Sky Football" is up on the Interwebs. Guests on the show this week include Weber State running back Trevyn Smith, Montana State coach Rob Ash and Big Sky Conference Assistant Commissioner Jon Kasper.

Portland State head coach Jerry Glanville's conference call with the media is also available. Sacramento State's Marshall Sperbeck is on the call before Glanville, so unless you want to hear about the Hornets' bye week, fast forward to the half-way point.

Enjoy!

It's (almost) game time!

2009-09-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

Portland State @ Montana, 12:05 p.m.

Weekly conference call with Jerry Glanville

2009-09-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

This week's conference call with the media and Portland State football's head coach Jerry Glanville is up.

There's also a new edition of "This Week in Big Sky Football" with Commissioner Doug Fullerton, Northern Colorado's head coach Scott Downing and David Coulson of the Sports Network.

Enjoy.

Fradella earns fifth Player of the Week

2009-09-14T13:19:00.000-07:00

For the second straight week, Vikings' setter Nique Fradella has been chosen as the Big Sky Player of the Week.

Press release, take it away:

Portland State’s Nique Fradella has claimed her second straight Big Sky Player of the Week award for matches played the week of Sept. 7-14.
The Vikings won the Circus Circus Invitational in Reno, Nev. last week and Fradella was tabbed the MVP after notching 11.00 assists per set, and hitting .429 over the tournament. Portland State defeated Sam Houston State, UC Davis and host Nevada to take home the title. Earlier in the week, the Vikings took No. 12 Oregon to four sets before falling on the Ducks’ homecourts.

The senior setter notched 151 total assists, 28 digs and seven blocks on the week. She averaged 10.07 assists and 1.87 digs per set. In a 3-1 win over UC Davis on Saturday afternoon, Fradella recorded her third double-double of the season with 43 assists and 10 digs. She connected on 5-of-7 attempts for a .571 hitting percentage, and added three blocks and two service aces.

Fradella followed that up with 46 assists on Saturday evening as Portland State closed out the tournament with a 3-1 victory over Nevada. She started the week with 30 assists against Oregon. On Friday, she had 32 assists, two blocks and five kills as Portland State shut out Sam Houston State.

The native of Lake Arrowheard, Calif. has won the weekly award five times in her career. She was also honored twice in 2007 and once as a freshman in 2006.

Autumn L. Wehr
Big Sky Conference

Brown earns Big Sky recognition

2009-09-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

Vikings' kicker Zach Brown was chosen today as the Big Sky Conference's Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Saturday's game against Southern Oregon.

Straight from the press release:

Brown, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound freshman from Keizer, Ore., booted field goals of 52 and 46 yards in Portland State’s 34-10 victory over Southern Oregon. Brown’s 52-yard field goal came in the second quarter and put the Vikings up 17-3. It was the longest field goal by a Portland State kicker in 22 years and was 3-yards shy of tying the school record. Brown added the 46-yarder in the fourth quarter. Brown was also 4-for-4 on extra points and finished the game with 10 points. This is the first Player of the Week honor for Brown.
Jon Kasper
Assistant Commisioner/Media Relations
Big Sky Conference

Also nominated for this week's honors were junior quarterback Drew Hubel and sophomore linebacker Ryan Rau.

Success at Home

2009-09-12T23:35:00.000-07:00

Viks pull off overwhelming win over Southern Oregon
by Allison Whited
Vanguard Staff

PGE Park on a warm Saturday afternoon in September was meant to be home to a football game. Head coach Jerry Glanville seemed to think the same thing as he led his team to a 34-10 victory over the Southern Oregon University Raiders.

Though it seems to be a strong win and therefore a good indicator of the team's ability, Glanville had no problem finding fault with his team, and justifiably so.

First, there were the six turnovers. Quarterback Drew Hubel threw two interceptions in the third quarter and wide receiver Aaron Woods had three fumbles on punt and kick returns.

Next was the lack of a score coming from the red zone. Last year, the team ranked last in the Big Sky Conference in red-zone offense.

Penalties? Nine flags for 85 yards, including a boneheaded roughing the kicker penalty on a punt that returned possession to Raiders.

Lastly, according to Glanville, the freshmen played like freshmen. Evidence of this came on the Raiders' only touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter, outside linebacker Joel Sisler blew his coverage and allowed a 75-yard pass to speedy receiver Vance Beach.

Despite the obvious negatives, plenty of positives came out of this game.

The first, as Glanville agrees, is the performance of kicker Zach Brown. Last year he traveled listed as an emergency punter, but after this game, it seems like kicking is his niche. He hit field goals from 52 and 46 yards today that would have been good from several more yards out. He also barely missed a 42 yarder.

“We found our kicker today,” Glanville said.

Second would have to be the overall performance of the defense. They stifled the opposing offense and allowed them to complete just 16 of 41 attempted passes. Seniors Erik Pedersen and Jermaine Jacobs had six and five tackles, respectively, assisted and unassisted, while fellow senior Ryan Pedersen racked up five solo tackles, including two tackles for a loss.

The defense also kept a Raiders rushing attack that garnered 242 yards in their season opener to a miserable 12 yards despite 34 hand offs.

When asked about how he felt the defense performed, Erik Pedersen replied that “[they] did pretty good” considering they had to play through 75 offensive snaps. The defense also allowed the Raiders to only convert on six of their 22 attempts at third down.

Another bright spot in the Vikings' game plan was the ability to convert third downs. Though last year they ranked last in the conference with just a 33 percent success rate, in this game they converted on six of 11 attempts for a healthy 54 percent rate.

Last but not least was the explosive play of the defense. On the first possession of the first quarter, Hubel threw a 96 yard touchdown pass to Woods. On the very next one, he threw a 91 yard touchdown pass over the middle to receiver Lavonte Kirven, who showcased soft, beautiful hands throughout the game.

Next week will be a true test of Glanville's Vikings. They will compete against Montana in Missoula in their first conference game.

Glanville says he will inform the squad on Monday that preseason is officially over and that the one-and-one record they have amassed so far doesn't mean anything.

Erik Pedersen, for one, is happy to be getting such a big game out of the way so early in the season.

Montana is "a team that gains momentum as the season goes along. We're still healthy and have a lot of guys ready to hit,” he said.

Montana is the team to beat in the Big Sky, considering they have won or shared the last 11 conference titles. In last year's match up between the two teams, the Grizzlies controlled the ball for a little over 43 minutes. For the Vikings to have any chance at winning, they will have to keep their defense off the field and have a solid day against the run, preventing another 300-plus yard rushing day for the annual conference favorite.

Senior Lavonte Kirven caught three passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's game against Southern Oregon, including this 42-yard touchdown reception.

Photo by Aaron Leopold,
Vanguard Staff

Vikings open at home with Family Day at PGE Park

2009-09-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

Fans and families alike are invited to PGE Park on Saturday as Portland State football kicks off their 2009 home season against Southern Oregon.

Coming off last week's hard-fought loss to Oregon State on the road, the Vikings look to earn their first win of the season on their home turf as they face the NAIA-independent Raiders from Ashland. The last time the two teams met was in 1975, when Portland State was led by coach Mouse Davis to a 58-7 victory.

The game is scheduled for a 1:05 p.m. kickoff and will feature family-friendly activities and discounted ticket packages. As a part of Family Day at Portland State Football, two adult and two youth general admission tickets will be available for $25 and the Viking Family Fun Zone, featuring three inflatables from Portland Party Works, will be available for kids from noon through halftime.

To purchase tickets by phone, call 1.888.VIK.TIKS (1.888.845.8457) or 503.725.3307.

More information is available here.

Viking Athletics Program Teams With Bald Faced Truth Foundation

2009-09-09T17:15:00.000-07:00

The Portland State Athletics program and the Bald Faced Truth Foundation have announced a partnership that will allow PSU to aid the all-volunteer non-profit in support of area youth programs and activities.

The non-profit, created by local newspaper columnist John Canzano and KATU reporter-anchor Anna Song, has the stated mission of "inspiring joy and growth in area youth through the support of the arts, education and athletics." Portland State Athletics will work in conjunction with the Bald Faced Truth Foundation to restore funding to these critical youth activities throughout the Portland Metro Area.

The partnership begins with Portland State football hosting the Bald Faced Truth Foundation Day on Oct. 17 at PGE Park when the Vikings play Northern Arizona. Guests can make a donation to the BFT Foundation and receive a complimentary general admission ticket (min. $10 donation per ticket). Proceeds raised from the BFT Foundation Day will be used to fund grant requests for elementary and middle school programs in the area.

"This is a great opportunity for our program to be involved with a worthwhile organization," said Viking football coach Jerry Glanville.

For more details about the Bald Faced Truth Foundation, go to http://www.baldfacedtruth.org or email info@baldfacedtruth.org. The BFT Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your contributions are tax-deductible.

Mike Lund
Assistant Athletic Director
Media Relations

"This Week in Big Sky Football" and coaches conference call podcast, Sept. 9

2009-09-09T16:19:00.000-07:00

The first edition of “This Week in Big Sky Football” is up. On the show are Montana coach Bobby Hauck, Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones and Dave Coulson of the Sports Network.

Also, listen to the audio of this week's conference call with coach Jerry Glanville. Eastern Washington's Beau Baldwin and Sacramento State's Marshall Sperbeck take questions first, so feel free to fast-forward to the final third to hear Glanville.

Pod cast of Big Sky Conference football coaches conference call, Wednesday, Sept. 2

2009-09-02T19:09:00.001-07:00

Listen to the pod cast of today's conference call with Big Sky football coaches:

Sacramento State's Marshall Sperbeck
Northern Arizona's Jerome Souers
Weber State's Ron McBride
Idaho State's John Zamberlin
Portland State's Jerry Glanville
Northern Colorado's Scott Downing
Montana's Bobby Hauck
Eastern Washington's Beau Baldwin
Montana State's Rob Ash

Football practice: parting shots

2009-08-28T16:51:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard writer Allison Whited.

I have enjoyed my time at practice the past three weeks immensely. I watch so much professional football that it's easy to forget how important raw talent is and how some play the game just to play the game. I have been reminded how camaraderie can exist between two people striving for the same thing and how much we can learn from those teaching us if only we listen.

I'm very shy, so it takes a lot for me to get comfortable enough to talk to someone, but I would like to say that every time I have had contact with someone associated with PSU Athletics, it has been a very positive experience. I even met the athletic director one day and he was so genial that I instantly felt comfortable. I just want to say thank you to those few people I worked up the nerve to talk to between the beginning of spring ball and now. I have utmost respect for the coaching and training staff, the players themselves who work so hard and the folks who work in the athletics department.

Now just a few parting thoughts on what I've noticed in practice the past three weeks:
I love the secondary. The starters seem set to be Tracy Ford and DeShawn Shead at cornerback and Cody Worthen and Jordan Brown at safety. They are good, intelligent athletes and they create a stifling backfield for anyone under the gun. Even the players behind them in depth chart, guys like Mshaka Mitchell and Michael Williams and Denzel Davis, have shown plenty of skill, speed and intelligence. I like the way secondary coach Brandon Shelby coaches. He doesn't appear to be anyone's friend, but he's a great mentor. I really think this group will anchor the defense.

I think the quarterback position is solid in Drew Hubel's hands. His height is a great advantage over everyone else on the depth chart at that position. On some plays, and this happens more and more frequently, he has great—which is a word I try not to use frequently—touch on the ball. He puts it where it should be, softly, without letting it float dangerously. He will be called on a lot this year, but he seems confident enough to handle it. I also think Connor Kavanaugh is a good backup. He gives the offense an extra dimension with his scrambling ability and he seems to be settling into his internal game clock.

The freshman fullbacks have been such a pleasant surprise. We will have to wait for the season to begin to get a taste of offensive coordinator Jim Craft's play calling, but with backs like these as well as incumbent backs like Bobby McClintock and Nick Kalpin, it can't hurt to throw some more runs into the mix. Evans Okotcha and Ben Bowen have lit it up at times. The speed on both of them is great and they are good in pass protection. They are going to prove to be good investments in the future.

The linebacker group is solid. With senior linebackers Erik Pedersen and Ryan Pedersen returning as starters, it's a unit that gets things done. They have each spent at last a year under Glanville and know where they are supposed to be and what they need to do. There are rarely mental lapses and they really are too much fun to watch.

I still think the receiving corps needs another leader besides Aaron Woods. Woods is great to watch at practice. He is so aggressive and finds a way to the ball. I have the feeling he's going to get quite a bit of coverage this season and someone will need to show up to draw heat off of him. From all that I've seen at practice, I think Lavonte Kirven is the most likely. He has good hands and good field awareness.

The offensive and defensive lines have improved so much over just the past three weeks. It's difficult to tell what everyone playing those key positions is doing on every play and I know that I did not give those guys as much credit as they deserve. They work together well and the offensive line has gotten stiffer while the defensive line has gotten more punishing.

My final thought is one of thanks. I'm thankful I got to spend time watching such a talented group of athletes. I'm thankful no one trashed me for any negative comment I may have made. And I'm most thankful that anyone even read my drivel. I have to admit that I thought I was only writing for myself, but as time has worn on I have realized that more people read it than just me. Someone actually warned me that other teams could read this junk to scout out the team (do people really do that?). All I wanted to do was show my commitment to covering the team and give people an idea of what the team was doing. I hope that at the lowest level I have achieved that.

Football practice, Thursday, August 27

2009-08-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

by Vanguard writer Allison Whited

I found time to attend both morning and afternoon practice yesterday, so there's quite a bit to report. The basic setup for practice was what it has been all week. In the afternoon though, the first offense took on the first defense which provided a better way to gauge the progress made this week.

Lavonte Kirven has been more of a presence in practice this week than he has been previously. He has good hands and runs a clean route. He seems in synch with Hubel and Kavanaugh and this led to some very nice catches.

The defense looked solid today. They were getting good penetration and the pass rush was steady and thrilling. Linebacker Ryan Pedersen got a hand on a couple of balls and even garnered an interception.

Defensive end Dereck Jester stood out today in a couple of ways. On one play, he rushed the offensive line and broke through with little trouble and on drills looked like he had a good combination of strength and speed. He is one of the smallest guys on the defensive line at 240 pounds but he plays heavier than that.

The offensive linemen took turns taking each other on this morning, and it is without a doubt one of the most fun and most informative drills that can be watched. They go one-on-one until one of them puts the other on the ground. The team gets into watching it and there are a lot of cheers. And for the loser of the match, there are a few up downs.

One particularly interesting matchup was between centers Tyler Staley and Jackson Dallas, who outweighs Staley by 30 pounds. Staley is a veteran of Glanville's team, though, and Dallas is a first year transfer student. This gap in experience allowed Staley to get one over on the bigger man. Dustin Waldron also had a good looking match up against Cole Giandomenico which he won.

In the heat of afternoon practice, everyone seemed a little more irritable. There was a bit of admonishment coming from coaches Glanville and Shelby. Cornerback DeShawn Shead got in some hot water for making too hard of a stop and cornerback Matt Ford was strongly chided for not staying with receiver Ricky Cookman and allowing a touchdown.

On red zone drills from about ten yards out, the secondary was everywhere. The quarterbacks had to run with more than a few balls because none of the receivers could shake his defender. When they switched to the long field, safety Cody Worthen had two of the best plays I've seen him make. On two back-to-back plays, he broke up passes from Hubel and one of them was even to receiver Aaron Woods, who is difficult to cover.

Kavanaugh further proved he is adjusting to the speed of the coach Craft's game today by throwing two consecutive bombs up the middle of the field to Woods.

One thing that stands out in comparison to the first week of practice is the decrease in mental mistakes, the biggest of which being off sides/false start penalties. There were more than a few during the first couple of weeks, and the linemen could often be heard grumbling about their mistakes on the sidelines, but that no longer seems to be much of an issue. This speaks to the discipline and commitment that the team has been working so hard.

Football practice, Wednesday, August 26

2009-08-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

Football practice followed the same structure that it has all week with the first team taking on the opposing second team, yet there has been a shift in the routine from last week. It seemed like last week the focus was really on fundamentals, but this week the focus is clearly on what to do after the snap. It really seems to be making a difference. With so many freshmen on the team, it might be impossible to give them enough looks across the line of scrimmage before the season opens.

Receiver Lavonte Kirven was on his game today and ran two beautiful routes up the defense's left side with a reception each time. He has a good sense of timing and looks for the ball at the right moment. Receiver Ray Fry dropped two balls that had his name all over them. He can be good when he's on, but for the moment, he doesn't seem consistent enough to be counted on.

Defensive lineman Siasu Matagiese got a piece of two balls today. One pass he simply reached up and hit, breaking it up beyond repair. On yet another pass that was low, he caught the ball that the quarterback threw. He is keenly aware of where the ball is after the snap, a skill that makes it difficult to believe that this will be his first year playing at the collegiate level. He is coming from Hawai'i with several accolades and he could become an important part of the line.

The punt/kick return drills today were more involved with more players taking part in them. Linebacker Jaycob Shoemaker was in on them as he was yesterday. On one return, he got to the receiver very quickly and the receiver let the catch go right through his hands and knees. Shoemaker covered it up and if it had been a real game, it would have given his team possession with great field position. It's this quickness and ability to react that would make him a key part of the return team.

