A couple days ago I questioned our beloved Wildcats fire, whether they had any motivation to keep playing through the tough times that the program is going through. The Coleman/Budinger incident was obviously the catalyst for what the Cats needed. Last night was an example of that.
The Washington Huskies came to town ranked 23rd in the AP poll and leaving me a little anxious to see how our boys would look coming off our improbable win.
They were seemingly up for the challenge. That game was sloppy, the Cats made a lot of mental errors and turned the ball over frequently. If you caught the game then you got to see the four dozen or so close ups of Lute in disgust during the course of the game. Thanks Lute, this is your train wreck.
That being said, there were a number of notable moments that made this game entertaining and almost made me optimistic for the remainder of the season.
Nic Wise had a career night. To be honest, I trust him more than anyone on the court with the ball (mainly because Hill needs someone to feed him). Last night he proved why he is a corner stone for the squad. With a career high 29 points and 8 assists he looked great, but more importantly was his free throw shooting. Wise went 14-14 from the line including 8 late in the game while the Huskies were beginning to narrow the lead.
Free throws may be the single biggest thing you could take away from this game. Arizona made 41 of their 51 free throws. It is one thing to get to the line it is another to actually capitalize and going 80.4% isn’t too shabby. Especially when considering that Washington had nothing to write home about, converting 13 of 20 (65.0%) from the line.
As exciting as free throw stats are, the fire that I questioned seemed to be there. Especially in the waning minutes of the game when Washington’s Neanderthal Brockman (6’7 255) went up for a block attempt on Horne, subsequently throwing him to the ground and earning himself a flagrant foul. There was a little bit of talk between teams, and Budinger once again stepped up and got in the midst of the Washington huddle. It is nice to see these guys protecting their teammates, since there seems to be a reoccurring theme of technicals and hard fouls heading Arizona’s way.
Needless to say it was a big win for the Cat’s and they will be looking to come up big again against a Washington State on Saturday. The Cougars are coming off an upset of Arizona State and sorry to say we are hoping to repay them with a loss of their own
4Real Out...
More after the jump...
Friday, January 30, 2009
Momentum? Arizona 106 #23 Washington 97
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Stoops Era Extended Through 2013
Let’s face it, it’s been a while for a lot of things around here. It has been a long time since I’ve written an article, a long time since our Wildcats had chalked up a bowl victory, and a long time since an Arizona Football coach had gotten any respect and support.
All three of those things have changed within the last week. After Arizona’s victory over #16 BYU was the school’s first since 1998. This triggered a number of different things within the Arizona Sports community, and it appears as though big things are on the way for the Wildcats.
The biggest news thus far is that Head Coach Mike Stoops who with out a doubt had one of the hottest seats in the Pac-10.
There had been a lot of speculation that Stoops may be on the way out if he didn’t take the Cat’s bowling this season. After a lot of up and downs the season has come to end, a bowl game and a bowl victory have been achieved and with Stoops has earned himself a contract extension.
Stoops’ original contract had him in Tucson through the 2010 season, but it looks as though the athletic department hopes he will be around longer than that. Today, the University of Arizona’s athletic director Jim Livengood announced that they plan on offering a 3 year contract extension keeping him here through 2013.
The details of the contract are still under negotiation and approval through the appropriate channels still pending. That being said, it looks like Stoops will have a chance to continue to build his program and making the push to be one of the elite teams in the Pac-10 conference.
More after the jump...
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Homecoming 2008: Tailgating Changes
In an effort to keep the Homecoming crowd from trying to sprint a marathon the University has changed some of their tailgating rules for this weekend. Below is the new schedule and policy update that was released earlier today.
Quoted directly from the Arizona Athletics website.
1:00 p.m. Tailgate parking/loading on Eastbound University off of Cherry. Alcohol cannot be consumed until 2:00 p.m.
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Cherry Ave will be closed to all traffic in preparation for the Homecoming Parade. (No tailgaters will be allowed to enter the Tailgating grounds under any circumstances during this time). There is no tailgate line during this time.
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Homecoming Parade
4:45 – 5:30 p.m. Tailgaters with valid permits only may enter the tailgating grounds.
7:15 p.m. Kick-off We will continue to enforce the rules about waiting for another tailgater to park next to you as well as requesting certain spots. It is a first-come first serve pass and you will be parked based on the order you arrive. Regardless of when your vehicle is parked on the tailgate grounds, alcohol consumption may not begin until 2:00 pm.
No one that I talked to had heard about this yet, and granted it was released today but thought this might help get the word out some.
Find more photos like this on Wildcat Sports Forum
Also, we want any pictures and videos from the weekend that you guys want to send our way. So drop us a line.
More after the jump...
Arizona-USC: Things To Keep In Mind
The Wildcats are coming off a big win against previously ranked No. 25 Cal, which has put them in a four-way tie for first place in the Pac-10. Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona, and USC are all currently sitting at 3-1, but from where I’m sitting, Arizona and USC are sitting on top.
Everyone knows about USC’s prowess, influence in the polls, and overall program prestige. What you aren’t hearing is that Arizona is so confident in their squad that our Wildcats know that they are playing for the Pac-10 Championship this weekend.
What should you know about this weekend’s matchup between USC and Arizona?
First of all, the Cats match up very well against the Trojans and as of late have played them tough.
Hard to believe?
2007: Arizona travels to LA to take on No. 10 USC.
Tuitama, in his first year in Dykes' system, completed 30-43 passes for 233 yards and no interceptions or touchdowns. Sanchez completed 19-31 for 130 yards, one TD, and two INTs.
Neither running game was spectacular for either squad, and both have improved immensely from last year. As is the case with most Arizona losses, it simply came down to mental errors.
It is tough to win a game against a team like the Trojans of '07 when you lose three fumbles and only rush for 22 total yards. That’s what the Cats did, and that is why they narrowly missed pulling the upset.
Total yards for Arizona were 255 and 276 for USC.
The Trojans won 20-13.
Second of all, the Trojans have to come into to Tucson on Homecoming. Arizona has a history of upsetting in big games, especially when they have sellout crowds like this weekend will be.
In case you already forgot:
2005: Arizona 52, No. 7 UCLA 14
2006: Arizona 24, No. 8 Cal 20
2007: Arizona 34, No. 2 Oregon 24
Keep it in mind as this week goes on. I don’t think that this game is as unevenly matched as most people think. USC, you are officially on upset watch.
More as the week goes on...
More after the jump...
