Be the Hammer

* Be the Hammer is the latest in a line of Fresno State football related features that gives us the opportunity to further discuss the 'Dogs in more facets. This time, it's in regards to special teams.

Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of multiple camera angles and video editing equipment like the Fresno State coaching staff does, so we'll make our selection the old-fashioned way -- memory and dvr.

Our top 3 selections in the running to carry the hammer (in no particular order):

• Kevin Goessling (K) - Made good on field goals of 36 and 49 yards

• Andrew Shapiro (K) - Kicked off 5 times, resulting in 2 touchbacks. Helped keep one of the nation's most dangerous kick return men in check.

• A.J. Jefferson (KR/CB) - 3 kick returns for 77 yards (good for about 26 per). His long kick return of 34 yards was the closest he's come this year to breaking one.

Yes, we see it too. Sadly, there are two kickers in the running for the hammer, and frankly, it's disappointing. After years of special teams dominance in all phases, it has become easy to take these things for granted. Hopefully, the coaches see something we didn't have the eyes for, because honestly, a kicker potentially carrying the hammer is embarrassing.

On a small tangent, but related nonetheless, I don't think you'll find many dissenting opinions to the claim that Fresno State has played in some tough, physical games this year. But in my opinion, they haven't been physical enough. I can't help but compare current teams to teams of the past, and using that as the standard, I don't think opposing teams are using nearly enough ice the day after the game.

Special teams is one of those areas in which this has been glaring. Especially when Kendall Edwards sets the standard (yes, it was a penalty, but baaaaarely). Aside from Lorne Bell and occasionally Kyle Knox, not many 'Dogs are coming close to making opponents clap their knees in fear.

But I digress, although this is absolutely a topic that needs further discussion, just at a later date. Devon Wylie -- who is easily the best Bulldogs special teamer overall -- and Isaiah Green were also considered as nominees. Wylie showed his 4.25 speed in outrunning a line drive punt and stopping it inside the 5, while Green saved a ton of yardage on an early kick return by tackling Cincinnati's Mardy Gilyard after busting through a double team. In the end, Wylie just didn't have enough opportunities to make an impact, while Green flopped big time on blocking for punt return men.

Although we tried to avoid it, we were left with no choice but to announce the winner of this week's Be the Hammer award as ...

... Andrew Shapiro (As much as we like him, we're crossing our fingers for a different choice by the coaches)

Photo by Jason O. Watson - U.S. Presswire

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Doyel doesn't rule!

What's with this Gregg Doyel guy trying to come down with his hard-as-nails approach at Cincinnati and boise state?

While he certainly has a point that boise state has traditionally made its living by feasting on weak non-conference opponents, and because of that does not deserve a shot at the national title if it finishes the season undefeated, that's no reason to support the "haves" trying to keep the "have-nots" from joining the fray.

Why keep criticizing teams for their conference schedule? That's what is a waste of time. If schools like Fresno State and boise state had a chance to be in the Pac-10, they would jump at it. Then they'd both have better recruiting, an immensely larger budget (thanks to the BCS contracts), more attractive schedules that would garner more fans and attendance and they'd be able to hold on to great assistant coaches.

Speaking of Fresno State, Doyel lost all credibility by saying Oregon was boise state's best win and Bowling Green was its second-best win. Seriously Doyel, you think Bowling Green is better than Fresno State? Heck, one could argue Fresno State would beat Oregon this year, or Oregon State and Florida State (the other team you compared the Bulldogs to). The line on Fresno State vs. Bowling Green would be double digits -- if it were on the road.

National media is a big part of the reason why there's such a steep hill for schools from non-BCS conferences to climb in the first place. There are preseason magazines devoting pages upon pages of hype to even the nobodies from BCS conferences (think Washington State, Iowa State, Mississippi State, Syracuse, Baylor and half the Big East) while most teams from the WAC and Mountain West get a paragraph or three.

You turn on the TV and see constant coverage of usc, Florida, Texas -- same ol', same ol' -- and only see Fresno State news and highlights if the Bulldogs are still running undefeated. Think you'll hear another mention of Houston this year after its first loss? Nope, but you can bet you'll hear plenty more on Oklahoma State and Texas Tech (two teams Houston defeated this year, and two who cowardly backed out of a return game at Fresno State within the past decade).

It's time for the media to step up, and stop helping the injustices of college football continue.

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WAC rundown Week 5

***I should be ashamed. I realized far too late the La Tech-Hawaii game was being played on Wednesday night. Then I had no clue Utah State-BYU was tonight. So I didn't get my predictions for those two games up in time. For the record, I woulda picked Hawaii and BYU. I would have been wrong and right.