Football practice, Tuesday, August 25

2009-08-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

This morning, in the rain, the first offense and the second defense carried out 11-on-11 drills again and vice versa, just like yesterday.

The first offense is getting better at creating running lanes. Bobby McClintock had plenty of room to run and he had quite a few productive carries. Evans Okotcha and Nick Kalpin, who, in his second year, should see more playing time than Okotcha and fellow fullback and freshman Ben Bowen, both had space to make things happen.

Receiver Ray Fry looked good today, so it can be assumed that a nagging hamstring injury is no longer bothering him. Drew Hubel threw some balls his way and he had a catch for around 20 yards. He also caught a beautifully thrown pass from third string quarterback Nick Green.

Quarterback Connor Kavanaugh showed some progress in his game play patience today. Even under pressure, his internal game clock seemed to slow down and he patiently waited until he found an open receiver in Kalua Noa. Generally in a situation such as this, he scrambles and it was heartening to see him sit in the pocket and wait it out.

Freshmen defensive linemen David Gertson and Dereck Jester played the run fairly well. They pulled together for a great stuff of Kalpin.

Against the first offense, receiver Nevin Lewis had some good catches and even better yards after the catch. He repeatedly burned the defense's right side. Receiver Justin Monahan managed to find a rare hole in the middle of the field and made a great play on the ball.

It seems that there are two players guaranteed to do some blocking down field on kick and punt returns. Linebackers Jaycob Shoemaker and Colton Russi were the two constants during today's special teams drills. They seem to compliment each other well. Shoemaker seems a little quicker all around, but Russi seems to have the big hit capacity. Linebacker Kevin Takeno and fullback Kalpin alternated rounding out the group of three working this particular drill.

I try to keep my opinion out of these accounts, but there is something I have to get off my chest. I really, REALLY want to see a receiver, besides the very talented Aaron Woods, step up and tell Hubel he's the guy. The receivers all work hard at practice and most of them have decent hands and speed, but overall, besides Woods, they lack aggressiveness. I want to see them fight for the ball and push just a little harder to get everything they can out their catches. The offense will greatly benefit should anyone decide to make it happen.

Football practice, Monday, August 24

2009-08-24T15:20:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

The cold temperature this morning really brought it home that football season begins in just 12 days. On cold, cloudy mornings like this one, it's hard to believe there is another place as beautiful to watch football practice as Stott Field.

The first offense took on the second defense and vice versa in this morning's 11-on-11 drills. The first defense and certain members of the second defense are making progress. They move together and help each other out when it's needed. The offense still appears to be a little patchwork at times, but, in all honesty, there is marked improvement from both spring ball and just two weeks ago when practice began.

Currently, safeties Cody Worthen and Jordan Brown are deemed to be the starters and it looks like a good combination. They seem to have very different styles of play. Brown is on the move quickly after the snap whereas Worthen employs more of a wait-and-see strategy. Brown is a constant presence in the ball's vicinity, but Worthen sticks with whomever he's covering.

Both seem to be holding back a bit at practice, which doesn't seem like a bad thing given the smattering of injured players on the sidelines. I have heard Worthen described as the "future of the defense" and Brown as a "team leader"—these two working together for the first time should be an anchor point for the defense.

Also on the defensive side of things, cornerback Denzel Davis did a good job of staying on his receiver, particularly on a pass to Nevin Lewis. Linebacker Ryan Rau also did a good job impeding receivers and had a strong stop on receiver Justin Monahan.

Punter Thomas Duyndam and his presumed back up Zach Brown had good practices. It's difficult to tell how strong their feet are as they only kick for a few moments and from a specific, constant range, but they both looked to have good control of the ball with decent hang time. Duyndam for the most part averaged about six seconds of hang time over a distance of 30-40 yards. He kicks the ball fairly high and seems to be able to put it where he wants it.

Drew Hubel threw a beautiful pass to Lavonte Kirven. On a long field, Hubel's pass was textbook. He put it out in front of the receiver, where only Kirven could get it. It was perfectly placed between the numbers and it came down soft, but didn't for a moment float dangerously. Perfection.

There are still errors made and there is no mistaking that this is a young team, but there have been some good practices recently that left little that was negative to report.

Football practice, Friday, August 21

2009-08-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

There seemed to be heavy emphasis on the running game Friday morning, both from the offensive side and the defensive side. Early on, the offensive line repeatedly set about creating running lanes after the snap. The offense overall is pass happy and through other practices, the running game hasn't looked threatening.

That is beginning to change a bit though. There are a couple of freshman backs that will compliment returning starter Bobby McClintock very well. Evans Okotcha and Ben Bowen show good field awareness and an ability to make small cuts to gain a few extra yards on each play. They are also fairly adroit when called on to block for the quarterback.

There were two defensive plays that have to be mentioned. Ryan Pedersen is an intelligent linebacker and plays as much with his brain as he does his body. On one snap, the coach handling the ball as the quarterback created some misdirection that looked as if it fooled the entire defense, and, while everyone on his side of the ball went one way, Pedersen went the other and made a beeline to the "quarterback".

Another impressive play was made by linebacker Erik Pedersen. In an 11-on-11 drill where the run was being pushed, Pedersen patiently waited for a hole to open, which the defense created in just a couple of seconds, and drove straight to the running back with the ball. It was a strong defensive play and it showed the entire defense’s ability to follow through.

On the special teams’ side of things, the Vikes look good. There are two competing kickers, Robert Truax and Wade Penner. Both have a pretty good foot and both are usually on target. It seems like they take turns every day looking like the better option. On the whole, they both look good and give depth at a position that can make or break a game. The long snapper is Braedyn Eagle and he is consistently on target with his snaps. He is fairly imposing and should hold up well under pressure.

Football practice, Wednesday, August 19

2009-08-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

This morning, the team was divided into offense and defense at opposite ends of the field. On the offensive side, it looked pretty good. The offensive line, without the formidable rush from the defense on every snap, was able to work together to keep the quarterback safe and create lanes for the running backs. Ben Bowen and Bobby McClintock benefited from this and as a result were able to get some good runs in. On one particular play center Adam Kleffner got a great block in on his man and gave McClintock miles to run.

Watching the offensive line practice can be challenging at times. There always seem to be numerous occasions when, if they could just stay with their man or get that block in, the whole offense would have the opportunity to run more smoothly. It's just little things here and there that would make a world of difference. Kleffner's block is an example of just what good can come about when there is complete follow through after the snap.

One of the new quarterbacks, Hank Taylor, had a relatively good morning. As I have previously written, he has a problem seeing the field. This morning he was able to find receiver Daniel Wolverton twice in a row on different routes. He did, however, botch a hand off to full back Nick Kalpin.

Punter Thomas Duyndam had company this morning. Coach Glanville had receiver Zach Brown punting with him. Currently, Duyndam is the only punter on the roster, and he is also currently the only international player. Brown was last year's back up punter and will obviously continue in that role this year. Brown did a fine job, but he can certainly benefit from watching Duyndam.

Offense met defense towards the end of practice where third down situations were played out. Quarterback Drew Hubel had a couple of beautiful bombs to receivers Zach Brown and Daniel Wolverton. He retained presence of mind in the pocket and patiently waited for them to get down field and he was rewarded with about 100 passing yards on the two completions. He certainly looked every bit the starting quarterback. Presumed third string quarterback Nick Green had a nice pass under pressure to receiver Ricky Cookman.

The pass rush was successful and relentless. Outside linebackers Ryan Pedersen and Ryan Reardon and defensive lineman Siasau Matagiese all had notable rushes that ended the offense's progress. Rearson and Matagiese are both freshman, proving that Glanville did a remarkable job of recruiting his freshmen defensive class.

The ball wasn't safe when it was out of the pocket either. Kavanaugh was picked by cornerback Tracy Ford and during Ford's return, he lateraled it to fellow cornerback DeShawn Shead and then threw a block for Shead so that he might continue to advance the ball. Teamwork at some of its finest.

In the counter teamwork file, there was some grumbling on the sidelines by the receivers about defensive end Travis Beckley's tendency to get a hand on the face mask. On one play where Beckley slapped a face mask, someone even yelled out, “That's 15 yards number 92!”

On a final note, there are a lot of players on crutches and with boots on. Receiver Ray Fry and offensive lineman Moses Punzal are the latest to walk the sidelines.

Football practice, Tuesday, August 18

2009-08-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

The offensive and defensive lineman practiced single man coverage this morning and it was intense to watch. Going against each other one-on-one, the defensive lineman would attempt to push his way past the offensive lineman to get to where the quarterback would hypothetically be.

During these drills, a couple of players really stood out on the defensive line. Freshman Shea Prince was lined up against center and fellow freshman Jackson Dallas. There is a 90-lb. disparity between these two in Dallas' favor, but to watch them you wouldn't have known it. Prince put himself in great position and got under Dallas' pads. From there, Dallas didn't have a chance and Prince just walked him backwards and out of the way.

Another standout on the defensive line was Conrad Davis. On one drill, he made contact with the opposing lineman and then gave a great spin move and got away. This all happened in a matter of seconds. Currently he is listed third in the depth chart at defensive end, but his abilities should garner him more playing time than that.

A standout offensive lineman this morning was Kyle Ritt. He looked strong through spring training and he continues to perform at a high enough level that he should start. Time again, regardless of his opponents size, he matched up perfectly and held them at bay. With him on the line, the quarterback should be able to breathe a bit easier.

While the lineman were sparring, the rest of the offense and defense set up against each other in mock 11-on-11 drills. The secondary was in top shape with two near interceptions by safety Jordan Brown and two back to back picks of Drew Hubel by DeShawn Shead and Tracy Ford.

One of the new quarterbacks who showed up last week is still having trouble seeing the field. Most of the time, he winds up running with the ball, but without passing, he's not gaining anything. Receiver and obvious team leader Aaron Woods took him aside and threw the ball back ands forth with him after one mean looking play. Hopefully this encourages him to keep progressing in the offense.

Speaking of Woods, what a great day he had. Towards the end of practice, with the team taking on the long field, he was Hubel's go-to guy. Two catches in a row, right up the middle, each for 20-plus yards. The thing that is evident when watching Woods on his routes is that he wants the ball. Whereas some of the receivers run their route and wait for the ball, Woods finishes the route, finds the ball, and then goes to it. This aggressive attitude is part of what makes him so dangerous to opposing defenses. He will without a doubt be exciting to watch this year.

Football practice, Monday, August 17

2009-08-17T16:01:00.001-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

Coach Glanville was running punt/kick return drills again this morning and time and time again, wide receiver Aaron Woods shined. He always keeps one eye on the ball and the other on the approaching defenders and manages to make this level of multitasking look easy. The ball always falls between the numbers and upon reception, he puts on a burst on speed and moves that make your head swim. He should continue to be an important part of special teams like he was last year.

It was not a great day for the Vikings' quarterbacks. Both starter Drew Hubel and the team's presumed number two, Connor Kavanaugh, left a bit to be desired in today's 11-on-11 drills. The drills were conducted on the short and long fields today with much the same results on both.

Hubel consistently overthrew his receivers all morning. One might be inclined to think the routes weren't finished or the defense was getting some good bumps in, but that just wasn't the case. Any receiver he threw to was too far away from the ball to make a genuine attempt at it. There were times when the ball was too low or too high. A well-positioned ball was nary to be seen.

There is no doubting Hubel's talent and this was apparently just a bad morning. He also has some timing issues to work out with his new group of receivers. Seven of the thirteen wide receivers on the roster are new to the team this year.

Kavanaugh didn't fair any better than Hubel at today's practice. However, where Hubel made some mistakes on the physical side of things, Kavanaugh made errors from a mental standpoint that were far more egregious than Hubel's errors.

It seemed as though Kavanaugh kept seeing things that just weren't there. On one particular play, the offensive line was very stiff and gave him plenty of time to find an open receiver and complete a pass. There was no pressure being applied to him, but all he managed was a weak, wobbly pass to receiver Daniel Wolverton that was only a completion because of Wolverton's athleticism. Time in the pocket like that only happens once in a blue moon and Kavanaugh must learn to make the best of it when it happens.

By far the most unnerving situation with Kavanaugh at the helm played out on the short field. All of his receivers were covered and instead of taking off with the ball like he is apt to do or being patient until someone came loose, he threaded the ball through a wall of defenders and wound up with an incomplete pass. If the secondary had been so inclined, it would have been an easy interception. A mistake like that at the goal line has the potential to lose a game.

Kavanaugh is a good athlete and imbues the Vikings' offense with a scrambling ability, but he has a bit more to learn about the game management side of things. It will without a doubt come with time.

Cornerback Michael Williams was a bright spot in the secondary today, breaking up several passes. He never takes his eyes off of the receiver and stays physical throughout the play. Fellow cornerback Denzel Davis also had nice coverage and broke up a pass. Both of these freshman players from Texas, and both at 5-9, look like they could offer some relief during the season to help everyone else at the position stay healthy.

Two a day practices start tomorrow and it will be interesting to see the progression of the team as practice becomes more concentrated.

Football practice, Friday, August 14

2009-08-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

Today's 11-on-11 drills were conducted on a shortened field. It looked as though the team was practicing the red-zone offense. Last season, the Vikings were last in the Big Sky Conference in red-zone offense. Opportunities for progress are minimized in the red-zone. A good combination of running plays and passing plays were called.

It is noteworthy to mention the quarterback situation at practice. With Tygue Howland's injury, the Vikings have less depth at the position, with just Connor Kavanaugh and Nick Green on the roster. At practice all week there has been another quarterback working with the team and today there was yet another. It is obvious watching them that they aren't nearly as experienced as the other three quarterbacks, but offensive coordinator Jim Craft has been very patient with them. After every snap he pulls them aside to explain what went wrong. Time will only tell if they find themselves on the roster, but so far it doesn't look too good.

After a week of practice, it is impossible not to have tremendous respect for what secondary coach Brandon Shelby is doing with the team. He's a quiet presence--he can't be heard yelling like the other position coaches. Though he only joined the team in February, his presence can be felt all over the line. It doesn't hurt that the secondary is heavy with talent, but his impact is undeniable.

When the defense lines up, Shelby comes up behind his players and will slightly move them or point something out to them. With these small tweaks, he sets them up for success. Almost without fail, every time he does this, whomever he was speaking with is either responsible for or in on the stop.

The players buy into his coaching too. After they receive an adjustment from him, you can see them looking for key things indicative of what the offense is doing and they become more productive. The secondary consistently looks good and under Shelby's guidance it seems posed to continue to impress.

PSU Vikings vs. OSU Beavers fan bus & tailgate!

2009-08-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

Join PSU alumni and friends as they travel to Corvallis to watch the Viks take on the Pac-10 Beavers.

Saturday, Sept 5
Departure from PSU - TBD
Kickoff: 11:35 a.m.

$48.00 per person includes:

Roundtrip transportation to OSU on a deluxe Raz motor coach (personal food and drink allowed on bus)
Tailgate lunch with hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, softdrinks
Access to private No Host bar (beer $4/wine $5)
Reserved private Green & White party area

Game tickets are NOT included in the price.*

Register for the fan bus and tailgate at www.pdx.edu/alumni

*Need a game ticket? Contact Jim at 503-725-8210 or e-mail jhturner@pdx.edu

Football practice, Wednesday, August 12

2009-08-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard writer Allison Whited.

There was plenty of rain to go around this morning at practice and it was a good opportunity for the players who have come here from other less rainy regions to get acquainted with the Oregon weather.

On the whole, the rain didn't seem to affect anyone's vision or ball handling skills. There were a couple of exceptions: wide receiver Keitrell Anderson dropped the ball on a punt reception, and center Tyler Staley had a snap to quarterback Drew Hubel that never left the ground. These things are bound to happen, but as the season and rain wear on, the likelihood of a repeat of these mistakes should diminish.

The offensive line looked better today than they have at the last two practices. They were able to stay together and create running lanes for running backs Bobby McClintock and Ben Bowen. Lineman Zach Dias continually stuck with the man he was blocking throughout practice, receiving praise from the coaches. If he can continue to show that kind of focus, it will help to take pressure off the quarterback, who usually seems a bit rushed, regardless of who it is under center.

The defense looked great today and safety Michael Almond stood out in particular. On one particular play, he read the offense like it was a child's book. Watching Hubel's eyes, he followed the pass and came up with a textbook interception. He played as if the pass was intended for him the whole time; there would be no other receiver and that was evident before the ball was even snapped. It was just incredible to watch.

On another play, Almond was lined up on the right, a little behind the line. Secondary coach Brandon Shelby came up behind him and moved him directly onto the line. When the ball was snapped, Almond was able to find a clear lane to the ball carrier and end the play. It was impressive to watch a former player, Shelby, impart his knowledge of offense to a young, very obviously talented player and see the good that can come from it.

Wide receiver Raymond Fry had a good day today as well. The past couple of practices, he has blended into the background a little bit, but today he caught a couple of passes and fought for more yards after and he had a good catch on a punt return. If he can consistently produce, he will be a great asset for the Vikings.

There were a couple of little skirmishes between players here and there, but there were more smiles on the coaches' faces today. Hopefully, there are even more tomorrow.

VIDEO: First football practice, Monday, August 10

2009-08-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

Football practice, Tuesday, August 11

2009-08-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard writer Allison Whited.