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Arizona vs. Cal Preview
Arizona will go up against the Cal Golden Bears this Saturday in what we had all thought was going to be a huge game as far as Pac-10 standings were concerned. It wasn’t but a week ago that we were already looking ahead to being 5-1 and facing a team that might be our only obstacle in the Pac-10 other than USC. Unfortunately, we are now sitting at 4-2 and seemingly have more on the line than we had thought.
Here is a quick paper match up of the game:
Team Scoring:
Arizona: #9 with 40.2 ppg
California: #12 with 39.4 ppg
Total Yards per Game:
Arizona: #32: 425.5
California: #33: 418.4
Team Rushing:
Arizona: #55 with 154.8 ypg
California: #35 with 180 ypg
Team Passing:
Arizona: #23 with 258.3 ypg
California: #47 with 231.6 ypg
Team Defense:
Arizona: 16.7 ppg, 261.5 ypg
California: 18 ppg, 290.6 ypg
What did we learn from the Stanford game? We are not immune to the running game. Our Cats gave up over a hundred yards each to Gerhart and Kimble last week when they had previously not given up a lot more than a hundred total rushing yards in game. The biggest reason why this has to be priority one for the Wildcats is that Cal will most likely be returning Jahvid Best to their backfield. While he has missed a couple of weeks with a dislocated shoulder you still cannot overlook his big play ability. It is still unclear how much he will play, or whether or not he will be returning kicks but it would be a huge mistake to not plan on him being at full strength.
There are a couple keys to this game. First of all I was really impressed with the play of Nate Ness last weak and think that he will have as big a game this weekend. Cal is still suffering from QB woes and at the time of writing they have not announced who will be starting. Out secondary is good enough to slow the pace of this game down, and that will definitely be an obstacle for the Bears.
On offense I have full faith in Dykes system and feel as though Tuitama gets a lot of bad press for the decisions that he makes. We are only a few plays away from being 6-0, but it has always come down to mistakes at the wire. The Cats can’t afford the same mental errors late against Cal. If Tuitama is able to spread the ball around efficiently like he had been doing the majority of the season and utilize rather than rely on Gronkowski there is no doubt in my mind that we are putting the superior offensive squad on the field.
It comes down to defense, but I think our Wildcats take this game 27-17. That will put us in a position to go into Homecoming at 5-2 against USC in a game that will decide the Pac-10.
More after the jump...
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Pac-10 Power Rankings: Week 6
1. USC: 3-1 (1-1)
The Trojans stumbled over a minor speed bump in a loss to Oregon State that not only hurt their chances for a National Championship, but Sanchez’s chance at being the next in a long line of Heisman QB’s coming out of Southern California. This weekend they posted an impressive win over Oregon who most thought would be the only team giving them a run for the conference. We know USC is good and better than their loss to Oregon State looked but we also know they have weaknesses. I’d put my money on the Trojans losing at least one more game before this season is over.
Next Game: vs. Arizona State
2. Cal: 4-1 (2-0)
It is still unknown how good Cal really is. They have one loss against a surprising Maryland team who has beaten two ranked teams but has also lost to Middle Tennessee State. Not only but the Bears were shut out this weekend by Virginia. The quarterback controversy has done nothing to help this squad, who luckily has a bye before having to travel to Tucson to take on the Cats. That will be the game that separates the conference.
Next Game: 10/18 @ Arizona
3. Arizona: 4-1 (2-0):
Arizona is tied with Cal for the conference lead thus far, and the next two games will speak volumes. There is plenty of information on the site, and a Stanford Preview coming up. More then.
Next Game: @ Stanford
4. Oregon: 4-2 (2-1)
Oregon is not doing anything to help the frustration that is the Pac-10. No team is giving us clear cut signs of where they stand or what their real strengths are. So far the ducks one convincingly against Washington (really in just one half of play), beat up on a bad Utah State team, took home the W in OT against a good Purdue squad, lost to a young but talented Boise State, beat WASU by 49, and then took a 34 point loss to USC. All of this why rotating QBs from injured to back on the field and back again. Their next stretch against UCLA, at Arizona State and at California should speak volumes. Well at least I hope it does. In reality they will probably beat UCLA in a close game, win convincingly against Arizona State, and go into overtime against Cal leaving us just as confused as when we started.
Next Game: vs. UCLA
5. Oregon State: 2-3 (1-1)
The Beavers may be better than everyone thinks. They may be 2-3 but they have had a pretty tough schedule so far. They have played three Top 10 teams in Penn State now #6, BYU now #9 (3 point loss) and # 8 USC (6 point win). If Oregon State can learn from these games and continue to fine tune against their next two opponents which luckily for them are Washington and Washington State, they could be headed to a bowl game this year.
Next Game: vs. Washington
6. Arizona State: 2-3 (1-1)
The Sundevils have only looked good in one game this season when they beating Stanford 41-17. Since that victory they have lost three straight to UNLV, Georgia, and Cal. Carpenter may be one of the best QB’s in the conference, but his supporting cast is not getting it done. I think it is safe to say that they have three more losses on their schedule.
Next Game: @ USC
7. UCLA: 2-3 (1-1)
I really don’t know what to say about the Bruins. I was never on this Band Wagon, even after a win over the highly overrated Volunteers. I think they are a year or two away from having a good team, and it is tough to say how many losses they will end up with this year.
Next Game: @ Oregon
8. Stanford: 3-3 (2-1)
Stanfords only notable win this year was against Oregon State, which the Beavers should have won if weren’t for a fumble at the last second. Other than that they beat Notre Dame, who still have not earned my respect. The Cardinal are in the same boat as UCLA.
10.
Washington State: 1-5 (0-3)
Washington: 0-5 (0-3)
The State of Washington is ranked 10th. The Huskies lost Locker, and it appears that they will also be losing Willingham. I think this is only going to set them back even more than they are, but I do understand that changes need to be made. As for WASU, their only win came over Portland State. I think a lot of teams, especially in the Pac are looking forward to playing teams from the Evergreen State.
More after the jump...
Monday, October 6, 2008
Arizona Answers Some Questions With Win Over Washington
This weekend our Arizona Wildcats played host to the Locker-less Washington Huskies. To be honest, I had mixed feelings going into this game because of the performances of both squads so far this season. First off I didn’t want to get too excited about our Cats, yet, but coming off a 31-10 win over UCLA didn’t humble my spirits any. This season Arizona is averaging 43.6 points per game while only allowing 13.6 a game. Statistics should always be taken at face value but after a 48-14 win over the Huskies it looks like they are pretty spot on. As far as preparing for the Huskies I had a couple of lingering questions that I knew I would have to wait for game time to have answered. The first was if Washington was as bad as they seemed or if it was their schedule that is just that ridiculous.