Hawaii (2-2, 0-1) @ Louisiana Tech (2-2, 1-0)
Louisiana Tech 27, Hawaii 6

Utah State (1-3) @ No. 20 BYU (4-1, 1-0)
BYU 35, Utah State 17

UNLV (2-2, 0-1) @ Nevada (0-3, 0-1)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Last week: Missouri 31, Nevada 21
What was supposed to be an epic season for the Wolf Pack is in danger of falling apart. A loss to the in-state Rebels might buckle the players' spirt. But talent-wise, this game shouldn't be close. Don't prove me wrong again Nevada.
Prediction: Nevada

New Mexico State (2-2, 0-1) @ San Diego State (1-3, 0-1)
Saturday, 5 p.m.
Last week: New Mexico State 20, New Mexico 17
The Aggies might very well be the worst team in the country. Seriously. This isn't a joke. It's actually quite offensive how bad their team is. But the Aztecs are bad too, having already lost by double digits to Idaho. Still, expect the heavily-favored Aztecs to put another notch on the belt (do you get a notch for beaing New Mexico State?).
Prediction: San Diego State

UC Davis (1-2, 0-1) @ No. 5 Boise State (4-0, 1-0)
Saturday, 5 p.m., ESPN 360
Last week: Boise State 49, Bowling Green 14
Local radio personality Guy Haberman of 1430 ESPN joked this week that the line for this game should be about 56. He might not be far off. UC Davis was stomped 51-0 in its opener at Fresno State, and now faces a more dangerous defense. These two teams run the same system, but the Aggies are about to get a tutorial on executing it at a higher level.
Prediction: Boise State

Colorado State (3-1, 0-1) @ Idaho (3-1, 1-0)
Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Last week: Idaho 34, Northern Illinois 31
This is getting ri-gosh-darn-diculous. The Vandals are 3-1? Watch out for bacon bits falling from the sky. If Idaho can beat another Mountain West team (after San Diego State) and pick up another quality win (this and Northern Illinois count as quality wins for Idaho) then we'll know the Vandals are for real. You can guess from my prediction whether I think they are.
Prediction: Colorado State

Byes:
Fresno State (1-3, 0-1)
Last week: No. 14 Cincinnati 28, Fresno State 20

San Jose State (1-3)
Last week: San Jose State 19, Cal Poly 9

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Fresno State in national title game?

Yes, Fresno State is 1-3, but the bye week has left us with too much time to think. And that brings about a few what-ifs. Like, what if Fresno State -- with a schedule featuring two top 10 teams in the first four games this year -- was 4-0 right now?

What if Fresno State went undefeated this season, with wins at Wisconsin, vs. No. 5 Boise State, at No. 10 Cincinnati and at Illinois later in the year? That's a darn solid resumé. And if the 'Dogs did pull off the magical undefeated run (which we obviously now know they won't) it would be worthy of an appearance in the national title game.

But, does Boise State, with its schedule, deserve to play for the national championship when its undefeated season is complete? The Broncos won at home vs. an Oregon team that looked terrible, but now pulled off a stunning blowout of Cal. And the Broncos won at Fresno State, a team with a high-powered offense that should be much better than 1-3 at this point.

Today's Yahoo! story seems to think Boise State in the biggest of big BCS bowl games is a possibility. Do you?

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Time To Start Talking Some Hoops

As you all very well know, the football team has a bye week before playing Hawaii on October 10th, so what better way to celebrate a bye week than with the talk of some Fresno State basketball! It's always fun to play the guessing game and make predictions and that's just what we are going to do today! Let's talk about the potential line-up. Here is how I think the rotation will look for this year's squad based on nothing! Haha. There are a lot of new guys on this years team that I have never seen play, so my knowledge comes from what I have heard or read about.

Starting 5

Point Guard- Steven Shepp (6-2 170, So.) Has great ball handling skills and his pass first mentality is ideal for this team built with size and athleticism.

Shooting Guard- Mychal Ladd (6-5 190, So.) Might be the most athletic player on a team that is loaded with many athletes.

Small Forward- Paul George (6-8 210, So.) Showed tremendous talent last year as a freshman. Do it all player who can throw it down with the best of them.

Power Forward- Sylvester Seay (6-10 235, Sr.) Only senior on this years team. Will need to become a leader. He is a tough match-up with his length, athleticism, scoring and shot blocking ability.

Center- Greg Smith (6-10 250, Fr.) The most highly anticipated player to come into the basketball program since the Tark era.


Bench (In Order of Impact)

G- Brandon Sperling (6-4 180, So.) It looks like Sperling might be the back-up at both guard positions. He really turned it on at the end of last year, so it will be key for him to come off the bench and eat up some quality minutes. Needs to be more confident in his scoring abilities and driving to the basket.

F/C-Nedeljko Golubovic (6-8 245, Jr.) Started last year, but with the addition of Greg Smith, he will mostly likely be coming off the bench. Ned is a team player who will need to eat up some quality minutes with his ability to score inside and out.

G/F- Jerry Brown, Jr. (6-7 195, Fr.) Another freshman in this highly touted incoming class, Jerry brings a lot of athleticism and will see some time off the bench.

C- Brandon Webster (6-10 275, Jr.) Big body player who has shown signs of promise that makes you wonder if he can put it all together and play hard all the time, that he has the potential to be a very valuable player since most teams can't match up with his size.

G/F- Garrett Johnson (6-5 190, Fr.) Could potentially come off the bench for defensive purposes this season.