The weather this morning was beautiful and it offered a nice reprieve from yesterday's sun. Practice was quieter today than yesterday and the media hoopla has receded a little bit.

Something I would like to make note of that I did not mention regarding yesterday’s practice was an injury to freshman free safety Justin Lilley. At the end of a drill yesterday, Lilley slipped on the turf and lay there for some time after. I looked and looked for him to see if he came back and I could not find him. Today I spotted him—on the sideline with crutches and his leg in some kind of brace. Before his injury yesterday he looked great and exercised good control when going through some drills.

The coaches were exploring who would be best suited for the punt return team today and it was fantastic to watch. A group of players would line up and once a punt was kicked to the returner, they would take off after him. The coaching staff implored them to do well and reminded them they would be watching video of the drill later on to determine who would make it.

Cornerback Tracy Ford had a great return, as did Aaron Woods. Quarterback Connor Kavanaugh got a piece of the return action too, though he had a pretty ugly drop on one of his two attempts.

Linebacker Ryan Pedersen had a great tackle and strip, and defensive end Joe Ma'aseia had a perfect tackle towards the end of practice, really showing what coach Glanville's seniors are capable of.

Football practice, Monday, August 10

2009-08-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard writer Allison Whited.

Ahh... Football is back on the Portland State campus. Coach Glanville and company were out for the first practice of the 2009-10 season and it was a great scene to behold. There were some new faces, like new offensive line coach Brad Davis, and some old ones, like newly minted offensive coordinator Jim Craft. But all around, there were smiles and the team seems ready to get the new season under way.

I will be writing a blog entry after every practice I attend, just to make note of a few things that caught my eye and to keep everyone current on the news coming from the field. I will do my best—just remember that far too much goes on for this to suffice as a complete report.

After practice, Glanville seemed very convinced that the level of talent on the field this year is great. This is a sentiment I have heard echoed more than once from the coaching staff. In hand with this belief in the talent on the roster has come a kind of confidence. When asked if he felt like this was finally his team, Glanville said, "Yes, for the first time in three years."

The seniors playing on the team had a lot of confidence yesterday as they carried out their drills. Linebacker Erik Pedersen was quick and controlled when running through the pads. Cornerback Tracy Ford read his receiver all the way and knocked down a guaranteed touchdown pass. Free safety Jordan Brown exhibited some incredible speed, showing that he has come back from the injury last year that kept him off the field.

The newcomers on the team struggled a little bit today. Linebacker Jaycob Shoemaker, who I have heard Glanville is excited about, had some trouble running through the pads when he was hit and he stumbled out at the end of them. Fullback Ben Bowen dropped some balls but tried to redeem himself with strong runs after every one of them.

I didn't cover the team last year, so I am less aware of where they're coming from, but it looks like where they are headed to is a good, solid place. With the first game less than a month away, only time will tell, but after today, I am excited to find out.

Shaq TV

2009-07-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

The Big Diesel: Coming to a television near you!
This post was written by Vanguard sports writer J. Logue.

Glancing thru the ESPN.com website, as I so often do, I came across a very interesting article about the Big Aristotle’s new reality show which begins filming this week.

I know what you’re thinking: An athlete doing a reality show? Seriously? Again? I can promise you I felt the same way, but then I read further into the article and saw what looks like a chance for some good moments in sports history (dare I say) form in front of my eyes.

The basic setup of the show starts with the Big Cactus challenging a current sports star (a la Michael Phelps) to an event that pertains to their sport. Once the rules are decided on, the Diesel will train for a week culminating in the “Main Event.”

I started laughing almost as soon as I finished reading.

Can you imagine the Big Shaqtus and all of his seven-foot-two frame lumbering down the first base line going for the head first slide. Better yet, how much fabric does it take to make a LZR swimsuit for a person once called the Big Galactus?

Of course there will be a part were Shaq Fu and the competing athlete will do some charity work, but that’s expected.

For the first show, the challenger will be Ben Roethlisberger, accepting a challenge yet to be determined. Considering Big Ben’s talents I definitely can envision the Big Agave hurling dead ducks down the field to Superbowl MVP Santonio Holmes. Could we possibly even see a foot race between these two?

Either one would be priceless as well as a great chance to see the other side—a non-serious side—of two well known athletes. I mean does Roethlisberger talk trash to the Real Deal or vice versa? Who wouldn’t love that?

While some might fail to see the genius of the Big Banana’s show, I can promise you one thing. This will be something that everyone will be talking about after the first episode.

Rest in peace, Steve

2009-07-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer J. Logue.

“Steve McNair was a hero…Hero’s are not supposed to die,” Vince Young said.

A fittingly powerful statement that more than nailed the man it described. This was a man that could throw a ball out of the stadium falling backwards. A man that would play through back injuries, knee injuries and any other assortment of medical issues typical of the game that he played in. A warrior respected by his peers, McNair appeared to have everything. Sometimes appearances are misleading, I guess.

Capable of avoiding 300-plus pound men screaming at him at unnatural speeds, McNair was unable to see the issues that were developing in his own game of life. A modern day Achilles of the Iliad variety, a fearless warrior that could defeat armies on Sundays, brought down by a single arrow. The only difference was that his arrow was the dashed hopes of a 20 year-old girl.

Why? It’s a question everyone will ask. By all accounts, Sahel Kazemi was a well adjusted immigrant from Iran. While she had seen tragedy (her mothers death), she maintained a normal life by any standard. The most unnerving part is that most people/experts will admit that no one can ever truly know why she did exactly what she did.

What I do know is emotions can be one hell of a drug. They can lead people to do things that are rarely rational. Running to Vegas to get married or drinking your sorrows away are common examples of its capabilities. What happened to McNair is unfortunately another example I guess we will never know. Instead I will take this as a lasting lesson to the ugly side of life.

Rest in peace, Steve.

A soccer boom?

2009-07-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Clayton Hemlock.

Is there a soccer boom going on here in the Northwest? The recent success of the U.S. National Team at the Confederations Cup and the amazing showing at the Timbers/Sounders game has me in awe of the fan base here in Portland and around the Northwest. The Sounders have been producing 30,000 fans a game up in Seattle and brought down a huge fan base to sell out PGE Park that any sports fan would be in awe of.

The U.S. appeared to be done sauce in their opening round games and turned it around in a quick flash of brilliance and a little luck. I remember that game against Egypt and thought to myself, "God we have absolutely no chance of going on." However, being an avid soccer fan I had to watch the game. I couldn’t believe my eyes as we some how managed to erase a 6 goal differential. Our 3-0 win over Egypt and the help of Brazil dominating the Italians 3-0 made our dream of come true. Unbelievable!! They pulled off a miracle.

Then the Spain game occurred and at first I was thinking, "Yeah, they’re going to lose." However, I believed they could win. After the shenanigans that occurred in the first game, I believed anything was possible. Then, when Jozy Altidore scored in the 27th I had a feeling that we could do it again. Finally when Dempsey scored in the 74th minute, I knew we had it. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The European Champions and world record holders for the most consecutive games in a row with a win, and without a loss was going to go down against a stubborn American side. This team showed a lot of pride.

The final against Brazil was insane! I was at the Cheerful Tortoise and I couldn’t believe how many people were watching the game in this little bar. I couldn’t even sit down. There had to be at least 50 people in the bar representing both the U.S. and Brazil. When we were up 2-0 at halftime I thought we had it. However, I was still very nervous because this is Brazil! Then Luis Fabiano scored twice and I began to tremble. I thought, alright if we play smart defense we can survive into overtime and regroup at the break. My thoughts were crushed and my heart was shattered when Lucio scored on a corner kick header. That goal shattered the hearts of so many people including my own. I was still very proud of my team and happy they made it this far. It is definitely something to look forward to in the upcoming year. GO USA!

As for the Sounders/Timbers game at PGE Park, that shit was absolutely crazy! I was at the game, and I’ve never heard so many people say, “I’ve never in my life seen this stadium so packed. This wasn’t even a regular season game or the playoffs. This was like the 3rd round of the U.S. Open Cup. It wasn’t really a big deal in terms of the bigger picture of things. However, I knew why this game was so huge! These teams hate each other and have been rivals for decades. Growing up being a Sounders fan I knew this game would be huge. However, I did not expect anything like this. The Bullpen bar was full of Sounders fans and Timbers fan alike. The streets were covered with forest green and neon green. Flags were being waved all over the place, and smoke bombs were going off. Then, there was the chanting as people walked to the gates. Keep in mind this was all before the game even started!

Had you been there, you would have had goose bumps. Hundreds of fans were disappointed due to the fact they were not getting tickets and scalpers were selling tickets five times as much you could get them normally. Fifteen minutes before the game the stadium was completely full, and then… The Chants began! The Timbers Army was singing their chants in sync and the NES and Emerald City Supporters were doing the same. It was a sweet little battle that was going on and the fan base was about the same on both sides. Then smoke bombs began going off, and a few made it on the field. This was boggling my mind at how loud this place was and the game hadn’t even started yet. Just under 17,000 people squeezed inside PGE Park to watch this game. The sidewalks were full as well, and I even saw one person climbing a tree to get a better glimpse of the game.

Finally the game started and the Sounders scored less than a minute into the match. The stadium went crazy due to the high number of Sounder’s fans in the stadium. Then the chants of “Sounders ‘til I die” and others were sung. Then the Sounders scored again! This looked like it was going to be a blowout. However just before half time the Timbers scored. The Timbers finally had something to cheer about and everyone went wild. Halftime came and went, and the game leveled off, but the cheering and the chants never stopped. There even was a little brawl in the beer garden where one guy got knocked out and had to be dragged off in a stretcher. However, security was tight and it ended right away.

The game ended 2-1 with the Sounders on top. Both die hard supporters on both sides began chanting their chants. Flares were going off all over the place, and smoke bombs were everywhere. The streets were over run by the thousands of people, and flags were being waved along in the air. This was a game that you can’t miss. Next time these two play again you have to get tickets as this was one of the most amazing things I’ve seen. I’ve been to a lot of soccer games, and I have never seen it as intense as this because both sides have their own chants. The two have very strong fan bases, and it was an unbelievable sight to see. I felt like I was at an EPL game. I predict that once the Timbers enter the MLS we will see a heated rivalry that people in the northwest will love!

A soccer boom has just hit the Northwest, and the next step is 2011 when the Timbers enter the MLS. GO SOUNDERS!

Peter King makes my knees weak

2009-06-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

Peter King is a writer for Sports Illustrated. Though he writes most of the time about the NFL, he is always insightful about other sports.

This week, in his weekly online column he recounts a great story about the NCAA baseball tournament game pitting University of Texas against Boston College.

It's an incredible story about athleticism and the desire to compete. I don't watch that much baseball, but this short account really drew me in.

King has a way of making anything sports related arresting. He's not a great writer, but he is an honest writer and I find that much more appealing. He seems to ask all of the pertinent questions and addresses all of the things you really want to know about the mental side of sports.

I don't think I'm the only person to feel this way about his work. Whenever he talks to athletes, they seem to give him the real answers, not just the canned ones. It's like he's human sodium pentathol.

For example, after Peyton Manning struggled with his post-surgery knee last year, he answered all reporters who asked about it with the usual I'm-fine-the-team-is-fine garbage. Towards the end of the season, King got Manning to open up about how he really felt about the knee. Manning divulged that when he finally saw his knee several weeks post-op, it scared him because it looked like “a quilt” from all of the incisions.

For my money, when I want to know about the NFL goings on and learn a bit about other sports, I go with King. Anybody who is uninitiated should give him a whirl.

Ichiro value... Like a pair of Jordan sneakers, better with time

2009-05-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

Ichiro is one of the most underrated players in the Northwest and possibly all of baseball. Guy has over 200 hits a season for 8 straight so far. Plus he doesn't have back acne or man boobs to show for it. Anyways I liked this blog by Chris Sparow.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4205676 This post was written by Vanguard sports writer, J. Logue

PSU Cycling Club

2009-05-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

This week Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited wrote a story about the Portland State Cycling Club. This article is a continuation of that story which can be found here.

Sometimes being an athlete is about more than being part involved in a sport. Sometimes it's about what you add to a community.

I'm not talking about the time NFL players commit to playing with kids for the United Way or the playgrounds that the NBA players pride themselves on building. I'm not even talking about the various charities started by athletes for a cause near and dear to their hearts.

I am talking about what an athlete can contribute to a community just by sharing his or her experiences.

Recently, I met Jeremy Robbins, a member of the PSU cycling team. Robbins is the only hand cyclist both on the team and in the conference that the team participates in.

Robbins was an elite cyclist. After sustaining a neck injury in a bike crash, he is now a quadriplegic. Robbins is forthcoming with the story behind his disability and more than happy to recount some of the humorous situations that only he would face as a hand cyclist.

He does this with such charm, such unabashed honesty it almost makes you uncomfortable. Not because what he is saying makes you feel bad for him, but because you know that you have had very few, if any, conversations as real as the one you're having with him with anyone else you have ever known.

Robbins prides himself on being an ambassador for his sport and his disability. He makes it a point to talk to people at races about what he is doing. He and his teammates have had to clear some pretty high hurdles for him to be able to compete in the conference, but now hand cyclists have the opportunity to compete. And Robbins is certainly looking forward to the competition.

Robbins's reach extends beyond the cycling world. He is already making attempts to reach out to returning veterans and he makes it a point to participate in other sports, like murderball.

If we were all as free and open about our experiences as Robbins is, our communities, both personal and global, would certainly be better places.

Blazers head to Houston with a bit of energia!

2009-04-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

Jason Quick of The Oregonian wrote an interesting article following the Blazer’s game 5 victory Tuesday night about the probability of seeing more Rudy Fernandez in game 6 and (with any luck) beyond.

The article addresses the fact that Fernandez played over 35 minutes in Tuesday’s game after averaging a little over 21 minutes in the first four games of the series.

Nate McMillan has even reportedly been considering inserting Rudy into the starting line-up, replacing rookie Nicholas Batum, who was a nice surprise this season at small forward but has seemed a little star-struck in the playoffs.

Now, this begs the question, is it a good idea to be making major line-up changes in the sixth game of a series in which we are holding on for dear life? In this case, I think the answer is a resounding si!

As the article points out, the lanky and skilled French rookie has been nothing but solid for the Blazers all season long. But in a seven-game series, which is a veritable sprint to the finish line, it doesn’t pay to keep a struggling younger guy in there in hopes he will suddenly “click” and find his game.

You need to go with the guys that have produced results for you, and Rudy, not Nicholas, has been that guy. Rudy has been one of the Blazer’s most dynamic players thus far in the series, coming off the bench and providing that instant dose of offense and speed that has kept the Rocket’s smothering defense honest.

Plus, the guy has shot 50% from the three-point line-you can’t tell me that the Rocket defenders aren’t conscious of where he is on the floor at all times, knowing there’s a half and half chance he’s going to make it from downtown.

Even if he doesn’t take the three-pointer, the fact that he is on the court takes attention away from Brandon Roy and Lamarcus Aldridge, opening up the lane for their attack.

Shifting gears a little bit….

At this point in the series, the Blazer’s have the luxury of knowing that no matter how much pressure they feel on themselves, it is nothing compared to what Yao and his teammates are undergoing. The Rockets had the series locked up at 3-1, needing only to waltz back into the building in which they blew out the Blazers in game one and get a victory.

But they blew it.

The crowd was too much, and they couldn’t handle the fact that Joel and Greg weren’t crippled by foul trouble. Now, with a slim lead of 3-2, the Rockets are back in their own building and in front of the fans that have seen them choke year after year in the first round.

I’m not sure of the exact statistic, but I’m pretty sure the Rockets haven’t been out of the first round of the playoffs since Eisenhower administration. No matter what they might say to the media, you can bet dollars to donuts that everyone in a Rockets jersey will be playing not to lose on Thursday night, instead of playing to win.

If the Blazers can remain confident and collected, playing their style of play that amassed 54 wins in the regular season, we should be seeing them back at the Garden for game seven.

This post written by Vanguard sports writer Doug Cornett

Reading and Entertainment

2009-04-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

Thought that was a fitting picture...

Hopefully all 17.8 of our faithful blog readers have been able to manage some other form of happiness while we have been on blog sabbatical for a brief while. NBA Playoffs, Vanguard chaos, travels and family adjustments have kept all of us pretty busy... Nevertheless here's some readings for your enjoyment.

Hannah Karp has a great read in the Wall Street Journal about the Lakers and how LA is one of the premier NBA Towns...

A couple of summers ago, my landscaping job landed me at Rick Adelman's son's home in the Bethany area of Washington County. Rick was visiting and we struck up a friendly conversation about basketball. I came away feeling impressed about the coach that I had grown up as a Blazers fan with. Richard Justice has a nice piece on Adelman.

With the NFL Draft approaching this weekend, Bucky Brooks gives us a nice look into what NFL Draftrooms are like.... Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall...

And the sports blog Mentalfloss has a great quiz for your draft history skills.

Vikings opt for continuancy

2009-04-12T20:24:00.001-07:00

Just got word that the Vikings will announce their new men's basketball coach and the winner of the contest should come as no surprise.

For the last two years, Tyler Geving has roamed the sidelines, adjusted the defense and recruited the heck out of the Northwest and California. All of these characteristics, plus a few others made Geving a likely choice.