Washington opened with #21 Oregon followed by #15 BYU, #3 Oklahoma, Stanford, and finally our Cats. They came out of that stretch 0-5, and maybe they deserve to be at the bottom of the Pac. Now that they have lost their leading passer, rusher and really the face of their squad in Locker I don’t think that we will ever find out if they are better than they look on paper.
The second question in all our minds was how good is Arizona this year? We know now that we are one stumble (Loss to New Mexico) from being close to a Top 25 ranking and that we are in fact a really good squad. Good is relative though, and no we are not on the same caliber as a lot of Nationally Ranked programs. That being said, the way the Pac looks this year I don’t think it is unrealistic to think that we might actually have a legitimate shot at the Rose Bowl.
Quick Stats from this weekend:
QB: Tuitama: 17/21 81% 193 Yds 3 TD 0 INT
RB: Grigsby 14 Car 113 Yds 1 TD
TE: Gronkowski 5 Rec 109 Yds 3 TD
Next week will be heading west to take on Stanford followed by a home game against Cal. As fat as I am concerned we have two more weeks before we can get ahead of ourselves and start planning our Bowl Game road trip possibilities.
I’ll have a preview for the Stanford game up soon.
4Real Out…..
More after the jump...
Monday, September 15, 2008
Searching for Roses: Pac-10 Woes
The weekend was bad. The kind of bad where six of the loudest, most obnoxious guys are watching in silence. The kind of weekend that makes you remember the reason why being a fan is so hard, where your perfect season is taken away from you and replaced by the backhand of reality. It can’t really be that bad though can it? The Pac-10 went 0-4 against the Mountain West this weekend, while USC put on a clinic against two time defending runner up Ohio State.
To Recap:
UCLA’s ego takes a huge hit when they fall 59-0 to BYU in their worst loss since 1929.
Arizona State proves talent isn’t everything when they lose in OT to UNLV at home 23-20.
CAL, one team I have been talking up as a rising stock in the Pac got manhandled by
Maryland in a score that was way closer than the actual game looked live: 35-27
Washington State 45 Baylor 17: There is really nothing to say here, WASU who may be one of the most underrated teams in the last 10 years doesn’t look like it now.
Washington not to be outdone by their State School counterparts takes a 55-14 beating from Oklahoma.
Stanford traveled to TCU to come home with a 31-14 loss.
Finally, our own University of Arizona went into Albuquerque and left with a 36-28 loss, their second consecutive loss to the Lobos.
How do you pick contenders for the Rose Bowl? Oregon looks like a legit contender for the honors, but a close game against Purdue doesn’t exactly bode well for their longevity. The main cause for concern for the Ducks is the fact the Roper left the game with an injury, again. Masoli has looked solid, and I’m not sure that he isn’t the better option regardless of Roper’s health.
If Oregon is at the top, then the entire state of Washington is at the bottom. The Huskies and the Cougars have no chance at contention at this point.
Then we have the middle of the pack: Cal, Arizona, Arizona State.
How the Schedules look:
Cal only has three road games remaining, having to travel to USC and Arizona.
Arizona State has to go on the road to face Cal, Arizona, and USC.
Arizona has four road Pac-10 games this season: UCLA, Stanford, Oregon, and WASU.
At this point it is almost impossible to differentiate, but it looks like Arizona State has the toughest road ahead of them especially after how they looked this weekend. Cal has a lot of home matches this year, but their two road games will be no easy task. Arizona has a difficult road ahead of them as well, but I think those games are more manageable than the other two programs.
Pac-10 play really kicks in this weekend and it will be interesting to see what kind of damage the programs can do to each other’s records. This season is looking rough.
4Real Out....
More after the jump...
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Pac-10 Power Rankings: Week 1
Week one is in the books and it didn’t disappoint. Taking off from where “The Year of the Upset” left off we saw one top 10 team fall to a ranked opponent, and three other top 25 squads get upset to unranked foes. The Pac-10 is especially interesting, and after this weekends games a lot of questions that were up in the air were finally answered. That is why I give you the Pac-10 Power Rankings:
1. USC: After what was a relatively close first half against Virginia (24-7), the Trojans pulled away for a big 52-7 win. Sanchez looked great, and didn’t appear to have any problems with the leg. He ended the game completing 26/35 passes for 338 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. We also got to see the depth of the backfield with six different backs getting touches. The Trojans look really tough, they are not only the frontrunner in the Pac but a legitimate national contender as well.
Next Game: The Ohio State University, Sept 13th
2. Oregon: There was a lot of concern surrounding the Duck’s QB situation with Costa out another season and Roper taking over a spread style offense. After handling Washington 44-10, Oregon’s defense might have put some of those concerns to rest. Roper who was named the starter ended up suffering a concussion early in the game, leaving Jeremiah Masoli behind the helm. Masoli took over in the second quarter to complete 7/11 attempts for 126 yards and 2 TD. The Duck’s D is helped the cause tremendously by pitching a second half shut out, and will have to continue to play tough to stay on pace with the best in the Pac-10. For now they are #2, but I don’t foresee that lasting very long.
Next Game: Utah State, Sept 6th
3. CAL: The Golden Bears debut at number three because they played a tougher opponent than most everyone else in the conference. Cal took on Michigan State and took home the win 38-31. The game was close and took an 81 yard run with a little over 4 minutes left in the game by Shane Vereen to secure the victory. Cal still hasn’t broken into the Top 25 yet, but are on the bubble. A couple more W’s and I think we can pencil them in for the time being.
Next Game: @ Washington State, Sept 6th
4. Arizona: Granted the Wildcats were going up against a bad Idaho team, but they did what any good team should do against a much more inferior squad. Tuitama’s Cats pitched a shut out en route to a 70 point romping of the Vandals. Willie completed 17 of his 21 passes for 179 yards and 3 touchdowns. Willie now has 47 career touch downs which sets a school record previously held by Tom Tunniclife. Big congratulations to our star. In the backfield Nic Grigsby also had a big game rushing for 169 yards on 19 carries and putting the ball in the end zone twice. On the defensive side of the ball the Wildcats looked solid all the way around allowing only 112 yards. It is hard to argue with a near perfect performance by our Cats, and so for now they sit at #4.
Next Game: Toledo, Sept 6th
5. Arizona State: Despite their position at 15 in the AP Top 25, the Sun Devils didn’t exactly look like a top tier team. A warm up game against 1-AA Northern Arizona should have been a walk in the park. The real score of the game was closer to 30-0, but the B squad allowed the Lumberjacks to put up 13 points late. Carpenter looked impressive completing 22/28 passes for 388 yards and 1 TD. The biggest problem that we can see is with the running game. Dimitri Nance had only 11 attempts for 30 yards despite his two TDs. If the Sun Devils hope to crack the top 10, or even compete in the Pac-10 they are going to need a substantial running game that as of right now doesn’t appear to be very effective.
6. UCLA: The bruins took down 18th ranked Tennessee in their opener. First and foremost I understand the following: It was an emotional win for Rick Neuheisel. The Volunteers were tanked 18th. An ugly win is still a win. That being said, I may be alone in thinking this was a completely unimpressive win and that Bruins fans have a lot to be worried about. For starters, Craft looked terrible in the first half. You can probably count on one hand how many times your starting QB threw 4 picks in the first half and you were still only down by 7 points. It is a big win for a Bruins team that is rebuilding, but I think the real story here is how bad Tennessee’s offense is/was. Can’t capitalize, can’t win. Don’t get ahead of yourself and think that UCLA is about to start a Cinderella run. The Bruins won’t get off so easy next weekend.
Next Game: @ BYU, Sept 13h
7. Stanford: The Cardinal got away with one and stole a W from Oregon State 36-28. A win is a win and that is the only reason they are ahead of the Beavers at this point. Stanford somehow found a way to win a game in which they had 18 first down to OStates 29 and 301 (91 passing, 210 rusing) yards to 491 allowed. Their passing game is going to need a tune up in order to make that running game all the more effective. It will be interesting to see how their season progresses, especially with a big match up next week.
Next Game: @ Arizona State, Sept 6th
8. Oregon State: The Fumble. It was almost a miracle of a comeback for the beavers, but it ended just a couple yards shy. The story of this game for Oregon State was turnovers. Moevao might have thrown the ball 54 times for 404 yards, but he also threw two key interceptions. The beavers were on the flip side of Stanford’s offensive problems; they need a more effective running game. Next week doesn’t get any easier either.
Next Game: @ Penn State, Sept 6th
9. Washington: I had high hopes for the Huskies this year, and debated taking them in an upset over Oregon. Luckily, I had a moment of clarity. Oregon’s defense completely shut them down, holding Locker to only 103 yards passing and 57 yards rushing. If this was any indication of what is to come, then it will be a long season for the Washington faithful.
Next Game: BYU, Sept 6th
10. Washington State: The cougars looked terrible against Oklahoma State in their 39-12 loss. Their 196 total yards (82 passing, 114 rushing) is cause for concern. They will need to find a rhythm on offense in order compete the rest of the season. I worry for WASU. If they work out some kinks against Cal next week, which should be an easy win for the Bears, they may have a chance at evening up at 2-2 after they play Baylor and host Portland State.
Next Game: Cal, Sept 6th.
More after the jump...
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Big Showing at the Herbies for Arizona
As far as I am concerned Kirk Hebstreit is the voice of college football. Year after year he seems to be the most knowledgeable and consistent when it comes to his analysis and picks. I hope that doesn’t jinx anything as he has just released his 8th annual Herbie Awards and has shown Arizona a considerable amount of love. The following are his categories, who placed and where. I have also added in links to some of our articles that correlate to his decisions.
Best Wide Recievers:
6. Mike Thomas
College Football's Top WRs: By Conference
Best Tight Ends
2. Rob Gronkowski
Best Quarterbacks: Old School: Classic Dropback Style
5. Willie Tuitama
Gone Bowling: First Time in a While
1. Arizona
I need sock cause were going BOWL-ing
Eff it Dude...Let's go Bowling: Arizona Preview Part Deux
Movin On Up
2. Arizona
Arizona Football Season Preview
Conference Picks- Mark It Down
Pac-10:
Champ: USC
Sleeper: Arizona
Coaches Who Will Exceed Expectations:
3. Mike Stoops, Arizona
It looks like we aren’t the only ones that think that Arizona is ready for a break out year.
More after the jump...
Monday, July 28, 2008
Solomon Hill Commits
2009 4 star Small Forward Solomon Hill from Fairfax High school in Los Angeles has just committed to the U of A. This is a huge addition to recruiting class as he is the 3rd best Small Forward in the class of 2009 according to Rivals.com. With Mike Moser and Greg Smith all ready committed the front court seems to be getting some much needed help. Hill is the type of player U of A fans have been wishing for the last few years. He is a hard working kid with no attitude problems or behavior issues. He is lauded for his passing skills as much as anything and has been categorized as a Point Forward by many scouting services across the country. He is a heady player reminiscent of Luke Walton but with much more athletic ability. Congrats to the new staff and Papa Lute for reloading at such a frenetic pace. Fingers crossed the Abdul Gaddy recommitting is next....More after the jump...
Friday, July 25, 2008
Antoine Cason's the Man
Any of you avid BearDown fans out there may know how we feel about Antoine Cason. We absolutely love the guy. He made our All-Arizona Team. Back in April before the draft we told you about Cason's Stock improving. We were one of the first to write when we heard about him winning the Thorpe Award. And back in November we gave him a Helmet Sticker, our only one of the season. So needless to say we were torn about him not yet signing. Personally I think rookeis are the ones who need to be in camp ASAP and Cason is a rookie. But at the same time, AC is our boy, and we wanted him to get paid. So when Mr. Matt sent me the Text at midnight last night, I wasn't upset about being woken up, I was excited 
that AC had signed that contract. He got in there at the last minute but he will be there. His 5 year $12 mill contract is a good thing for him and for his alma matter. Congrats to you Antoine.For those of you who don't know much about AC he was (as per my knowledge) the only college athlete with his own charitable foundation. Cason Cares. The Pac-10 wasn't behind Mr. Cason trying to make money for cancer research but he didn't care. The NCAA bylaws state that players cannot raise money (for fear it will be used for personal gain) but he went out, on his own, and raised money. Eventually last fall he was given the greenlight to begin Cason Cares by the NCAA. He raised $7000 dollars in the first 2 months of the wristband sales. Cason has been dominant on and off the field in Tucson and is ready to make a name for himself at the next level.
Good luck Antoine. We'll miss you in Tucson.
More after the jump...