Portland State will be hosting a 2 p.m. press conference tomorrow at the Stott Center. Check dailyvanguard.com or back here for the full story later tomorrow or Tuesday morning.

Guest Post from our outspoken Student Commentator

2009-04-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

Here is another guest blog post from our student contributor Marnix Brinkhoff.

My post this week is in response to the disappointing news that Coach Bone has left the Portland State Athletic Department to become a Cougar.

Dear Coach Bone,

It is with great sadness that I write to you to wish you the best of luck at Washington State University.

As a student and fan I will certainly miss your presence on the PSU campus. You were always willing to reciprocate a friendly greeting in passing on campus and you had an amazing style and approach to the game of basketball. It’s unfortunate you made the decision to leave 'Viking Nation' and I hope you have completely thought through your decision, because there are a couple points I would like to mention to you that I thought would have been enough to keep you around.

1) Potential: I understand the stigma and prowess of the Pac10 was enticing, but Viking Nation (with you at the helm) had the potential to be the next Gonzaga or even Memphis.

2) Pullman Sucks: I know you’ve been to Pullman because you have coached in the Northwest your entire career so you must realize what an awful place it is. You will never be able to recruit a Seattle-area product and will be forced to resort with the farmers of Spokane and the other surrounding rural areas.

3) Long-Term: No offense, but I hope you aren’t planning on staying at WSU for long. I hope your plan is to win at that program and step up to a better program, because not even your excellent coaching will be able to sustain a competitive program in the beleaguered WSU Athletic Department.

Again, I wish you all the best even though I think you are making a huge mistake by jumping ship just as you had a consistent program established that had the potential to become the next mid-major powerhouse. I thought you had the potential to be the next Mark Few, but you threw that all away for some larger digits in the paycheck and for that I’m disappointed.

Guest Commentary from a Portland State student and fan

2009-04-06T20:58:00.000-07:00

Here is another guest blog post from our student contributor Marnix Brinkhoff. In between sessions of working on his jump shot and cheering on the Dutch team at the World Baseball Classic, Brinkhoff gives you his take on the upcoming spring football schedule.

As Spring Football practice begins for the football team, goviks.com is busy wasting our time with beautifully slanted articles about how the upcoming football season will be miraculously different than the last two years.

The article entitled, “Sixteen Returning Starters, Experienced Group Return for 2009 Football Season” fails to understand that those returnee’s are a combined 7-15 (win-loss record) over the past two seasons.

By all means return the entire squad from last year, but the fact remains, we sucked last year!

Even though the athletic department’s propaganda website spins a rosy picture on the upcoming season, I’m hear to explain that it will be just another failing season in the “Almighty” Glanville’s tenure.

The following are points from the article that are expected to be boosts for the upcoming season but they are really just business as usual. That business of late has been losing…

Drew Hubel and Tygue Howland return: YES!!

No one would want to miss out on the drama of who is going to start from week to week. The fact that both of these quarterback’s return doesn’t mean a damn thing, because Glanville and his staff are just going to be as wishy-washy as John Kerry on who there man is going to be.

My take is to just pick one, stick with him, and allow them to get better without fear that next week they are going to be benched!!

McClintock Returns: Wahoo!! We don’t run the ball anyways. Oh by the way, this has been bothersome ever since last year…

Mr. Davis, I realize you are considered the offensive guru, BUT when you play one of the worst run defenses in the NCAA (Washington State last year) maybe just maybe you should try to run the F%$@ing ball!!

Super Mario (D’Ambrosio) is out: And you expect to improve on a season where he was a rockstar?

3 Returning Lineman: For a team that allowed 41 sacks for a yardage loss of 243 yards (Second worse in the Big Sky) this shows promise; because the only thing to do is get better.

The Defense: Expect more basketball scores, because we lost Shantz, McCrae and Jones.

Say whatever you want about the competition in Spring Football, the fact will remain that we will have an inexperienced defense taking the field next season, which means only one thing—lots of scoring…for the other team.

But all is not lost in the Glanville camp.

For those of you worried about Special Teams there is ample competition at the kicker/punter position, which is a good thing since we will probably be punting the ball quite a bit.

Experienced Xavier ends Vikings season: Xavier uses its size advantage in 77-59 victory over Portland State

2009-03-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

The Portland State Vikings dance in the NCAA tournament ended in the first round for the second consecutive season in a 77-59 defeat to a physical, oversized and experienced Xavier team Friday in Boise.

Four Musketeer players scored in double digits, led by senior forward C.J. Anderson who scored ten of his 14 points in the second half.

“Xavier set the tone immediately,” said Portland State head coach Ken Bone. “They were very difficult to stop on one end and hard to get good shots off against on the other.”

PSU found themselves battling from behind early in the first half when Xavier used a 10-0 run to build a 17-7 lead.

However, the Vikings would rally behind inside baskets made by junior forward Jamie Jones and senior point guard Jeremiah Dominguez. The captain would score all of his 13 points in the first half.

Portland State rallied to take a narrow one point lead, 25-24, when senior guard Andre Murray hit a three-pointer with 8:35 remaining. The one point edge was the Vikings only lead in the game.

“The momentum was definitely turning our way when we got the lead,” Murray said. “But after that we kind of beat ourselves.”

Xavier responded with a 16-4 run that resulted in a commanding 40-29 lead. Portland State’s struggled with turnovers all game long and two consecutive giveaways by the Vikings helped Xavier regain the lead and capture the momentum on transition baskets.

The Vikings would get another taste of momentum when Murray drained another three with three seconds remaining in the first half to cut the Xavier lead to just seven points at the break, 42-35.

“Xavier played off their experience playing in the tournament,” Bone said. “They reacted right away whenever we tried to get something going and never panicked.”

In the second half the Atlantic-10 regular season conference champion Xavier used their commanding size advantage to take over the game and put away the underdog Vikings.

Xavier senior guard B.J. Raymond nailed a three-pointer, which was followed by a Derrick Brown alley-oop dunk moments later to give Xavier a 49-37 lead with less than five minutes into the second half.

Portland State never seemed to match the energy that Xavier brought to the game in the second half as the Musketeer lead reached as large as 23.

Xavier’s tenacious defense led to shutouts from two of the Portland State players that the squad had leaned heavily on during the six-game winning streak that preceded the first round game. Junior starting small forward Phil Nelson and junior reserve forward Julius Thomas were each held scoreless.

“I think that we just didn’t have the motivation at the end,” said junior forward Jamie Jones who finished with a team high 16 points. “It was just tough. A tough team, a good team.”

Even though the Vikings were outplayed by a team that on this night, looked far superior, Bone was satisfied with his team’s effort.

“I’m proud of the guys,” he said. “They left everything on the court and we just happened to run into a very good Xavier team. We did the best job we could.”

Xavier advanced to face the winner of the Florida State/Wisconsin first round game on Sunday.

posted by Tom Sedun, Vanguard staff

Closing Time: Xavier 77 Portland State 59

2009-03-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

This NCAA Tournament appearance might have felt more businesslike for Portland State and the Vikings might have felt more comfortable competing and, by all accounts had a better chance of pulling of an upset, but the outcome is the same.

It finished up Xavier 77 and Portland State 59.

Portland State didn't force anyone to crumple up their bracket today as a response to surprise victory over a favored opponent. The Vikings didn't make school history. But they did put forth a valiant effort and the pieces merely failed to fall into place.

We will have more after the team's press conferences.

Slipping Away: Xavier 68 Portland State 47

2009-03-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that it would be Xavier that showcased the impressive transition game?

No, many, including possibly the Portland State coaching staff. However, that is what has happened as the Musketeers have opened up a 21-point second-half lead that began, in part, with Xavier's ability to run the floor and cash in on easy buckets.

Combine Xavier's transition success with the fact that the Vikings have gone ice cold from the field, and it looks like Portland State will exit its second consecutive NCAA Tournament with a loss. That is unless Jeremiah Dominguez and Co. are unable to catch fire in the final few minutes.

Held Back by Miscues: Xavier 59 Portland State 45

2009-03-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah Dominguez is running the offense, Andre Murray is knocking down three-pointers and Jamie Jones has his patented left-hand hook falling perfectly in the paint, however, Portland State is struggling to stay with Xavier because of mental lapses and poor decision making.

On several trips down the floor, passes have been thrown behind a player on the run or directly into the hands of a Musketeer following the play. The Vikings have also allowed the Musketeers to leak out after a Portland State made basket to score an easy layup at the other end.

If Portland State wishes to notch its first NCAA Tournament victory in the school's history this evening, then the Vikings must cut down on these mistakes and begin to play smart enough to grind out a victory in this close matchup.

We'll find out if this happens in the next 10 minutes of play.

Halftime: Xavier 42 Portland State 35

2009-03-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

If Ken Bone found out that heading into the second half of Portland State's opening round matchup with Xavier his team would be down only seven points, he would likely grimace momentarily before shaking his head approvingly and saying, "We can work with that."

And that truly is the case. Portland State has not played perfectly by any means, however, the Vikings are still fighting hard against an Xavier team that has appeared in the NCAA Tournament eight of the last nine years. That's not a moral victory, but rather a decent start to a game that many saw unfolding much differently.

Once again the stage broadens and senior point guard Jeremiah Dominguez's play matches the challenge. Dominguez scored 13 points in the first half, but his greatest contribution has been dictating the tempo of the game. When Dominguez has had the ball in his hands, things have unfolded nicely for the Vikings. When he hasn't, it has been hit or miss.

Portland State must figure out a way to rebound better in the second half, or at least keep Xavier off the offensive boards. There were a couple times in the first 20 minutes that the Musketeers' size and strength became apparent, and almost every time this occurred it was when Xavier was jockeying for offensive rebounds. The Musketeers have four offensive boards thus far.

Surprisingly the Vikings are still contending even though they are shooting only 42 percent from the three-point line. That is a fine percentage, however, in Portland State's biggest wins this season they have shot the three ball much better. This will certainly be something to keep an eye on in the second half.

Another thing to watch is whether forwards Phil Nelson and Julius Thomas improve their production. Currently both players have been held scoreless, and considering they Nelson and Thomas were significant contributors down the stretch of the season, it will be crucial for them to pick up the pace on the offensive end.

A Lead in the NCAA Tournament: Xavier 37 Portland State 29

2009-03-20T16:53:00.000-07:00

With a flawless Andre Murray three-pointer, Portland State captured the lead for the first time this afternoon, and the roar of the boisterous, rowdy Vikings cheering section made sure everyone in Taco Bell Arena and those watching around the nation at home knew it.

Xavier has fired back immediately, and it is clear that they will not go down easy, either. Another thing that is becoming crystal clear is that this matchup is going to be a competitive one until the end.

Both teams are executing their game plans quite well and the action has carried on at a high intensity level without an interuptions or lulls. The two teams might play completely different forms of basketball, but their pairing makes for an entertaining affair.

Beginning to Settle In: Xavier 22 Portland State 18

2009-03-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

After the Vikings had tied the score with a Jeremiah Dominguez three-pointer a few minutes into the game, Portland State went ice cold and the Musketeers pieced together a 10-point run.

A couple quick adjustments on the part of head coach Ken Bone, another Dominguez triple and then a big Kyle Coston three-pointer in the corner has brought the Vikings back into contention.

Portland State is still demonstrating great energy and quickness on both ends, however, the difference appears to be the Vikings are settling in and feeling a bit more comfortable. In the game's opening minutes Dominguez looked like the only Viking that had calmed his nerves and was playing within the flow of the game, but now center Jamie Jones is finding his place in the low post and guard Andre Murray is running the floor with more confidence.

Jones steps to the line to shoot a pair after a hard foul.

First Half: Xavier 12 Portland State 7

2009-03-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

Things just kicked off here at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, and thus far the action looks to be pretty fast-paced, which favors Portland State in the end due to the Vikings lack of size and the team's overall quickness.

From the outset, senior point guard Jeremiah Dominguez has been impressive, scoring five of the Vikings' first seven points and looking extremely comfortable against this athletic Xavier squad. Dominguez is known for shining brightest when the stakes are the highest, so his play should act as an excellent barometer for how the Vikings will fare in this opening round matchup.

One immediate mismatch for Portland State is Dominguez drawing the assignment of 6-foot-5 guard Dante Jackson on the defensive end of the court. Dominguez, at only 5-6, may have a tough time contesting Jackson's shots and if Xavier almost always has a post-up opportunity in the paint if they choose to exploit it.

Band's Back at It

2009-03-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

Many might remember that at the NCAA Tournament in Omaha, Neb., last year Portland State athletic director Torre Chisholm employed the services of the Cal State Fullerton's pep band for the Vikings' matchup with Kansas.

Well, Chisholm is at it again.

This time the Boise State band has thrown on the Portland State garb and actually played a pretty decent rendition of the school's fight song as the Vikings trotted onto the court. Minutes away from tipoff, there is a moderately full Portland State fan section, including head football coach Jerry Glanville, that is making some noise and also making the university look pretty legitimate.

That's the horn, and this thing is about to get underway.

Photos From Boise

2009-03-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a glimpse at some of the masterful photography of the Vanguard's Rodrigo Melgarejo from Thursday's practice sessions.

Dominic Waters

Phil Nelson

Wendell Wright

B.J. Raymond

Kyle Coston

Kahle has record breaking outing as Vikings beat Portland to advance in WNIT Tourney

2009-03-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

Though St. Patrick’s day has come and gone, Viking forward Kelsey Kahle is happy to still be seeing green.

“It feels like we’ve been playing in a red gym for a while,” Kahle said, referring to the Vikings last three games, all played at the University of Montana. “Its nice to be back in a green gym.”

With the home crowd behind her, Kahle poured in 30 points and collected 10 rebounds to lead the Vikings past the cross-town Portland Pilots, advancing to the second round of WNIT.

The 57-51 win represents Portland State’s first Division I post-season victory ever, and also the continuation of Kahle’s assault on the program’s record books. In her school-best seventh career 30 point game, Kahle also broke the school’s all-time rebounding record.

“I can’t even think of the words to describe how good it felt to play back home again,” she said after the game.

Though the home team proved triumphant at the end of the night, the visiting Pilots did not by any means roll over and die. Coming into the game, they were looking to avenge their 72-56 loss to the Vikings on November 26.

The Vikings jumped out to an early 19-10 lead, but the Pilots closed the gap and ended the half with a 15-2 run that put them up at the break, 25-21.

“We just kept battling,” Portland head coach Jim Sollars said of his team’s effort.

The Vikings looked to strike early in the second half, scoring the first two baskets on a Kahle lay-up and Lexi Bishop three-pointer. Bishop tallied a season high 12 points, making four of Portland State’s five three pointers on the night.

But the Pilots refused to back down, heading a 14-4 run that put them up 39-30 with 15 minutes left in the game. The Vikings’ cause was not helped by an off-shooting night from junior guard Claire Faucher, who went a dismal 0-10 from the field, making only a pair of free-throws for two points on the night.

But, in her usual style, Faucher dished a game high eight assists, many to the red-hot Kahle, who finished the night a scorching 11-12 from the field and 8-8 from the line.

Kahle and Bishop sparked a 15-2 Viking run that put the home-team ahead 45-41, but the Pilots rallied behind the stellar play of guard Laiken Dollente, who finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals.

It wasn’t until Kahle drained a jumper and hit a pair of free-throws in the final minute that the Vikings were able to distance themselves from their cross-town rivals. After the final buzzer, Kahle and her teammates already had their minds focused on the next hurtle in the road.

“Right now we’re all thinking about Saturday and going down to OSU again,” Kahle said.

Head coach Sherri Murrell echoed the sentiment.

“That’s the one game of the season we wanted back,” Murrell said, referring to the Beavers 58-24 drubbing of the Vikings on December 7. “All we need to do is figure out how to score,” she added.

If their first post-season game is any indication, the Vikings plan on meeting the Beavers with a much different looking team than earlier in the season.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Gill Coliseum.

Written by Doug Cornett, Vanguard staff

A Little Different

2009-03-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

For junior forward Kyle Coston, this trip to the NCAA Tournament is much different than last year.

One year ago the Vikings were a first-time March Madness participant and a lowly No. 16 seed that was matched up with national powerhouse and No. 1 seed Kansas. And in Omaha, Neb., Portland State was also in close proximity to Lawrence, Kan., where the eventual national champion Jayhawks call home, bringing the Vikings additional media attention and scrutiny from a host of reporters.

Portland State was under the microscope for a litany of reasons. But that is not the same this year in Boise.

Instead of fighting through crowds of TV reporters, radio hosts and print journalists just to speak with one of the team's players or head coach Ken Bone, there were only a few media members in the Vikings' locker room before practice Thursday.

And while Portland State is still facing off against a program with a proud NCAA Tournament tradition in Xavier, who has made it to the Big Dance eight of the last nine years, the Musketeers are simply not the same caliber squad as Kansas.

"We're not seeing big lights, we're not seeing Kansas--we're seeing Xavier. And we feel like we have a good chance," Coston said. "We're not just a 16 seed."

Aside from everything else, the biggest difference between Portland State's NCAA Tournament appearances is the fact that as a No. 13 seed the Vikings truly do have a chance, as No. 13 seeds are 20-76 since 1985 while a No. 16 seed has never knocked off a top-seeded squad in the opening round.

Coston said the believability factor is certainly a major change from last season, mainly because Xavier actually has weaknesses that the Vikings might be able to exploit. This is something that the coaches have been harping on over the last week and a half, Coston said, as Bone as his staff have searched for ways to manipulate the Musketeers on both the offensive and defensive ends.

"It was fun just to get here last year. But, like the American dream, you always want more," Coston said.

Like Coston, sophomore forward Phil Nelson was looking loose as usual in the Vikings' locker room just minutes before practice on Thursday. Listening to music and hanging out on a sofa with his teammates, Nelson didn't appear to have a worry in the world. And after talking to him it is clear that is actually the case.

"We're feeling alright," Nelson said with a slight smile. "We're excited to be here, but at the same time it's just another game."

Nelson knows Xavier will be a challenge for the Vikings, as he specifically cited the team's length and ability to rebound the ball as strengths, but the Keizer, Ore., native continued to revert back to the Musketeers' proficiency at grabbing boards.

Above all, Nelson and Coston said the Portland State coaching staff has made it absolutely clear that if the Vikings hope to pull off an upset they must limit Xavier to only one opportunity on the offensive end, making snatching defensive rebounds crucial.

"Limiting them to one shot will be key," Nelson said. "That's how the game will end up."

Another key for Portland State will be pushing the ball up court and dictating the tempo to ensure it remains fast-paced throughout the 40-minute ordeal. With excellent size and strength, Coston compares Xavier to a team the Vikings nearly knocked off on the road this season: Washington.

"They are like a UW--athletic and long," Coston said. "And they play in a tougher league than the Big Sky."

However, despite the perceived shortcomings of Big Sky competition, Coston believes the Vikings have been tested enough times this season to put forth a valiant effort against Xavier. Coston is high on the Vikings non-conference schedule--headlined by matchups with Gonzaga, Washington and Baylor--and thinks the adversity the Vikings endured in those games will benefit them substantially when they walk on the floor in a few hours.

"Our preseason schedule was really designed for us to get to the tournament and play a team like this," Coston said.

Can the confident Vikings pull an upset? Thoughts from Thursday’s shootaround from Taco Bell Arena

2009-03-19T22:26:00.000-07:00

The Portland State players have never lacked a confident attitude in what so far has been a roller coaster of a season. On Thursday the No. 13 seeded team from the South Park Blocks came into Boise determined to compete.

But one underlying question regarding this team is, can they play their best basketball game of the season for 40 minutes and defeat no. 4 seeded Xavier, who is playing in their fourth consecutive NCAA tournament.

“Last year we were just happy to get the 16 seed,” said senior guard Andre Murray in a press conference before practice. “But now we’re coming here hungry. We’re looking to get a win or two.”

In order for the Vikings to reach their goal of the second round, they will have to take down a tough and much bigger Xavier squad.

The Musketeers are led by Senior guard B.J. Raymond who averages 14 points per game and played a significant role in the team’s run to the Elite Eight last season.

“When you look at his statistics, the senior season that he’s had arguably is one of the best that we have had in recent times at Xavier,” said Musketeers head coach Sean Miller, who is in his fifth season coaching the team from Cincinatti.

The Vikings took the court at Boise State’s Taco Bell Arena for a brief practice at 5:55 Mountain Standard Time Thursday evening.

Players rotated taking shots and ran various full court drills.Throughout the practice, the players were quiet and seemed to be playing very hesitantly as they adjusted to the new scene.

Unlike their opponent who ran practice about 90 minutes prior to Portland State, the Xavier players were very loose and acted off their prior NCAA tournament experiences.

One advantage the Vikings do have over Xavier is their ability to run the floor. If the Vikings want to compete in tomorrow’s game they must out-run Xavier and get transition buckets.

“I would like us to initiate the tempo of the game, try to get out, try to push it, see if we can’t get a good look at the basket in transition,” said Portland State head coach Ken Bone.

A few thoughts about the game:

I expect senior point guard Jeremiah Dominguez to have a solid game. The Big Sky tournament MVP has willed this team back to the NCAA tournament.

The defensive matchup against BJ Raymond will be interesting. It is unclear which Portland State defender will start off on Raymond although it will most likely be junior wing Phil Nelson. Junior forward Kyle Coston has played solid defense of late, in particular a nice effort in the conference championship game against Montana State

The Vikings Big men vs. Xavier Big men: If Jamie Jones and Julius Thomas can out run Xavier’s Jared Love, the Vikings can have easy scoring opportunities in transition.

Waters-Thomas combination: The Vikings bench will have to outplay Xavier’s lack of depth. In the conference tournament Dominic Waters and Julius Thomas connected frequently, with Waters dishing out brilliant assists that typically resulted in highlight dunks from Thomas.

Posted by Tom Sedun, Vanguard staff
All photos taken by Rodrigo Melgarejo, Vanguard photographer

Reporting From Xavier's Practice

2009-03-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Just moments ago head coach Sean Miller and the Xavier Musketeers flooded onto the court here in Boise. Only minutes into the Musketeers 40-minute shootaround, it is clear Portland State will have its hands full when the teams face off in tomorrow's opening round matchup.

Throughout the practice I will note observations about the Musketeers.

-Raymond might be a problem

Senior wingman B.J. Raymond is likely to give whichever Viking matches up with him fits. At 6-6, 226 pounds, Raymond is thick and muscular in a way that would describe only a few Vikings. On top of that, the All-Atlantic-10 First Team player shoots an impressive 42 percent from the three-point line, making him that much more dangerous.

Portland State forward Phil Nelson possesses comparable height, however, the primary difference is that the 6-foot-7 Keizer, Ore., native's frame is much leaner than Raymond's. If head coach Ken Bone opts to assign Nelson the tough task of guarding Raymond, then Portland State's best hope is that Nelson's long arms will help alter some of the his three-point attempts. When it comes to covering Raymond inside the arc, Nelson will likely need some help from the weak side, which will probably come from Jamie Jones or Julius Thomas from the paint.

-The comfort factor

It goes without saying that Xavier's recent tradition of participating in the March Madness festivities, appearing in the NCAA Tournament eight of the last nine years, gives the Musketeers a decisive advantage over a Portland State program making its second ever trip to the Big Dance.

With all of that experience playing on a stage that only the NCAA Tournament can create, Xavier is frankly more familiar with the pressures of competing in important games in March. The Musketeers have been exposed to the media attention, hectic travel schedule and hassle of quickly preparing for a team located on the other side of the country. And it certainly shows.

The Musketeers appear loose, laughing with one another and taking things in stride before the coaches broke up the party by demanding pristine execution during all the drills. While it is difficult to precisely articulate, it's evident through their body language -- and the fact that they spent the final five minutes of practice shooting half-court shots -- that Xavier's players and coaches are unfazed by the scene of the NCAA Tournament.

It will be interesting to see whether Portland State looks nearly as comfortable during its practice this evening.

-Stronger

The Musketeers have some solid shooters, their guards look fairly quick and they possesses size down low, but the most alarming reality for those close to Portland State is Xavier's sheer strength. Nearly every player on the roster has the appearance of a part-time trainer, especially a few of the wingmen--such as the aforementioned Raymond, C.J. Anderson and Derrick Brown--who should prove to be difficult assignments for their Viking counterparts.
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Earlier this season Portland State dropped a couple respectable losses to teams comparable to Xavier in the strength category in Washington and Baylor. In both of those games the Vikings had trouble stymieing their bigger, more powerful opponents in the paint, leaving golden opportunities for the Huskies and Bears to capitalize.

If Portland State hopes to stop history from repeating itself Friday evening, then the Vikings must employ an up-tempo, energized attack that allows them to beat the Musketeers with their legs rather than being beat by Xavier's superior arms. This is how the Vikings neutralized Boise State's big men back in February, with ballhawking defense that turned into easy fastbreaks and a quick-but-accurate-trigger on the offensive end.

Men's Basketball Preview

2009-03-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

What: NCAA Tournament East Regional First Round Game

Who: No. 13 seed Portland State (23-9) vs. No. 4 seed Xavier (25-7)

When: Friday, March 16, 4:25 p.m.

Where: Taco Bell Arena, Boise, ID

On the air: TV: CBS/ KOIN 6, radio: 800 AM (KPDQ)

2008 Tournament History:

No. 3 seed Xavier lost to No. 1 seed UCLA 76-57 in West Regional Final. Defeated Georgia, Purdue, and West Virginia.

No 16. Portland State lost to No.1 seed Kansas 85-61 in the South Regional first round.

Just a taste: The Musketeers of Xavier enter the big dance as regular season conference champion of the Atlantic 10 conference and are ranked 22^nd in the coaches polls.

Their last game was a two-point loss to Temple in the A10 conference tournament semifinal. Temple went on to win the tournament securing an NCAA tournament berth.

Xavier has an impressive tournament resume with victories over last year’s National Champion runner-up, Memphis, and SEC conference champion Louisiana State. Notable losses for the Musketeers from teams competing in the NCAA tournament include an 18-point loss at Duke and a nine-point loss to Butler.

Two-time Big Sky tournament champion Portland State will come to Boise riding a season high six-game winning streak.

The Vikings were surprised by a No. 13 seed from the tournament committee after last year’s drawing of a 16 seed and a date with eventual tournament champion Kansas.

Portland State’s victory at Gonzaga stands out as the biggest win for the season while a one-point loss to PAC-10 regular season champion Washington shows that the Vikings can compete with teams that were given high seeds in the tournament. Washington, like Xavier, is a No. four seed in the West Regional.

Stars: Xavier has three starters that average double digits in scoring. Senior B.J. Raymond leads the team in scoring averaging 14 points per game, while forwards Derrick Brown and C.J. Anderson score 13.8 and 10 points each contest respectively. The Musketeers rely heavily on their rebounding. They are eighth in the country in total rebounds while holding opponents to an average of 62.3 points a game.

BJ Raymond

The Vikings will be led by senior captain and Big Sky tournament MVP Jeremiah Dominguez. Dominguez has scored in double digits in the last five games averaging 16.8 points in those games.

PSU will also rely heavily from fellow starting guard and senior Andrew Murray, who played a significant role in getting the Vikings back to the big dance for the second year in a row. Starting forward Phil Nelson and Jamie Jones will also need productive games for the Vikings to get the upset over Xavier. Both players struggled with scoring in the conference tournament.

X-Factor Matchup: Xavier’s Bench vs. Portland State’s Bench

The Vikings look to have a much deeper bench than the Musketeers. Junior guard Dominic Waters and forward Julius Thomas have developed a nice two-man game that has been difficult for defenders to stop. Waters is a threat from the outside while Thomas is a force underneath the basket. No player from the Xavier bench averages more than five points a game.

Written by Tom Sedun, Vanguard staff

Early Morning Pontificating From Boise

2009-03-19T00:03:00.000-07:00

Boise State Univeristy

Earlier this evening the Vanguard arrived here in Boise. And after chowing down on dinner downtown and making a quick stop by Fred Meyer to pick up some last-second essentials, everything is winding down and most of the "Tournament Team" members are resting up for tomorrow's practice sessions.

However, while it is approaching midnight, I find myself in a coffee-induced state of perkiness. Joined in Boise by sports editor Skyler Archibald, beat reporter Tom Sedun and photographer Rodrigo Melgarejo, I already believe this trip to the NCAA Tournament is different for Portland State. At least it feels that way.

As the only member of this quartet that traveled to Omaha to cover the Vikings' initial foray into the depths of March Madness, I have a bit of perspective. Excitement fueled the tournament appearance last season. The team was thrilled to have "Portland State" inscribed across an official NCAA Tournament sign outside its locker room and appeared content just to share the floor with Kansas.

That overwhelming sense of excitement seems to be tempered this time around. Like Ken Bone and his team, I have experienced March Madness up close before, and this trip is defined more by a feeling of legitimacy and respect for the program developing in Portland's South Park Blocks rather than over-the-top excitement. And that starts with the athletic administration and flows directly down to the players.

Speaking of the players, Jeremiah Dominguez, Phil Nelson, Andre Murray and Co. will step on the floor at Taco Bell Arena slightly after 4 p.m. Pacific Time for a rather brief shootaround that better resembles a football walk-through than an actual practice.

In Omaha, the vast majority of the players were tense and reserved during in a similar mini practice session. Forward Kyle Coston was one of the few players that broke out of his shell, unleashing a handful of tantalizing dunks to entertain the scanty number of spectators that where on hand. But outside of Coston, the flashes of a team that had dominated its conference and deserved to have a chip on its shoulder were limited.

When the Vikings faced off against Kansas the following morning it was evident the uncomfortableness strolled on the court with them. With that said, we will know much more about how Portland State is feeling this year, and, as a result, what the Vikings' chances are of upsetting a solid Xavier squad.

If my faculties are functioning properly, I have a hunch Bone will have his players better prepared, both mentally and physically, and the Vikings will stroll onto the court a much more confident bunch than they did last year. It feels more like business--not pleasure--this time around.

But we will have a better idea if that is truly the case tomorrow. Check back throughout the day, but certainly frequent the blog and http://www.dailyvanguard.com/ Web site in the late evening for the lowdown on practice, a pulse on the team's mood and an in-depth examination of Xavier.

--Nathan Hellman

Why do you love the Tourney?- Jerseys Anyone?

2009-03-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

For many, the pageantry of college basketball is the binding force that keeps us excited about March Madness year after year.

Just like college football, the colors, jerseys, pep bands, cheerleaders and all of the hoopla that CBS and ESPN can throw at you keep me and millions of basketball fans tuned in from the early season moments of Midnight Madness to Selection Sunday and all the way through the Final Four.

This year, like any other, I have filled out two brackets.

The first is based on which teams I actually feel will win and is not particularly unique from the millions of others being filled out.

But my other bracket is chosen based on the most beautiful uniform that is playing in the game. Michigan’s classic navy jerseys that they seem to have been wearing for twenty years take the cake over Clemson’s Nike horn pattern, for example.

In filling out my uniform bracket this year, I came across some interesting tidbits that I found worth mentioning. I have divided the observations into the four regions.

Midwest Region

It always seems strange when teams have the All-American look going strong on their jerseys. The red, white and blue has become synonymous with the flag that represents our country but it typically doesn’t have the same aesthetics on a basketball court.

This region has three teams, (Kansas, Dayton and Arizona) that sport the red, white and blue although there is some variation in each team’s shade of blue. I am particular fond of Dayton’s and have them advancing all the way to my Uniform Final Four, although I wish that the Flyers would wear this jersey more often.

What a thing of beauty this matchup would be...

Stumptown Sports Hook has noticed some striking similarities between Cleveland State and our homegrown Portland State squad. The school’s share a mascot--Vikings -- but also share colors and there are some striking similarities in the mascots...

Cleveland State vs. Portland State.

You decide...

Boston College and USC both seem to sport a similar color palette but the Eagles are the lone representative in the tourney sporting Reebok gear.

Uniform Picks: Arizona, Wake Forest, Dayton, Kansas, Michigan State with Arizona and Dayton advancing to the Elite Eight. Like we said before, we like Dayton...

Best first round matchup: West Virginia vs. Dayton Best potential matchup: Dayton vs. Arizona

West Region

While pouring over the West region we came across one abnormality that the people from the state of Utah have likely debated before. Both Brigham Young and Utah State seem to be running off the same jersey with the same basic colors of Navy and White. Interesting....

The West region features an interesting brand matchup with Maryland (thankfully the only Under Armour team in the tourney) meeting Cal (one of only two teams clothed by Jordan). We like the Golden Bears.

Memphis, after their embarrassing (uniform) in the national championship last year switched to Nike and the swooshers from Beaverton gave the Tigers something special for their inaugural Nike season.

Someone might want to remind John Calipari that special arrangements haven’t worked out so well for the Ducks.

We would be remised if we didn’t bring attention to the Marquette jerseys, not only the most original and most bold in the tourney but also our overall favorite. The Stumptown Sports Hook is headed to Boise to watch Portland State take on Xavier but don’t blame us for wanting a close look at the Golden Eagles, who also will head to Potato country.

Uniform Picks: Marquette, Marquette, Marquette... But if you horizontal stripes aren’t your thing, check out Cal, Washington (minus the annoying shoulder thing and UCONN, just not the silver jerseys)

Best first round matchup: Washington vs. Mississippi St. I don’t usually have an affinity for purple so I’ll hope that the Huskies will go with the white or gold.
Best potential matchup: Connecticut vs. Marquette

East Region
Besides boasting our own Vikings of Portland State, the East region has one of the more unique uniform matchups of the tourney. When Oklahoma State takes on Tennessee, the orange on orange battle will reign supreme.

 I am partial to the creamsicle of the Volunteers but since I can’t stand watching the academic juggernauts that Bruce Pearl deploys, its hard to root for them.

The East has a staggering 12 of the 16 teams dressed in Nike apparel. Included in that bunch is the beautiful jerseys of Villanova, the classic (up until the ACC Tournament) Duke blue’s and the busy, busy black jerseys of Florida State.

For all the talk about VCU defeating the history-rich tradition of UCLA, I just don’t see their jerseys pushing the Bruins around one bit.