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Arizona Football Season Preview
the last 9 months (can you believe it’s been that long) over 81.2% of the information covered on this site is football or football related. What do we love more than football. Well, nothing actually, but we do love College football specifically. Sure the NFL is fun and great but Saturdays are far better than Sundays and you all know that. So what’s better than just college football? Answer Arizona Football, at least here at The BearDown. And if you didn’t notice that just look at the web address and the sea of red hanging on the goal posts atop this page.
As you may have read Monday here and earlier today here we love our Kitty Kats. We amp up every Saturday and my (4 year old) “In Stoops We Trust” shirt still gets into the rotation in the fall. Mr. Matt hit you with a game by game breakdown of the upcoming UA season, which by his account will have Arizona Football in a Bowl Game. Now I too am guaranteeing Bowl Game. Whether or not it’s the Rose Bowl as Mr. Matt thinks, we’ll have to see. God I hope he’s right, but Rose Bowl or not this should be a great year in Tucson for Stoops Troops. The question remains, will this be the first surge of Stoops growing regime, or will this be Stoops’ Last Stand?
Pac with a Defensive Score of 86 and Offensive score of 85 and overall score of 84. I’m not sure how their overall drops to 84 since the piece missing is Special Teams, and we have amazing Special Teams coming into the ’08 season. Ok, that’s not really a valid point to argue since it’s fictional but it’s out there and now you all know. 
New Mexico. These aren’t 3 Guarantees but they aren’t the toughest games on the Arizona docket. At the very least coming out of this 2-1 will almost certainly lock up a Bowl bid for Arizona. Why? Well September tends to be the Cats weakest slate in recent memory. Coming out of that 2-1 instead of 1-2 (as they have 3 out of 4 years under Stoops) could be the one game difference that sends them bowling. But that’s not just it, add that with a 10-6 record (62.5%) over the last 4 games of the season over the last 4 years under Stoops leads to confidence closing the season and a good shot at 3 more wins. The Cats seem to get better, especially deeper into conference play. That in addition to the
fact that 2 of their 3 toughest contests of the season (Oregon and ASU) fall in that category and a 3-1 record against Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, and Arizona State seems very possible and very nice. In the Territorial Cup during Stoops tenure the Cats are a deceiving 1-3. The one win being in Stoops’ first (3-8) season in Tucson. 2 of the other 3 games were decided by 3 points. ASU came back to win the 2005 game with Arizona Freshman Phenom Willie Tuitama on the bench.
UCLA and 24-20 over #8 one-loss Cal). Well, in 2008 sandwiched between Cal in Tucson and the last 4 game push beginning in Pullman versus Wazzu, Arizona plays host to USC on Homecoming. Every year teams come in here and think that Arizona is beatable. I guarantee USC will be thinking the same thing. Arizona is 3-1 on homecoming since Stoops took over. Much like the Arizona Freshman, homecoming brings out the best in the Kitty Kats. The dorms are a little cleaner, the behavior a little better, and the outcome a pleasant surprise. Instead of showing off for their parents the Kitty Kats tend to show off for the many departed Cats fans who bleed red and blue and have struggled through the last, well decade. If they can’t manage against USC then the Territorial Cup looks to be the next chance for their back half upset. At the end of the year, while 11-1 and 10-2 are possible, I think that 9-3 is VERY likely, and the saving grace for the 5th year of Stoops in Tucson. The first of many bowl games to come. 
able to overcome. When games are slipping away young teams tend to focus on the fact that it’s slipping away instead of stepping up and stopping it, fixing it. In ’07 all of the seniority was on the defensive side of the ball, the offense only had one senior, departed Tackle Peter Graniello. 
despite the talent at the tackles. That will change this year which leads me to my next point. The Running Game. 
open the holes for him. And this year they will. If Grigsby can’t do it, Senior Xavier Smith will have to step up his occasional carries into the bulk load. A Running Game is key. 
in almost anything Willie throws in his general direction. TnT, the 7-10 split, have been playing together for 4 years now. They read each other on the field. Another year like last year’s (83 rec) for Thomas won’t only put him atop the Arizona record books above Bobby Wade, he will surpass Arizona State Receiver Derrick Hagan’s record of 258 receptions. 
ding 18.8 YPC had one analyst saying simply that DBs couldn’t tackle him. If Robbie G can have more games like Washington State (4 catches, 115 yds, 2 TDs) he won’t be 3rd option for too much longer. And definitely won’t be under any radars. The most important number for the Arizona offense is 10. 10 returning offensive starters used to the Spread Offense. Bottom line, Arizona made tremendous steps to become Air ‘Zona last year, and with a year under their belt in the new scheme look out for the 2008 passing attack, and memo to Pac-10 HQ, get your erasers out because there’s gonna be some changes in those record books. 
Fontenot and Lionel Dotson, and 4 other departing starters. What’s the good news? While those players were great, Arizona was able to outscore opponents with an underperforming Defense. While on the offensive side of the ball, youth can’t compare to experience. The opposite, occasionally, holds true for defense. Especially in the fast Pac-10 having natural talent in the game able to overcome boneheaded mistakes will be key. UA returns 3 defensive starters. And luckily 2 of those are in the Defensive backfield. FS Nasty Nate Ness had a very good 2007 (5 INTs in 6 games) and SS Cam Nelson will bring his 60 tackles (4th on team in ’07) and looks to solidify the Secondary while Devin Ross has natural ability to play bigger than his size (5’11”) and Marquis Hundley got some quality minutes last year. Of course high on the list of competition at CB is Incoming much loved recruit Robert Golden. 
vy will be starting at the outside linebackers, but Vuna Tuihalamaka impressed the hell out of me in Spring Ball and should be ready at a moments notice. One of the biggest acquisitions, it appears is Arizona DT Earl Mitchell. If that name sounds familiar he was protecting Tuitama last year along with a handful of receptions and a TD as the FB. Coaches looked at his speed and his 265 lb frame and decided that Interior lineman was a much better fit for him. From what I’ve seen and heard in the offseason, this might be the most important move they made all summer. Fresh faces and youthful exuberance might be exactly what this defense needs. No one is firmly set in their positions so don’t be surprised to see players fighting that much harder on Saturdays to keep their positions. 