Uniform Picks: Tennessee, Villanova, Duke

Best first round matchup: Oklahoma State vs. Tennessee
Best potential matchup: UCLA vs. ‘Nova

South Region

For some reason, I have a hard time getting excited about the aesthetics of this bracket. Outside of Gonzaga’s patented number font and Carolina’s argyle on the shorts there isn’t too much to care about.

Of course, then I saw that Syracuse is in the bottom half of the bracket and my pulse jumped a bit. Maybe it’s the way they play, or the 2-3 defense or the fact that they always seem to have a white guy that annoys the crap out of opponents.

I personally think that its the orange jerseys... I am praying that the Orange advance all the way to the Final Four, only so I can see those jerseys in primetime a few more times.

For a sleeper pick in the South, check out Akron who apparently gets some special benefits from Lebron James, the King of preferential treatment. James’ high school coach is now the coach of the Zips...

Uniform Picks: North Carolina, Gonzaga, Syracuse, Michigan
 Best first round matchup: Arizona St vs. Temple
Best potential matchup: Michigan vs. Syracuse

Vikings matched up with Xavier in first round: Portland State earns a No. 13 seed and will face the Musketeers in Boise on Friday

2009-03-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

The Vikings learned what a difference one year makes on Sunday afternoon when the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee slotted the repeat Big Sky Champions as a surprising 13 seed and rewarded head coach Ken Bone’s squad with a first round game in Boise, Idaho.

Last season, the Vikings rolled through the Big Sky Conference and tournament but lacked a signature non-conference win and were seeded No. 16 leading to a difficult first round matchup with eventual national champion Kansas.

But this year, a December victory against Gonzaga coupled with a Portland State victory for the second consecutive year at the Big Sky Tournament earned the Vikings a much-improved and more winnable game against Xavier of the Atlantic-10 Conference.

The Musketeers seemed like a lock for a better seed until they were upset by Temple in the A-10 Semifinals on Friday. They boast a 25-7 record and were 12-4 in conference play.

Included in those seven defeats were losses at Duke, Duquesne, Dayton, Charlotte, Temple and Richmond. The Musketeers lost only one home game all season, on Dec. 23 (the same day the Vikings defeated Gonzaga) to Butler. Three of their seven losses came to NCAA Tournament teams but Xavier has posted impressive wins over Missouri, Virginia Tech, Memphis, Auburn, Cincinnati and Virginia.

Xavier is led in scoring by 6-6 senior forward B.J. Raymond who averages 14.1 points per game and shoots 42 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Junior forward Derrick Brown provides the interior presence for the Musketeers averaging 13.8 points and 6 rebounds per game.

The matchup will be the first in the history of the two schools and the Vikings have never faced an opponent from the Atlantic 10. Game time for the first round contest has yet to be announced.

Portland State and Xavier will join Florida State, Wisconsin, Marquette, Utah State, Missouri and Cornell in first round games at Taco Bell Arena on the campus of Boise State University.

Vikings release football schedule: Red Raiders will head to PGE Park

2009-03-13T17:47:00.000-07:00

As suspected when we broke the tentative football schedule several weeks ago, the Vikings will head into the 2009 season looking favorably at the schedule.

Portland State will open up the season at Reser Stadium in Corvallis in a game that will likely be televised on FSN. They'll continue their trip through college football in Oregon with a matchup against NAIA Southern Oregon.

The Red Raiders are considering elevating athletics to Division II status where they would be able to compete against Western Oregon and Humboldt State, both more accessible to SOU out of Ashland.

The Vikings will take on Montana in the squads road and Big Sky opener but then will play four of five at home in a stretch that will determine the teams ability to achieve their goal of making the subdivision playoffs.

Unlike last season, the Vikings will likely play just one "cold weather game" when they take on Eastern Washington in Cheney on Oct. 31. They also head to Pocatello for a matchup with the Bengals but will play in a dome in their season finale.

The full schedule is as follows:

Sept. 5
at Oregon State, TBA

Sept. 12
vs. SOUTHERN OREGON, 1:05 p.m.

Sept. 19
at Montana, 12:05 p.m. PT

Sept. 26
vs. WEBER STATE, 1:05 p.m.

Oct. 3
vs. SACRAMENTO STATE, 1:05 p.m.

Oct. 10
at Northern Colorado, TBA

Oct. 17
vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA, 1:05 p.m.

Oct. 24
vs. UC DAVIS, 1:05 p.m.

Oct. 31
at Eastern Washington, TBA

Nov. 7
vs. MONTANA STATE, 1:05 p.m.

Nov. 14
at Idaho State, TBA

PSU headed to the Dance again, 79-77

2009-03-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

Written by: Tom Sedun, Vanguard staff

The Portland State Vikings are headed to the NCAA tournament again after defeating Montana State in a wire to wire 79-77 victory over Montana State in front of 1546 at the Dee Event Center in Ogden, Utah.

“We beat an impressive team in Montana State, said head coach Ken Bone who has now led the Vikings to its second NCAA tournament in school history. “This victory is a tribute to our team.”

Senior captain Jeremiah Dominguez led all scorers with 22 points and was named the Big Sky tournament Most Valuable Player. Divaldo Mbunga led the Bobcats with 20 points and ten rebounds.

“It’s a great feeling after working so hard,” Dominguez said. “We had some struggles in the middle of the season, but we were able to come out and win the championship.”

“Jeremiah put us on his back,” said junior forward Julius Thomas who scored 17, including the game winning slam from Dominic Waters with five seconds remaining.”He is the leader of this team.”

The first half was nip and tuck with both teams exchanging baskets en route to a 40-39 halftime lead for the Vikings. Kyle Coston provided much of the energy for the high scoring half for Portland State with seven points.

“Kyle came out with tremendous confidence,” said Bone. “He was a definite presence on the defensive end.”

In the second half with the game tied at 50 and Montana State being the early aggressors, Dominguez ignited his team to a 11-1 run giving Portland State a ten-point advantage with 12:25 to play.

“I didn’t want to go out like that,” Dominguez said. “I got a feeling in my stomach and sometimes you feel confident in yourself; luckily I hit some big shots and made some plays down the stretch.”

Montana State had a chance to force overtime or win the game outright with 2.5 seconds remaining. But junior guard Dominic Waters stripped Brendan Johnson in the middle of his game winning shot attempt.

“They (Montana State) threw it to Howard and Dom’ (Waters) guarded him well,” Bone said.
Now the Vikings wait for selection Sunday to see who and where they will play their first round game.

“Last year was exciting to get to the tournament, this year we’re excited to be going again, but lets try to build from last year’s experience and go win a game.

Vikings look to be pulling away: lead 71-62

2009-03-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

If your dancing shoes got a little dusty over the past 12 months, you better shine them up because it looks like the Vikings are pulling away from Montana State. A win, of course, would earn the club their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Men’s Basketball Preview: Big Sky Championship Edition

2009-03-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

What: Portland State (22-9, 12-5 BSC) vs. Montana State (14-16, 7-10)
Where: Dee Events Center, Ogden, Utah
When: 7:30 p.m., Tonight
On the air: 800 AM KPDQ (audio, Tom Hewitt play-by-play), ESPN2 (Comcast channel 36)

Stars: Montana State has had an inconsistent year thus far, but when the Bobcats have played well it has been based heavily on the inside presence of senior All Big Sky center Divaldo Mbunga.

Mbunga, the Zach Randolph lookalike, is a force on the glass and on defense. In their win over Weber State he had 11 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal.

The Montana State backcourt tandem of Marquis Navarre and Will Bynum form a strong duo of players capable of running the offense and scoring. Combined, they average 15 points per game but have been effective in hounding opposing ball handlers with their quickness.

In addition to those three stars, Junior Branden Johnson was the player of the game for Montana State in their semifinal victory. The southpaw shooter hit four of his six threes en route to a team high 16 points.

Portland State will need a strong game from at least two of their perimeter players. In their semifinal victory over Idaho State, it was junior Dominic Waters who sparked the team in the first half and senior guard Andre Murray who brought the team to life in a stagnant second half.

A key matchup should be Johnson and Portland State junior forward Kyle Coston. Both players like to roam outside the three point line and three’s by either will help either team establish the spacing and tempo that both of these teams will want to play at.

Just a taste: An unlikely pairing, the two squads will meet for the third time this season, but this time a Big Sky Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament will be on the line.

Montana State has bulldozed through two of the top three seeds in the conference, all on the road, and will have an opportunity to knock off the Vikings and earn the school’s third ever trip to the Big Dance.

Portland State is making their second consecutive trip to the championship game and will have to give a more consistent effort should they earn a subsequent berth in the NCAA Tournament.

The Vikings have struggled with consistency within games this season and only played well during the first half of their 61-53 semifinal victory over the Bengals.

The two teams split their matchups this season, with Montana State eking out a narrow three point victory in Bozeman and Portland State picking up a six point win at the Stott Center.

With host Weber State dropping their semifinal yesterday and nearby Idaho State also stumbling, the Big Sky Championship will likely be played in front of just a few hundred fans as neither Montana State nor Portland State looked well supported in their semifinal.

This will be the second time this season that the Vikings have appeared in a ESPN game. Portland State defeated Boise Stat on Feb. 21 in the other game.

The two squads met last in the Big Sky Tournament in 2007, when Portland State defeated the Bobcats, 96-71 in a quarterfinal game played at the Stott Center.

Favorites shocked: Weber State falls in a stunner to No. 6 seed Montana State

2009-03-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

In a game that not a soul was bold enough to predict, Montana State defeated Weber State in the Big Sky Tournament Semifinals, 70-61.

The win advances Montana State, an unlikely participant, to the Big Sky Championship where they will face the No. 2 seeded Portland State in the championship game tomorrow evening. At stake will be a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the first for Montana State since 1996.

The Bobcats trounced the host Wildcats, who they had fallen to by 20 points just one week ago, behind a terrific defensive performance and sharpshooting from the perimeter.

Weber State managed to hit just four of their 26 three-point attempts while Montana State shot an efficient 40 percent from beyond the arc. The Wildcats shot just 33 percent from the field for the game and had just eight team assists.

“They played really hard,” Kellen McCoy, Weber State’s senior guard said. “We just didn’t hit our shots and they came in with a lot of heart. Everything changed from two weeks ago.”

The loss left the 5,162 in attendance devastated, and the host Wildcats wondering what went wrong.

Montana State, who barely snuck into the Big Sky Tournament, upset rival Montana in a road game last Saturday to earn their ticket to Ogden.

On Tuesday night, they made believers out of the rest of the conference by handing Weber State just their second loss of the conference season.

“Our guys persevered through a lot this season,” said Montana State head coach Brad Huse. “This win is exciting for our program, exciting for our university.”

The Big Sky MVP, McCoy, had an off-night and was hounded by defensive pressure from Marquis Navarre and Will Bynum. McCoy finished with just 16 points but struggled from the perimeter and hit just four of 10 field goal attempts. He also had six turnovers.

Navarre and Bynum had 17 total points and joined Branden Johnson, Erik Rush and Divaldo Mbunga in holding off a furious Weber State rally in the waning moments.

The Weber State freshman combination of Damian Lillard and Kyle Bullinger that spurned Big Sky opponents during the regular season was held in check for the majority of the game. They combined for just 10 total points.

Momentum may have swung as early as the final moments of the first half when a Bynum steal led to a thunderous transition dunk over Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, Weber State forward Daviin Davis.

Bynum’s play and the subsequent technical foul he earned for jawing with Davis infuriated the crowd but ignited a strong run by the Bobcats to close the half.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Weber State will continue their season in the NIT. Due to the defeat, the Wildcats will claim the conference’s automatic bid to the tournament and could possibly host a first-round game next week.

Montana State will move on to keep their streaking run through the Big Sky Tournament with a chance to take their lackluster 13-16 record to the NCAA Tournament with a victory over Portland State tomorrow night.

Vikings Stumble into Big Sky Championship

2009-03-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

Written by: Tom Sedun, Vanguard staff

Ogden, Utah- For the second consecutive season, the Portland State Vikings have reached the Big Sky conference tournament championship game. And for the second consecutive year they reached the conference championship by defeating Idaho State.

The Vikings were able to pull out a 61-53 victory in front of 2779 at the Dee Events Center on the campus of Weber State.

The road back to the final did not come easy for the Vikings who let Idaho State rally from a 19-point halftime deficit.

“Well it wasn’t the prettiest of games but we are glad that we were able to win,” said Portland State head coach Ken Bone. “It feels great to be back in the championship game. It’s something we have been striving for all season long.”

Andre Murray led all scorers with 24 points and scored 13 of Portland State’s 19 points in the second half. “They were beating us in transition,” Murray said. “I felt I needed to score the ball for us.”

Portland State went on a 22-2 run in the first half to give the defending Big Sky champions a 42-23 halftime advantage, Phil Nelson scored 12 of his 14 in the first half.

But much like their earlier meeting in Pocatello, the Bengals opened the second half with an 18-3 run and had all the momentum late in the ball game.

“I told the guys that this game was just like that one. Idaho State is a very good team and could have very well been in the championship game,” Bone said.

With the Bengals only trailing the Vikings by three with Jeremiah Dominguez sealed the Portland State victory by hitting three free throws, all in the final minute.

“It’s great we are back in the championship game,” said the first team all Big Sky guard. “But we need to play focused for forty minutes in order to win tomorrow.”

Even though the game was not the finest performance from the Vikings, the victory was satisfying enough, at least for one night.

“A win is a win,” said Andre Murray. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a blowout or by one point, I’ll take it.”

Marnix, our student blogger predicts the conference tourneys...sort of

2009-03-09T21:49:00.002-07:00

By now, most of you will have familiarized yourselves with our student and unabashed Viking fan, Marnix Brinkhoff.

He took a few days off but Marnix is back with a guest post about how he feels the men's and women's basketball teams will do in the Big Sky Tournament's this weekend.

With March Madness around the corner that can mean only one thing: Conference Tournaments!

With the Men’s Big Sky Tournament kicking off tomorrow and the women’s later this week here are my predictions for both Tournaments this week.

Men’s Semifinals:

Portland State vs. Idaho State: I predict PSU wins this match-up, because the team is rested and hopefully pumped for the opportunity to play again on television with an opportunity to defend their Big Sky Conference Crown.

Weber State vs. Montana State: Even though MSU is the only team to beat Weber State in conference this year, the Wildcats are no joke and come to play every night.

Men’s Final:Weber State v. Portland State.

I believe the Vikings will show up to this one, but with the poise and leadership the Wildcats have, I’m going to have to give the edge to Weber State.

It pains me to say such a thing and I’ve never wanted to be proved wrong more, but I believe the Wildcats are going to win, because they are consistent, have worked hard and gotten better all year.

Even though the bright lights of ESPN will be shining again, I just don’t see the lethargic Vikings being able to pull off what I would classify as a huge upset.

Women’s Semifinals:

Screw it, lets just get straight to the inevitable finale: Portland State and Montana.

Portland State vs. Montana: The clash of the two titans in Big Sky women’s basketball should be quite the match-up.

Last Saturday’s game would have been quite the match-up too, but Comcast is too sexist to cover the game I guess, but I digress.

My prediction for next week’s match-up is that the Vikings pull off the victory and gain a berth to the NCAA tournament, because Kelsey Kahle and Claire Faucher are just too big of competitors to let another “W” slip through their grasp.

Besides, I’m still a Viking fan and I still hate Montana so there is no way I can predict them to win.

Well, those are my predictions. You can like them or you can hate them. I may be wrong or I may be right, but either way be sure to tune in and cheer the Vikings on!

Marnix, our student blogger predicts the conference tourney'

2009-03-09T21:49:00.001-07:00

Comments on Quarterback Free Agency

2009-03-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

Posted by Vanguard sports writer, Allison Whited

The shake-ups that rattle the football world during free agency are felt most strongly in the quarterback position. And this off-season has had it's fair share of seismic activity.

Kurt Warner just signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals, practically guaranteeing that the 37-year old QB will end his career in the desert. Good for him. But I take a little issue with his attitude. Warner's agent made it clear at the beginning of free agency that Warner was due the pay that the top five QBs receive. Mind you, despite some spectacular years, he has had more than his fair share of throw away years. Does anybody remember Kurt Warner, mentor extraordinaire to Eli Manning in New York? No, you say. That's with good reason. It was more than forgettable. It was worthy of traumatic amnesia. It is also well-known that he has been battling for the starting job every year since Matt Leinart was drafted.

I'm moving on to Jay Cutler now. Poor, poor Jay Cutler. I despised him when Denver drafted him because I knew that would be the end of Jake “The Snake” Plummer, and I adored that guy and his on-field intelligence. But today, my heart is with Jay Cutler. Josh McDaniels needs to realize he is now the head coach of a team and that being in that position requires a certain amount of poise and awareness. Let me set the scene for you. On the eve of free-agency, McDaniels and Broncos brass make a disorganized, incomplete play to acquire McDaniels's former QB protégé Matt Cassel from the New England Patriots, sending Cutler to Detroit. Never mind that Cutler has three years left on his contract. Never mind that he had a great season last year, despite the team's overall inadequacies. Never mind that he is the exact kind of QB the Denver fans demand, an image of John Elway formed by God's own hand. Elway is a god there, make no mistake.

So the deal falls through and Cassel heads to Kansas City. Good for Denver fans I think because they would never be able to stomach a QB like him. And because the dealings in free agency are spread around in a fashion similar to the spreading of a rumor in a girl's locker room, Cutler's agent found out and kindly let him know. Now Jake Cutler is sad. Very sad. He has said to anyone who will listen he will not talk to the team right now and that he is in an utter state of shock about what happened. Now all McDaniels has done is created a bitter pot for Cutler to stew in during the off-season. And what Denver needs more than anything is a revamped defense. Mike Shanahan's grave was the skill he put into offense. In my opinion, McDaniels has really blown his first big call as a head coach. I sincerely hope this ordeal makes him grow up quickly so that he can have a long career in this one-shot-don't-screw-it-up league.

Odds are set at 3:1 that Kyle Coston earns a technical foul in Ogden

2009-03-04T17:02:00.001-08:00

After doing some preliminary research on the subject, the evidence is in. Junior forward Kyle Coston , a man with many talents, is the most likely player at the Big Sky Tournament to earn himself a technical foul.

Coston, a junior lefty with a strong outside shooting touch, is leading the team in fouls heading into the Big Sky Tourney. This comes despite Coston often being handed the least physical of the opposition's front-line players, with either Jamie Jones or Julius Thomas typically defending the bigger and better opposing post.

Kyle also leads the team in technical fouls--he has earned two in the past four games. Now, certainly he isn't approaching Rasheed-level status but a closer look and a trip down memory lane demonstrates that if the Big Sky Tournament had some prop bets for the action in Ogden, put your money on a Coston infraction.

He may have only technically (ha, ha) earned two technical fouls but fans of the Vikings will remember a few other points of evidence that could work against the Southpaw.

1- Coston and Portland forward Robin Smeulders tangle underneath the hoop in the Vikings Stott Center opener. No technicals are assessed but there was certainly some extracurricular activity, if you know what I'm saying.

2- Coston and Seattle Redhawks' Austen Powers and Mike Boxley get tangled up on several occasions. Again, no whistle but there could have been.

3- The Vikings and Idaho State scuffle on the way to the locker rooms at the end of the first half at the Stott Center. Surely, Coston isn't solely responsible for the altercation but he was definitely there and definitely involved.

4- Chris Kaba of Northern Colorado and Coston go nose to nose after a physical play in the second half. Finally some game control by the zebras, as both are assessed T's.

5- The great dunker that he is, Coston is whistled for dunking during warmups of the Eastern Washington game. Not necessarily a fight but you can label it in the bonehead category.

Now, what do all of these bodies of evidence tell us? I don't think they say that Coston is a dirty player or that he is cheap or anything like that. I think these pieces of evidence and my own personal knowledge of Coston indicate more than anything, that he is a maturing young man and he still has some growth left in him in that sense.

Sometimes he just doesn't make the best decisions on the court, especially when emotions are high.

Now, on to the readings of the week-
Jim Moore of the Seattle PI has a good story about a former high-school and college star who suddenly was diagnosed with cancer.

The annoying logos that the NCAA had previously used on all their NCAA Tournament courts are going by the way side because players were slipping all over them.

No that it matters really but CollegeRpi has the following from the Big Sky Teams
Weber State: 95
Portland State: 119
Montana: 164
Idaho State: 201
Northern Colorado: 261
Montana State: 242

Eastern Washington: 237
Northern Arizona: 295
Sacramento State: 341 (of 344 teams)

Joe Lunardi has the Wildcats advancing fr om the Big Sky Championships and drawing a No. 14 seed. He also said PSU would get no worse than a No. 15 seed last year so take it for what its worth.

Anyways make sure to stay tuned- The Stumptown Sports Hook is headed to Ogden next week!

Free Agency '09 (or how Dan Snyder lost his damn mind)

2009-03-02T16:44:00.000-08:00

by Vanguard Sports writer, Allison Whited

The first weekend of free agency for the NFL is a roller coaster ride like no other.

It's one of those times when in one minute your heart is so swollen with joy it could burst in and in the next you're on your knees crying and trying hold back the knot of nausea in the pit of your stomach.

There have been some great signings, things I really believe are good moves. Bart Scott to New York is a fine move by a fine head coach who seems to have the class and defensive wisdom of his father. Scott is truly one of those additions that is worth it at any price.

I do not like, as you can guess, the 'Skins free agency moves.

No, no. I know what you're thinking. I can get past the Haynesworth deal. Personally, I think he's overrated. He only performs when it's a contract year and he is injury prone, even if it is small injuries. Being without an important piece of your defense like that for even a couple of games each season is like missing a puzzle piece, but not an inconspicuous edge piece.

It's like missing the piece in the middle of the puzzle. Also, I would like to remind everyone that the man cleated Cowboys center Andre Gurode's face. Very rude and speaks loudly about his inner character. Despite the $100 million on his contract, Haynesworth will more likely see about $48 million, which while still a lot, is not $100 million.

My biggest problem is with the DeAngelo Hall deal. Six years and $54 million. Really? Really??? This is a man that was cut midway through the season by the hapless Raiders last year before being picked up by the Redskins. Really?

The deal includes $22.5 million guaranteed. It's astounding. He was not a presence in Atlanta where he began his career. He had a whopping two picks in eight games for the Skins this past season. This contract is almost on par with Raider's cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha's $15 million per year contract and his skill level is something Hall could never dream of replicating.

You cannot buy championships, can you Cowboys, Jets, and Redskins teams past? Dan Snyder should know better than to make these deals by now. Talent is inherent in players and throwing more money at them won't increase their production. All Snyder has done is lock the team into more salary cap crises in the future.

I think all the time he spent with Tom Cruise at home games in the owner's box last season must have had an adverse effect on his rational thinking... DeAngelo Hall... Really???

Vikings grab No. 2 seed in conference tourney and something special for the second week in a row...

2009-03-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

After four straight wins to close the regular season, the men's basketball team earned a first round bye in the Big Sky Tournament and will not open the tournament until the semifinals next Tuesday night.

If the chalk holds out, and its a safe assumption, you can bet that PSU will likely take on Montana in that semifinal game. My feelings about the squad not playing until nine days from now are mixed.

Another home game and you obviously have the chance to keep improving and continue perfecting the offensive scheme of working inside-out. But of course there is always the possibility that the Vikings could lose that game and given the fact that they got beat by Montana State (who would have been their opponent) in Bozeman earlier in the year, it might be a good thing.

Anyhow, we will definitely have a more thorough breakdown of the Big Sky Tournament later this week. As for now, on to other things...

Last week our guest commentator, a Portland State student and fan, made known his feelings about the fans that made their presence known in front of the ESPN cameras... This week he is ranting about another itch: the possible renovation of the Stott Center.

Feelings around campus are mixed. As any observer could tell you, the student section is hardly full and rarely boisterous. Why should we quadruple the seating capacity of the gym when it does not sellout currently?

Well our man Marnix has a solid take on it.

There are many who feel that the Stott Center Renovation is a pointless and wasteful project that Portland State shouldn’t waste there time with. To those “nay sayers” I would like you to think about the following…

As the men’s team wraps up their 2008-2009 season with a 12-1 home record and the women’s team going 13-2, I don’t see any reason why the athletes that represent the PSU colors on the hard-court don't deserve to play in a legitimate gymnasium.

If money is the issue maybe we should take some money from “high-profile” but under-performing coaches (Glanville) or programs (football).

If your complaint is that Portland State should focus on academics, I would propose the notion that investing and building a national athletics program is the road to such an idea. Think about it, outside of the Ivy League schools, all the national powerhouses in either football or basketball are considered to have highly reputable academic institutions.

For example, USC with Football, Duke or North Carolina with Basketball, or Texas that dominates in just about every athletic event are all highly regarded academically in addition to being powerhouses in sports.

Whether or not they are good at academics because they are good at sports is not a concrete correlation, but the fact that its works more times than not is a compelling idea.

With that said, I guess I look forward to coming back to campus in a couple of years and seeing the new beautiful stadium the athletic department is working so diligently to build.

Then again, actually filling the new, larger stadium will be a different story (see my posting from Tuesday, Feb. 24).

A decent effort from Marnix in his second such posting of the year... We'll leave you today with a pretty solid youtube video of Northern Idaho Junior College point guard Melvin Jones hitting an impressive shot to help his current squad defeat CSI, which I believe stands for College of Southern Idaho and not something else.

Who is Melvin Jones? Possibly the man who will replace Jeremiah Dominguez as the Vikings starting point guard next season.

Does UCONN not have anybody working in media relations?

2009-02-26T08:43:00.001-08:00

By now most of you have seen this video of UCONN men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun fielding a difficult question from a writer after the Huskies game last Saturday.

What we were wondering is why someone in media relations didn't either, A: redirect the question and encourage the writer to ask it at a more 'appropriate' time, or B: attempt to calm down Calhoun before he went off and brought a ton of attention to his fat salary and egotistical attitude.

My thoughts about the situation are mainly with the writer. Many have said that because he is a freelance conservative writer that semi-snuck into the game by using a photographer's media credential, the writer, Ken Krayeske, is to blame.

The fact is that writers, regardless of what their publication or motive is, do not get all the access to coaches to ask them questions like the kind that Krayeske was asking. They are often told that coaches are only available after practice or after games and neither of those situations are ideal for asking difficult questions.

I certainly do disagree with Krayeske's badgering of Calhoun with a follow-up question, but Calhoun, or a media relations person for UCONN should have been able to give him a more appropriate answer.

The topic of the question and Calhoun's financial issue has little to do with the situation. Many writers would love to use postgame interviews for questions about things not necessarily pertinent to the game that was just played.

Most of us however, think better of it and when we don't coaches or media relations people are there to somehow deflect the crap from actually hitting the fan. UCONN might want to think about that.

Of course, this is not Calhoun's first press conference blunder.... Check this out...

Guest Commentary from a Portland State student and fan

2009-02-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: While we here at the Vanguard pride ourselves in maintaining our journalistic integrity and not having a rooting interest it is often difficult to not get attached to the athletes, teams and coaches that we cover. With that said, our ethical responsibility is to report the truth regardless of what light it depicts our university in.

Luckily enough, we have a guest commentator to give us the PSU Fans' perspective.

His name is Marnix Brinkhoff and he is a senior majoring in Business Accounting. Check out the picture for a glimpse at what this Dutchman looks like...

Marnix will be contributing to the sports blog on a semi-regular basis. Check out his first blog entry as he digs on the Vikings fans that manage to make all the PSU games, as long as they are on national television.

Viking Fans,

With the stars out (well, at least Greg Oden) and the bright lights of ESPN shining on the Stott Center in Saturday’s men’s basketball match up against Boise State, the Portland State student’s showed up to electrify the gymnasium.

Similar to Jeremiah Dominguez’s game, the students of PSU came out of a near year-long hiatus to once again show up in force for an ESPN televised game. The last game with so much support was the Big Sky Championship last March, the last time that the Vikings played on ESPN.

As a devoted fan to the basketball program, I realize how much better basketball at the Stott Center can be with the energy of so many rowdy students.

However, the fact that student’s only show up for a glimpse at the big stage of ESPN is disturbing.

With competitive basketball in the Park Blocks this year, I anticipated some large crowds to cheer on the defending Big Sky Champions, but with most athletic events, I was sorely disappointed in the student turnout this season.

My writing, I hope, will not deter students from attending more games or cheering vigorously but instead will ignite a spark for ALL students to come out to ALL games.

Think about the impact the sold-out crowd had on the game (as the team led by 23 at halftime) and think about what the season would look like right now if those students had been there all year.

With the last home game this Wednesday, my hope is to see just as many vibrant PSU fans this

week as there was for the game last weekend, even without the stigma of ESPN coverage.

Go Vikings!

Who's going to Ogden? Big Sky Tournament update...

2009-02-23T19:36:00.000-08:00

As we head into the final week of the regular season much of the conference tournament field is being narrowed down. We already now that the Big Sky Tournament will be at the Dee Events Center in Ogden and Weber State will be the host.

Up to this point the Wildcats have looked downright dominant. While Lillard and Bullinger get a bunch of credit and McCoy seems like a lock for POY, Weber State is the team that they are because of a strong inside game from Steve Panos and real leadership from senior guard Daviin Davis, who you can catch a glimpse of his athleticism on this video.

Anyhow I thought it would be good to break down the tournament scenarios for everybody...Here goes:

# 1 Seed: Weber State- (see above).

#2 Seed: Likely Montana-The Griz are 11-4 after taking down Idaho State on Saturday. They play at Northern Colorado on Thursday and control their own destiny. If they win, they are the automatic No. 2 seed. If they lose... that's when things get interesting.

#3 Seed: Portland State- The Vikings have a home game against Montana State on Wednesday, and it's certainly no gimme. If Portland State can play like they did against Boise State on Saturday: inspired and confident they should get a win. The tougher test might come on Saturday when they play at Eastern Washington, a team that could be fighting for its playoff lives.

#4 Seed: Idaho State- The Pocatello pokies seem poised to host another Big Sky Tournament game. They have two easy games this week to wrap up the regular season.

#5 Seed: Montana State- The Bobcats still have three games remaining but will probably find a way to get wins in at least two of them. The game of the year could be Saturday when Montana State travels to Greeley to take on the Bears with the playoffs on the line.

#6 Seed: Northern Colorado- Not sure why I have the Bears here ahead of Eastern Washington, but I feel strongly that they will be able to get at least one victory out of the Montana schools this week. Eastern Washington has the misfortune of having just one conference game left- against Portland State, a team that they do not match up with very well...

We'll of course know more after this week... In fact we'll know everything.

If my guesses are correct, the Vikings would host Northern Colorado in a rematch of last week's game that went down to the final buzzer and Idaho State would take on Montana State in Pocatello. My guess is that the chalk would advance and you would be looking at a pretty solid Big Sky Final Four.

Wanted to let everybody know that we will have a feature post from a new guest writer later tonight or sometime soon. Unlike the Vanguard sports section staff, he is not a partial writer covering a team, but is instead a fan and wants his voice to be heard. More details later...

Bombs Away: PSU's 12 threes helps Vikings take 58-35 lead into the break

2009-02-21T17:15:00.001-08:00

In one of the more exciting games that this author has ever been privy to witness, the Vikings are playing perhaps as good as they possibly could and leading Boise State convincingly at halftime.

Just about everybody on the roster has hit at least one three pointer. Jeremiah Dominguez has three triples and Phil Nelson, Andre Murray and Kyle Coston each have two three pointers.

The Vikings got off to a scorching start, scoring on 12 of their first 17 possessions, including eight three pointers. Simply put, this is the team that Portland State fans have been waiting to see the entire season.

The Broncos have looked steady at times but unsure of themselves and without a strong offensive presence outside of junior guard Jamar Greene who has penetrated at will and hit shots from the perimeter with ease en route to 12 first half points.

As a team, the Vikings are 12 for 21 from three point land in the first half and shooting a scorching 65 percent from the field. More impressively, they have won the rebounding battle and have 16 team assists. The Vikings have also forced the Broncos into 13 turnovers leading to 23 points.

Quite the atmosphere here in the Stott Center if I may say so myself. Not only is the team playing superbly but the fans are cheering as if they know what they are doing... Its a good day to be involved in Portland State athletics. I can see Torre Chisholm beaming from here.

Oh yeah and one more topper: Greg Oden just walked in.

I don't think we're at Taco Bell Arena anymore...

2009-02-21T16:07:00.001-08:00

I decided to get to the Stott Center early and its a good thing I did... On Thursday night there were nearly 500 announced open seats here for a conference game with Northern Colorado.

Today, at 4 p.m., one half hour before tip off, the arena is alive and jumping with a brand of energy that may not have ever been here.

You can attribute it to ESPN's presence, Boise State's natural proxemic rivalry or some other things. But any way you look at it, the celebrities are out, the alumni are here and the student section is packed with more spandex than I have seen since the Big Sky Volleyball Tournament. Should be an exciting couple of hours. If you're not here yet, get here quick.

The big talk before the game was about PSU's chances to possibly claim a decent seed should they somehow snap out of the funk that they're in and run the table. This would include a big win today and taking the other two conference games as well as trounicng their opponents in the Big Sky Tournament.

My gut feeling is that if the Vikings could do that- run the table and win the rest of their games they maybe could claim a No. 15 seed. Obviously they have some other things to worry about. Check back for more updates.

Vikings need to find identity starting tonight

2009-02-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

The Portland State men’s basketball team entered this season with high and expected expectations. And it seemed that all those expectations were going to be true to form for instance when the team beat Gonzaga on the road and got off to a 6-1 Big Sky conference start. However the Vikings have lost 4 out of their last 6 and getting to March Madness for a second year in a row seems doubtful.

All year the team has been clinging to the words of energy and effort. I believe that more times than not both of those ingredients have been there for the Vikings. However what is missing for this team is consistency and an identity.

The team has struggled to find a dominant scorer to rely on day in and day out. Phil Nelson is defiantly not that scorer; he has not scored in double digits in the last four games.

It seems that Jeremiah Dominguez senses this lack of consistency and is putting the team’s performance on his shoulders. But there is too much talent on this team for one player to carry. Jamie Jones can score in the paint, and Andre Murray can be an aggressive scorer only when he wants to be.