The special teams were great last year. Kicker Jason Bondzio made tremendous strides in Tucson so we could forget the name of Nick Folk. The Senior and Pac-10 Honorable Mention PK went 21-24 on kicks less than 50 yards and 21 out of 25 total. Sophomore Keenyn Crier, who we all hope doesn’t see the field too often, will help keep the ball on the right side of the field. The second team all Pac-10 kicker averaged near 40 yards net and is definitely poised to play on Sundays. Besides that there isn’t much to say. The kickoff coverage team only allowed 1 TD 71 Kickoffs. Of course the kickoff specialist team didn’t get a whole lot 
of opportunity for tackles since only 47 of the 71 kickoffs netted a return. And while the 9.5 yards per punt return aren’t the best (#73 nationally last year) the 0 TDs allowed is very good and only having to punt 20 times isn’t too bad. With Cason gone Mike Thomas will be stepping up as return man in a unit that had 2 punt returns last year. No shot to Antoine but I would be surprised if Thomas can’t get a little more return yardage he’s a lot more elusive and similar in stature and speed to Chicago’s Devin Hester. In another silent aspect of the game, Arizona came in 4th in the conference in least yards penalized. Arizona will have the tools and opportunities to Save the job of Mike Stoops. Whether it be
through a 7-5 record, 11-1, or most likely 9-3 Arizona will be playing in late December. Expect this year’s Territorial Cup game (December 6, Tucson) to be the biggest game of the season for one if not both of these bitter rivals. If both teams are coming into this game with a shot at the Rose Bowl, which is possible, expect more than (school record)59,920 in Attendance, Standing Room Only. And with a little luck and a lot of hard work, when that game is over, as in years past, a sea of red will flood the field at Arizona Stadium. But the difference in 2008 is that my beloved Kitty Kats will be making plans for Pasadena on January 2nd, and I will be absent from work. More after the jump...
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Eff it Dude...Let's go Bowling: Arizona Preview Part Deux
Craig Stevens (3 TDs) and RB Justin Forsett (15 TDs). Those 4 guys were 4 of the 5 Top Receivers on the team and 3 of the Top 5 rushers. I can guarantee this offense will struggle without all 4 of those contributors. The top Skill players have left the program and the incumbant QB, Senior Nate Longshore, is penciled in as the teams QB!. This means that there will be room for more Cal speedsters to step up, names to be made, reputations to be established, but 2008 will not be the year for the Cal Bears. While this won't be a walkaway game for Arizona, at home this will be a good way for the Cats to start off the second half.
years the clearly dominant USC teams haven't had a lot of first half success against the Cats (2007: 10-10 at half, 2006: 3-0 at half, 2005: 14-7 at half) but they have managed to pull out wins in all 3 games. With the vastly improved, high powered Arizona Offense will USC be able to run away with the game in the second half as they have done in the past? Onto the other factor. Arizona has done 2 things with consistancy over the 4 year Stoops term in office. Win big games, Pull of a Huge second half upset, and win on Homecoming. The first year it was beating ASU at home to cap off a 3-8 season. Last year it was the Thursday night game of the week against #2 Oregon on November 15. The two years in between, that upset happened on homecoming. (52-14 over #7 undefeated UCLA and 24-20 over #8 one-loss Cal). In fact Arizona is 3-0 against California teams on Homecoming over the last 4 years. With that said, beating USC doesn't seem to promising. There's a very good chance USC will be #1 in the country coming into this game. The matchup to watch this game will be Arizona Offense against he SC Defense. Unfortunately, barring injury, Arizona isn't going to come out on top against the Trojans. 
ibson becomes less threatening. As Arizona showed last year it takes a little time to get used to the spread offense, so new Coach Wulff's spread should be more comfortable for the Cougs. But they still don't have the top tier talent to run the spread effectively enough. Also the fact that in Stoops four years the Cats seem to get a step quicker, a touch meaner, and just that much better over the last quarter of the season means this should be a good game for the Cats. As long as they aren't too rusty from the week off and they aren't to focused on the next week in Autzen you can put this one in the Win column for the Cats. The Cougar defense was weak enough as it was last season and they lost key run stuffing DT Ropati Pitoitua. This should be a great game for Tui to work out any kinks in the offense as he picks apart the Cougar defense with a surgeon's precision.
Oregon offense should be pretty potent, the QB battle between Justin Roper and Nate Costa will have been decided by now. This will be the game where Arizona's offense is at its best. Why? The Oregon front 7, well other than End Nick Reed, is non existant. Arizona's running game will be on and Tui will have plenty of time to pick apart the Oregon defense. Specifically with quick shot passes on short slants. Linebackers will not be able to contain Arizona receivers and TE Rob Gronkowski will have a "Player of the Week" type game. Oregon's rushing offense will be resting on the shoulders of a JC transfer who, though he impressed in spring workouts, A) is not Jonathon Stewart, and 2) did it against the Oregon front 7. Without a valid running game, the Oregon offense will sputter. Arizona should have this game in hand by the end of the 3rd quarter. 
ated rival Arizona State next game in the Territorial Cup. This sparks some concern, especially for a team that isn't too comforatble and used to success. The saving grace might be the coming bye week. Rather than facing ASU in 7 days, it will be 2 weeks. That should make for Arizona being able to foucs on the game at hand. Oregon State surprised Arizona last year with a 31-16 beating no one really expected. Rest assured Oregon State is not the same team as they were in 2007, and 2007 wasn't a banner year (9-4) for the Beavers to begin with. The Beavers have a QB controversy, a new kicker guaranteed to miss 1 30+ yd FG this game, and a completely revamped front 7. The only chance Oregon State has at getting out of Tucson with a Win rests entirely on their secondary. Their Secondary could be one of the best or even the best in the conference, but too many other question marks on both sides of the ball leave Oregon State just short against the Cats. 
be 10-1 and looking at a Rose Bowl birth (as long as USC is still in the National Championship picture). Arizona State should be 9-2 or 8-3 coming into Arizona Stadium and looking to play the spoiler. Arizona will be coming off of a bye and ASU will coming off of a game against UCLA. Bottom line, this could be the biggest and best Territorial Cup game ever. This will be the matchup of Rudy Carpenter and Willie Tuitama that was much-ballyhooed in 2005. The home team is 3-1 since Stoops took over in Tucson. Arizona State is going to be in this game wire to wire with Arizona. PK Thomas Weber will score 14 (4 FG, 2XP) points for ASU and the offense will put up 2 scores. Unfortunately for ASU their offense will not be as high powered as their Desert counterparts. The Cats will get out of this one with 4 TDs and a couple of FGs controlling the tempo and the scoring for the game. The Cats will score late to put the game out of reach and win in Tucson in December.