Fact of the matter is that that Vikings are in a rare position to build an established identity this late into a season. I think coach Bone believes it and is banking on the fact that his team can build momentum into the conference tournament. Only problem is that the result of trying to prove something this late can either work out brilliantly or fail miserably.

Tonight against Northern Colorado will be the first chance for PSU start playing with consistency and a changed identity.

Posted by Tom Sedun, Vanguard staff

Blazers should stand pat

2009-02-19T13:27:00.000-08:00

Apparently with not much time left in the NBA trade deadline your Portland Trail Blazers will not shake things up and acquire a big name player in hopes for an earlier than expected championship run.

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see a player like Richard Jefferson from Milwaukee or Gerald Wallace of Charlotte in a Trail Blazer uniform; however I am already more than satisfied with the current progression of the team and the small deals that puts money in the Blazers pocket.

The ‘Zers are fourth in the west and will mostly likely only have to beat out one other team in order to reach the playoffs, which was the only goal for this year.

Pulling a deal before the deadline is a HUGE risk. For instance Phoenix changed the entire face of their franchise by acquiring Shaquille O’Neal at the deadline last year in a desperate attempt for a championship. Where did that lead them you ask? It ended with a first round exit by the Spurs, two different coaching changes, and the eighth highest payroll in the league.

What I am getting at is that the Blazers should not become desperate for a championship. Portland is the second youngest team in the league and has improved by strides with the talent that they have. Now I’m not saying that Blazers should not go after and get a player that can help this franchise.

There is a time and a place for everything. The time to make a move is this summer in the offseason. Kevin Pritchard and the rest of his brain trust crew should spend the rest of this season and evaluate the players we have carefully and then target one player this summer and go after him with force.

Posted by Tom Sedun, Vanguard staff

Vikings defeat Sac St, 59-42

2009-02-08T15:48:00.000-08:00

It surely wasn't pretty, but the Vikings defended their home court, and picked up a victory to keep pace in the race for Big Sky Conference supremacy by defeating Sacramento State, 59-42.

The victory, which came without junior center Jamie Jones, was one of the slowest paced games that the Vikings have played in all season. Sac. State head coach Brian Katz deployed a slow paced game and deliberated on each play call as if he were a Supreme Court judge.

The talk of the game was how the Vikings responded without Jones, the man who had started at center every game and provided much of the interior scoring for the squad this year.

Julius Thomas filled in nicely with a double-double while Kyle Coston and Tyrell Mara each had their best interior game since conference play began, each grabbing six rebounds. The trio combined to score 27 points and 22 rebounds.

It was interesting to watch Katz attempt to thwart the high powered offense by forcing his team to waste the majority of the shot clock on each posession by dribbling around near mid court. He then would methodically signal in a play that his team would run, usually with only a moderate amount of success.

It was an usual strategy, especially for a first year coach that has a roster of entirely new faces that each are in their first year since transferring from a junior college. Most people would have probably suggested that the Hornets try to beat the Vikings at their own game, out scoring the home squad.

But Sac St opted to slow the game down and despite the low scoring output from both teams, nobody at the game, including the Hornet players, looked like they thought it would work.

It was interesting to see and hear the television announcers call the game from the sideline. Former Portland State player Rashad Floyd was on the commentary and while he occasionally bumbled through information, a la Woody Paige on Around the Horn, they did a decent job, although the final word may come tonight when the broadcast actually airs.

The Vikings are going to have to get standout performances from Dominguez, Waters, Murray and Nelson if they are to have a shot to beat Weber State on Saturday. The Idaho State game is no cakewalk either, although it looks like the Bengals may be without conference leading scorer Amarrow Morgan who is with an ailing family member.

I will leave you with the aforementioned Floyd's highlight video... good stuff...

PSU and Sac. State gridlocked at 8-8

2009-02-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

After playing more than eight minutes in the first half, its clear that the Hornets game plan is to keep the ball away from the Portland State offense.

Sacramento State is holding the ball near half court the majority of the shot clock before initializing their play, and usually being successful at that play.

The Vikings are struggling on offense, committing several turnovers and missing most of the shots that they typically would make. Word is trickling down slowly about the injury of Jamie Jones who suffered some sort of foot injury (more on that later) and may be out the rest of the regular season.

Obviously Jones' absence could be devastating for the Vikings chances in the Big Sky.

Vikings take on Sac. St pregame

2009-02-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

Here in the unusually empty Stott Center, there is an usually large media sighting...

The Altitude Network is making their only appearance in the Stott Center this year and the two announcers are sitting next to yours truly. It's a good thing I shaved today...

In other news---

The Stott is unusually empty. My guess is that Ken Bone would have rather played this game on a Saturday night.

Jamie Jones is out with a collection of injuries to his ankle and wrist. The junior will miss his first game of the year despite being hampered by the wrist injury for quite some time. Julius Thomas will get the start in his stead.

Slacker post of the week....

2009-01-31T23:02:00.000-08:00

For those of you who hang on this blog's every word, and there aren't likely too many that don't have the last name of Archibald, I must first apologize for not posting at all this week.

Between the GRE's, extra classwork and a bunch of other busy things going on I haven't posted but wanted to get this up before Super Bowl Sunday.

I also had tickets to the Blazers game tonight and the Rose City's finest put on a great show. Even with the disappointing outing from Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, Rudy Fernandez and LaMarcus Aldridge were enough to get buy a pretty crippled Jazz team.

I was most impressed with point guard Sergio Rodriguez who seems to be finding his own during this Steve Blake injury. Tonight he did a pretty good job controlling the tempo of the game, making good decisions with the ball and hitting a couple of shots. He also set up Przybilla at least a couple of times and hit Fernandez for a couple of highlight reel dunks.

Still think that the Blazers are better off standing pat, or making a move for a legit starting small forward/point guard/backup power forward if they are going to do anything over the next few weeks.

I still think Richard Jefferson would be a great get for the Blazers but at this point it seems unlikely that that big of a deal would go down. I also wouldn't mind seeing a push for Rudy Gay, although it would take a ton, or David Lee.

On to Super Bowl news....

A couple of years ago, my twin little sisters were pretty good basketball players at Seaside High School and their basketball team made it to the state playoffs. I traveled with my parents to watch them play in their first round game at Junction City High School, which they won.

Then, by some OSAA scheduling miracle, the Gulls had to travel back down the I5 corridor to Roseburg to play Douglas High School.

Most of you probably know that Douglas, a small school about five miles from Roseburg, is the alma mater of Troy Polamalu, the now safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While at the game, I couldn't help but notice the insane amount of Polamalu jerseys being worn by students at the game and the similar hairstyles displayed by some of the young men.

Thru a friend I was introduced to the Douglas High School Athletic Director who was relating a story about Polamalu.

Apparently, every off-season Polamalu makes a trip back to Southern Oregon and always stops by the high school. He doesn't come to be recognized at an all-school assembly or even to make an appearance to speak to an athletic team.

He always requests that nobody in the media know about his visit and often doesn't even warn the school when he is coming. When he gets to the school, Polomalu heads straight to the Special Education classroom where he spends the day working with the high schoolers with some sort of disability. The athletic director said that he is the most gentle and caring volunteer that the school has.

Now, some of this may be urban myth, or a high school athletic director exaggerating the truth a bit. But from everything I have seen or heard of Polomalu, it could just as well be true.

My point in sharing this is that the guy, despite his big hits and aggressive nature on the field is a pretty good guy. I will be rooting for him as much as anything else on Sunday. Maybe you should too.

PSU kicks it into gear in the second half, 70-47

2009-01-24T20:26:00.000-08:00

After a sporadic first half in which the home squad scored just 32 points, the Vikings have exploded for 38 points after just 12 minutes of second half play.

The ginormous offensive surge was prompted by 15 second half points by junior guard Phil Nelson and some terrific perimeter defense by Nelson, Dominguez and Andre Murray.

Murray, now with 15 points, has totally shutdown Benny Valentine and Eastern Washington looks close to throwing in the towel here at the Stott Center.

Nelson, meanwhile, has been all over the court, scoring at will and looking like the player that most thought he would be when the smooth electrician, and yes I coined that nickname, transferred from Washington.

With under six minutes to play, I think its safe to say that the Vikings likely have this one in the bag and it was an impressive showing no doubt about it.

PSU trails at the half, 33-32

2009-01-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

After the Stott Center Scuffle two weeks ago that saw the Vikings and Idaho State Bengals carry their fierce play into the locker room tunnel, Stott Center game management did a great job making sure that the teams exited the half separately avoiding any fights.

It has been an entertaining game thus far. It doesn't seem like the Vikings are playing their best basketball and head coach Ken Bone has deployed a number of defensive strategies to slow down a pretty strong Eastern Washington offense led by Benny Valentine.

Valentine has 10 points as does junior forward Mark Dunn. For the Vikings its more of the same story from their last game as senior guard Andre Murray has eight points and junior forward Julius Thomas has six points.

The Vikings are shooting 50 percent from the field but have connected on just four of their 14 three-point attempts.

It seems like a pretty even matchup thus far and the score indicates that as well. Not completely positive on this but it seems like the Vikings will have a tough time getting a victory tonight if Jeremiah Dominguez does not step up a little more.

I was surprised when it was Murray who drew the Valentine matchup on the defensive end of the court and not Dominguez. Usually Dominguez would check Valentine--both small and explosive point guards--but he isn't, and it may be affecting his offensive game as well as he heads into the second half with just three points and one assist.

Midway through the first half PSU leads, 19-18

2009-01-24T19:22:00.000-08:00

I certainly anticipated the Vikings and Eagles to battle it out low scoring style tonight ut it looks as if both teams have brought a ton of energy and terrific offense to this game.

For Eastern Washington, junior guard Benny Valentine is the real deal and has helped all those in attendance remember that he was recruited by one of the finest basketball coaches in history, Bob Knight. Valentine transferred from Texas Tech two seasons ago.

The Vikings have gotten strong performances from just about everybody, except senior guard Jeremiah Dominguez who hasn't yet been able to penetrate or hit the shots that he usually does.

The game's momentum may have swung early on a technical foul called by the refs on Eagles head coach Kirk Earlywine who was yapping at the zebras after they missed a call.

PSU vs. Eastern Washington pregame

2009-01-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

The gym is looking more full than ever... at least one half of it. Its one of the biggest home games of the season as the Vikings are taking on the school that athletic director Torre Chisholm calls, "Portland State's true rival" in Eastern Washington.

For the first time since maybe forever, the South side of the Stott Center is completely full with less than a minute left before tipoff. Unfortunately the higher priced seats on the North side have some green showing....

Check back for all of your updates during the game.

Basketball squads prepare for stretch run

2009-01-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

With their mid-season "hump" game coming up this weekend against Eastern Washington both the men's and women's basketball squads are preparing for a string of games that will likely decide their post-season fates.

The men will take on Eastern Washington this weekend in the Stott Center. The Eagles are a talented squad but seem to be playing inconsistent and outside of talented transfer Benny Valentine should not be able to run with the Vikings. Here's a shot of Benny being "educated" by former Texas Tech head coach Bobby Knight.After this weekends contest the Vikings play four of their next six on the road in the most hostile environments that the Big Sky can offer in the Montana road swing and then facing Weber State and Idaho State.

If Portland State can slide through that stretch undefeated, they will solidify themselves again as the conference's toughest team and likely claim the right to host the Big Sky Tournament again.

The women also take on the Eagles on Saturday and then face the Montana schools at home next weekend. It looks like the race for the Big Sky on the women's side will come down to either Portland State and Montana.

Both squads have looked dominant up to this point in Big Sky play. If the Vikings can get take the first matchup between the two teams they obviously have the upper hand heading into the stretch run of games.

Portland State fans could have the opportunity to cheer on both teams in the Rose City as they both vie for a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

On a different note, men's basketball beat writer pointed out a scheduling quirk that could keep the Vikings from hosting the Big Sky Tournament in the Rose Garden as they did last season.

The tournament, scheduled to be played during the second week of March, would have to work around the Blazers scheduled games that week on Monday and Wednesday.

It seems likely that the squad may just play earlier in the day, although that will probably screw up all the television contracts and such or that the tournament will be moved to Memorial Coliseum.

Or we could ask the Pilots if they mind sparing their gym for some championship level basketball...

Here's some food for thought links that taste way better than a student-run vegan cafe....

Statistical analysis that the Cardinals suck. Or at least, the television ratings of Cardinals games suck compared to prior seasons. Of course these numbers dwarf any other sports playoff games.

The Week in Quotes from Football Outsiders...

I think we forget that The Oregonian has some pretty talented sports writers outside of Canzano and J Quick. Here is Mike Tokito's piece on Brandon Roy getting his jersey retired at Washington last night.

On to more depressing news of the NBA, Wally Szczerbiak's big contract apparently doesn't help him find clothes for a grown man playing in the league.

In other disturbing roundball news, Chris Tomasson has a story on the potential that 2010 could be remebered not as the year of Lebron James moving to New York, but as the year of the lockout... As in NBA lockout... Yikes.

And in a sad story it looks like Jefferson County in Kentucky will be making an example of a football coach who, allegedly, pushed his football players too far during the heat of a summer practice. Here is the story.

All the reading you could want...

2009-01-19T00:22:00.000-08:00

The Vanguard has searched high and low to bring you the best of the best sports links and timewasters for your holiday Monday. Enjoy!!

Just to prove that there is more to the Portland Trail Blazers than Darius Miles phat salary and the latest injury update here is Greg Oden's less-than-funny undersized bus commercial. Like I said, not that funny.

Meanwhile Rudy Fernandez is headed to the dunk contest as the United States gets another taste of the potent fan reaction of international players. This after it seems like the entire Houston starting five will also be doubling as the West's team starters at the All-Star game.

Like I said before, if Rudy could just do this again... I think he'd be fine... Somehow I imagine Howard not wanting to comply.

Meanwhile, the O's high school writer, Doug Binder, had a cool story about Jefferson High School's basketball program.

In case you were wondering, it seems that the two biggest names that could be on the move before the NBA Trading block are: Jermaine O'Neal and Monta Ellis. Both seem unhappy about their current roles and O'Neal has only hindered the flair and creativity of the Raptors. Couldn't the Blazers use a productive veteran power forward to back up Aldridge? Just a thought.

One of the story's of the week was the announcement of USC QB Mark Sanchez declaring for the NFL draft and leaving a broken-hearted Pete Carroll alone at the podium. While Carroll took a bunch of heat for his unprofessional and unusual behavior Gregg Doyel presents a different side of the story. Worth a look...

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe sums up my feelings on Arizona Cardinals and their fans nicely. Of course he wrote this before the Buzzsaw's huge victory yesterday but I think there's still some application.

And if you were wondering how Matt Leinart feels about being the backup quarterback on a Super Bowl squad, apparently he's taking it quite well.

And if you're having any college football withdrawals after what was a pretty good season, unless you're a Viking fan, check out how you can convince yourself that your other favorite team actually won the national championship. See for yourself:

Oregon

Oregon State

Of course Utah probably didn't need this kind of site... They sort of had their own parade last week...

PSU pulling away, 80-58... And Kelsey Kahle breaks the record

2009-01-17T15:32:00.000-08:00

After some amount of anticipation Kelsey Kahle has become the school's all time leading scorer.

Kahle scored her 22 point of the game on a nice move inside for a reverse layup following a terrific pass by sophomore Kelli Valentine.

Kahle, who is now out of the game as the Vikings have pulled away from the Bears, sat at 19 points and then 21 points for a brief moment. While at 21 points, and just one bucket away from breaking the record, she missed an easy shot and then delivered a brilliant pass inside to Valentine.

On the next trip back down the court, Valentine returned the favor.

Kahle, in her normal way, seemed as if the she did not even know about the record and continued playing her hard-nosed style.

The crowd stood in applause and then once again as Kahle was removed from the game, likely for good.

PSU leads at the half, 47-34

2009-01-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

A sharpshooting first half has given the Vikings a 47-34 first half lead.

Portland State has hit 16 of their 30 field goal attempts and six of their 11 three-pointers.

Kelsey Kahle will at least make a push toward the record as the senior has 10 points. Kelli Valentine has 10 points as well and Claire Faucher looks to be regaining some of her form from last season as she leads the Vikings with 11 points and four assists.

Vikings lead Northern Colorado 30-16, early in the first half

2009-01-17T14:29:00.000-08:00

If fans had any concern about the Vikings responding after a tough loss on Jan. 14 at UC Santa Barbara, those concerns should now be nullified.

After a somewhat slow start, Portland State has taken over the game on both ends of the court. The Vikings are deflecting just about every ball and using crisp passing and high percentage shots to build a lead on the Bears.

At this point, Kahle has nine points and seems well on her way to breaking the longstanding record.

Kahle is not the only Portland State player on the court that has looked sharp thus far as the Vikings seem to have a great advantage over the Bears at every position.

Stay tuned for more updates...

PSU vs. Northern Colorado Live Blog

2009-01-17T13:56:00.000-08:00

We're here at the Stott Center live blogging the Vikings matchup with Northern Colorado.

No doubt about it, the expectation is on senior forward Kelsey Kahle and the possibility that she could break the all-time scoring record in school history today.

She is just 22 points back and with the Vikings playing on the road next week at Eastern Washington I am sure that Kahle and others would not mind seeing the record fall today as opposed to next Saturday in Cheney.

Check back later for more updates.