. This is the season that The Cats have been on the edge of for 4 years. The signs of brilliance have been there every season, but the Senior leadership was never there. The team was resting on youth which doesn't bode well in big or close games. This year there will be an improved offense with a year of the spread under their belt. This same team will be led by a group of Seniors who have seen the promise and will do everything in their power to achieve that. Last years team had some senior leadership (Cason, Larsen, Fontenot) but they couldn't make up for younger mental mistakes and offensive letdowns. 2008 has potential for Arizona and if this team can continue to protect the ball and score points Arizona will be in a bowl game and the Rose Bowl is in their grasp.More after the jump...
Monday, July 21, 2008
I need socks cause we're going BOWL-ing
Of all the writers here at TheBearDown I am the eternal optimist. I believe that this is the year my team is going to do great things at the beginning of every season. However, I want you the loyal reader to know that I am putting my LOVE for the Wildcats away for this article, I will not be a homer, this will be un-biased and fact based.....Yea Right...Bear DownHere is Part 1 of my game by game break down...
Aug. 30 Idaho - Seriously, I almost don't feel the need to tell you what will happen
here. This won't even be close. The only redeeming quality the Idaho football team has is that their name is the Vandals, and that's cool in a James Dean rebel kind of way. These guys stink, they are the worst team in the WAC by far and really have very few bright spots. They can however look towards improving, because they couldn't be any worse, Idaho finished 118th in the nation (only FIU was worse) in passing efficiency. The Vandal quarterbacks combined to complete just 45 percent of their throws with 14 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions. Nate Ness, Devin Ross and maybe even a little Robert Golden should feast on this.Arizona 56, Idaho 12
Sep. 6 Toledo - This is another game that shouldn't need much explanation. The one thing that I like about this game is that we should see the offensive fireworks on display. Last year Toledo didn't play much defense, they gave up 34 points or more in 10 of their 12 games, and had the MAC's worst run defense. They were especially bad on third downs allowing teams to convert 44.5 percent of their chances. This game should go a long way towards Willy winning PAC-10 Offensive POY honors.
Arizona 49, Toledo 28
Sep. 13 at New Mexico - Despite the fact that most of you know little about this team, New Mexico is a decent ball club that won a bowl game last year. The most intriguing part of this game is that it will pit strength against strenth. New Mexico's secondary should be among the best in the country. Corner back's DeAndre Wright and Glover Quinn are special, and safeties Ian Clark, Blake Ligon and Clint McPeek are all solid veterans. The pass defense was 20th in the nation last year and now it should be even better. Few will be able to consistently throw on this group. The upside here is that New Mexico's team will be young this year losing 15 starters and 22 key Letterman. Last years game featured a receiving core that picked apart our defense, After losing the tremendous receiving tandem of Travis Brown and Marcus Smith, the Lobos need several new receivers to step up and shine and the 3rd game of the season seems a little early for them to be in sync.
Arizona 35, New Mexico 21
Sep. 20 at UCLA - This game may stand as a litmus test of sorts for us. UCLA is supposed to
make a dramatic turn around now that they have the wonder duo, super rock star, coaching tandem of Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow steering their ship. I have to laugh to myself a bit when I hear the pundits hooting and hollering that UCLA will be the surprise of the PAC-10 this year. They are weak in all the wrong areas for this league and it's gonna show. The weak link of the UCLA defense, the secondary is flush with question marks and uncertainty with depth the biggest concern. Now that three starters must be replaced and the newcomers are questionable, it could be a very long season for the Bruin pass defense. I believe Willy, Money Mike and RobG will torch this weak unit and make their offense keep pace if it wants to stay in the game. On Offense UCLA's biggest concern is the O-Line, the strength of the unit will be at the Tackle position with Micah Kia and Sean Sheller who have good athletic ability if nothing else. The guards have limited or no experience, the center used to be a guard and the reserves will offer little support in the short-term. There are no sure things on this unit, bad news in a conference flush with quality defensive linemen. While our front 7 is not great it is at least serviceable and should make UCLA struggle most of the day. Among all of those questions one of the most glaring is the fact that the QBs are up in the air. Cowan took over as QB1 before his injury (out all season) so last year's on again off again oft-injured starter Olson is the QB1 again for the time being and JuCo transfer Kevin Craft is rumored to be ready to step in. Seeing as how last year's starter for the UCLA bowl game (McLeod Bethel-Thompson) is now leading the Sacramento State Hornets I gotta think, is Olson really the best bet in Pasadena?Arizona 42, UCLA 28
Oct. 4 Washington - The next stop on the Tyronne Willingham farewell tour....Seriously
though, I think that U-Dub has the potential to be a very good team..next year..The question is will Coach Willingham be around to see it? Jake Locker was last years PAC-10 Freshman of the Year and was 14 yards shy of becoming the leagues first QB to rush for 1000 yds. That statistic is a bit deceiving however as he spent a lot of his time running because of lackluster pass protection. The bright spot of the O-line, and maybe the whole team last season, was All Pac-10 C Juan Garcia, who was injured in spring ball and will miss a significant portion of this years season. The key for the Cats defensively in this game will be the Linebackers keeping Locker home and not allowing him to extend drives with his legs. On Defense the Huskies are looking at bunch of new starters on a defense that finished last in the Pac-10 and 104th nationally in pass defense. The biggest need area is along the defensive line that loses three starters from last years abysmal team and is now left with several undersized guys to try and provide a pass rush and stop the run. I have a feeling the Mr. Grigsby will run all over this team behind our veteran O-Line and Willy will torch this subpar secondary all day.Arizona 38, Washington 17
Oct. 11 at Stanford - Let me start by saying that last years loss to Stanford has cost me several nights sleep thinking about what could have been...It is crazy to me that these nerds beat us and Cal and USC but only won one other game. This years Stanford team will be just as unpredictable as last years. On Offense they have serious O-Line issues, two starters are gone from a unit that paved the way for the nation's 102nd-ranked running game and was 116th in sacks allowed to add to the mess Allen Smith, the Cardinal's best tackle, fractured his kneecap working out in February and could miss the entire season but in true bi-polar fashion last years starting LG Alex Fletcher, a member of the All-Pac-10 Second Team, put off the NFL to return for his senior season. He had now moved to Center, where he started his career, to lead this much maligned unit. There is no certainty that incumbent QB Tavita Pritchard, the hero of the USC game, will be the starter this year. He played horrible in all of the last 7 games last year and must face Justin Forcier, a former Michigan QB, for the starting job in camp. Again it is a case of the Wilcats weaknesses being overshadowed by the opponents. Our Defense will not be over matched by this team in any phase of the game. The real challenge in this game will be scoring points. Stanford has an exceptional Defense that last year finished 11th in the nation in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss. They are returning every key starter and are two deep at almost every position. The only area of doubt is the depth of the D-line. We would have to have developed a very punishing running game for this to be an issue though. In the end I think we win a close one on the strength of Jason Bondzio and Keenyen Criers legs.
Arizona 17, Stanford 13
That's right folks, I believe that the Loco Gatos will be 6-0 heading into the second half
of the season. People will be fighting for tickets, sports writers will be singing our praises and our team will start appearing on lists that start with 1 and end with 25. Most importantly we will start to catch the strangest odor in the air, one that Tucson hasn't had reason to smell in ten long years...RosesTune in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion....
More after the jump...
Thursday, July 17, 2008
From the Archives: Fans Like You
No creative juices flowing today, and just a teeny bit tired. So I'm throwing one at you from the Archives of The BearDown. Originally posted Thursday, November 15, 2007. Enjoy.
Sorry, work was slow and I decided (after some reading) a rant was in order.
To you Jacob Levine, English Major (my guess is you are a 5th year senior) shame on you and your whole family (of course there is the slight chance you still live with your parents).
Quoted in today's Arizona Daily Wildcat:
Jacob Levine, a senior majoring in English and creative writing, had his Thursday night poetry class cancelled due to parking issues."I'm upset because the priorities of the administration are on the football game, and I didn't go to college to be a football fan," Levine said. "I came to be a student."
Mancheck 1
First off, last time I checked missing class was a good thing. It was one of the best things in my undergrad. And to continue on this, Poetry Class? Really, I feel like I know you based solely on your statement. I will preface this by saying I do not know Mr(s). Levine, I have never met him, and my statements/assumptions are based solely on his statement. You most likely live with your parents, are in your 5th year of college, and are definately going to grad school because you don't know what you want to do when you grow up but you used to get B+'s in High School English. Of course the funny thing is the amount of money you spend getting this higher education in English and creative writing will most likely leave you sitting in the cubicle next to me (or someone like me) face it once you get into the real world, your college major or grad school hardly matters. Trust me, I know.
Mancheck 2
Priorities? The schools priorities lie in the bettering of student life and programs. Guess where money comes in to the school from. (O M G he ended a sentence with a preposition) You guessed right (non) sports fan, from the sports teams, especially say on a huge Thursday night Pac 10 game vs. the #2 team in the country, perhaps. I don't recall Ralph Waldo Emerson or Walt Whitman doing much for this or any other university for that matter. And you didn't come to college to be a student. You are an english major. Go grab your frisbee and play some ultimate. Being a student is not just grades and bad union food it's the traditions, the bars, the sports, homecoming, march madness, painting your face and/or body, not haikus and couplets.
Mancheck 3
Sports > Poetry
It is at this point I should apologize to Mr. Levine, since I have never met him and he (hopefully) was misquoted and I am wrong....I strongly doubt it though. But this was not aimed directly at him but rather everything he and people like him stand for, unfortunately for him, he gave them a name and an identity to attack. This is what's wrong with U of A football, the quantity of people like Jacob Levine. In Florida you can't get a ticket on gameday at the box office. In Tucson you can get one after kickoff from the box office (60% of the time). This lackadaisical approach to sports by some of the students is the problem. If you didn't want to come to college to be a football fan then why did you come to a Pac-10 school, there are plenty of schools out there who don't even have a football team, and all the dirty poetry reading people just like you are out there too. Stop taking up space on the mall playing Frisbee and hackysack, cut your dreads and leave my school. Only true fans need apply.
Dom graduated in 4 years from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in History Education. You can read him daily/bi-daily on TheBearDown and his book Untitled will be hitting the stores as soon as it is written, published, and printed.
More after the jump...
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
10 Reasons why Europe is wrong for Jennings
After having just traveled around Europe for the last month- I feel I might have some knowledge that Brandon Jennings might need. Here are ten reasons that going Euro might not have been the best idea.
1. The Exchange Rate: Ok so you’ll be getting a salary instead of a stipend, seems like a better deal but let me remind you that the Pound to the dollar is 2-1 and the Euro is 1.5 to 1. So when you come “home” for the 2009 draft you’ll have lost money, that Euro salary isn’t looking so sweet now.
2. The Language Barrier: French people don’t care at all to help a poor foreigner understand their language in fact they send you in the wrong direction just to get a good laugh- and in Italy, most are yelling too much to even point you in the right direction, you’re going to get lost. At least in Tucson the official language is Spanglish and there is the common ground of the Viva Burrito menu which everyone seems to understand.
3. Women: I don’t think European women are impressed with athletes at all, unless you play football (American Soccer) so while you could have been a God at the U of A regardless of how you look in person, in Europe you better learn to step your game up.
4. Cars: European cars are tiny, and most have hatchbacks, the last time I saw a professional athlete driving a hatchback was well… never. There aren’t any cars made for people over 6’ in Europe.
5. Work: You’re going straight from High School to the real world with more barriers than most ( see above), college is a time to learn the slim balance between being completely lazy and getting work done and understanding the shortcuts that get you from one point to another. Instead you’re going to have a real job and real responsibilities-alas you could have been in Tucson with a coaching staff that walked you to your 8 am English class ( i.e., Mr. Hassan Adams).
6. Housing: European housing is unique it’s small and old. The only mansions are reserved for royalty and sorry Brandon but you are no King James just yet.
7. Smoking: All Europeans smoke, especially the women. While you may find in Tucson your conformer smokers that are still at 18-23 trying to fit in with the crowd you can still get clean air- in Europe hope is lost- I watched a woman in her 60’s smoke while next to her own oxygen tank - it’s hazy over there Brandon.
8. Fans: See Women. In Europe the most awesome fans stick with football- Euro league fans are somewhat suspect, and the fact that they will most likely know your just trying to get your step up to the NBA well they might now like you too much. However, had you chosen the road of higher education, you could have been U of A’s new hero, the one to get us past the second round of the NCAA tournament.
9. Weather: You have two options here A: cold and rainy or B: hot and humid. Say what you may about Tucson, but it only rains for two weeks a year and while it’s hot it’s never humid- it’s a dry heat and plenty of pools with parties to cool you down.
10. Food: Be prepared for pasta, baguettes and crepes- there will be no deliveries, dipping or open until 5 am places to grub. You could have been in Tucson where there are no less than 500 Mexican drives thru open 24 hours, and at least 15 will deliver until 3 am on your speed dial.
More after the jump...
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