G- Taylor Kelly (6-2 200, RS Fr.) Red-shirted last season. Good shooter, who most likely will come off the bench in mop up duties this season, but may play himself into a much larger role.

F- Justin Johnson (6-6 205, RS Fr.) Surgery forced him to red-shirt last season. Father, Eddie, played in the NBA for 17 years.

G/F- Jonathan Wills (6-6 180, Jr.) The transfer from the University of New Mexico will sit out this year due to NCAA transfer rules, but will be able to practice with the team.



Now it's your turn. Tell us how you think the rotation will set up. I know there are others just as excited for the upcoming season. IT'S GREAT TO BE A BULLDOG!

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Easy there Coach Hill

How many of you listened to the Pat Hill Show Monday afternoon on KMJ radio? On his weekly show hosted by Paul Loeffler (it's a heck of show by the way) Hill talks about the previous week's game, looks ahead to the next opponent and then takes calls from fans.

So far this year it's been a pretty cordial exchange between fans and the ball coach who can soon be referred to with an "ol'" in front of his title. But that changed today, when a caller voiced frustration about Hill's strategy and Fresno State's ticket prices. (The show should be posted at some point on the KMJ site, and was even blogged about by Bee reporter Daniel Lyght.)

Hill didn't like the caller's opinion, which, granted, was way off base, and proceeded to put him in his place. At one point, Hill told the caller he knows nothing about competition (not exact quotes here, but not far off) and asked if he's ever even played the game?

The caller's response: My name's Vincent Petrucci.

For those of you new to Bulldog Football or not yet read up on the history, Vince Petrucci is the name of a former Bulldogs kicker whose jersey number is retired atop the Bulldog Stadium press box. It seemed from the radio show, Hill believed it was that Vince Petrucci calling. And therefore so did some listeners. But just this morning on 1430 ESPN radio, that Vince Petrucci was a guest on Paul Swearengin's show and said it absolutely was not him who called, and that he was at the last home game and has been a Bulldog Foundation member for years.

Anyway, the guy who really did call in said $50 was too much to pay to see his former team take on Boise State, so he watched the last home game from a sports bar.

Problem is, there were plenty of tickets available for $35, a three-game deal for $89 or so and a family pack for about $340. Translation -- Bulldog tickets are very reasonably priced. Just compare 'em to similar programs around the nation:
Boise State (charging more for premium seats to see Nevada than FS did for Boise)
Utah (heck, just look at the Air Force game, which wouldn't be a premium price at FS)
BYU (charging $50 for end zone, $75 elsewhere for Utah)
Hawaii (charging comparable prices to FS for its upcoming game against FS)

The caller said tickets should be $15 -- please show me sir where you can find tickets for an upper echelon program for $15. Heck, Fresno State actually DID sell a batch of tickets for $16 a pop for the opener against UC Davis. But don't expect that for the premium game of the home schedule. This program is already in great need of generous donors and Bulldog Foundation members to step up and help it reach its highest potential. It can't afford to sell itself short here. Would any of us argue that Fresno State football is more entertaining than even the very best concert? Not me. Yet concerts regularly charge upwards of $100 for big names.

But here's the thing, as right as Pat Hill was today in this little call-in debate, he didn't handle the situation as well as he could have. And it's not the first time that's happened in his reaction to fan feedback. Hill's a public figure, maybe the most famous person in the Valley, and he has to be prepared for the criticism and questioning that sometimes comes with that. Especially as a Division I college football coach. Every coach deals with constant evaluation of how they're doing their jobs. It's part of the deal, and part of the reason they get compensation of hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

Sure, some fans are uneducated on the facts, some aren't good at analyzing the happenings of the team and some indeed ask irritating questions. But that doesn't mean the coach should alienate those people by publicly putting them down. That's bad PR, and bad fan/potential donor relations. No positives come out of it. There's a way to be respectful and stern in your point at the same time, but this didn't come close.

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Sunday Hangover

The Sunday Hangover is a new day-after-the-game quick read reaction post that we will publish the day after each Fresno State football game. After a day and/or night of tailgating, beer drinking, partying, crying, cussing, cheering and celebrating, etc, combined with a short to long night to sleep on it, we will post the knee-jerk reactions of Bulldog Bounce bloggers, in three sentences or less each.

Reactions will range from entertaining, a waste of ___ seconds/minutes of your life, funny, boring, curse-laden and everything in between. Feel free to post yours in the comments below as well. It could be just about the previous day's game, the current state of the season, a play you can't get out of your head and want back, trash talk to the other team or anything else that you can connect the dots to make a connection to the Fresno State football team about.

Moving on, today's edition features four of the Bounce's bloggers:

"Freaking crap this hurts, but this team is full of toughness and resiliency, which makes me proud. I just hope they stay motivated to push through this glass ceiling, because it'll only take a few more cracks to break it and Bulldog Football officially returns."

"This is gonna be a frustrating two weeks before the 'Dogs have a chance to get back on the winning track at evil hawaii."

"The Bulldogs never seem to give up, which I commend. However, there are mistakes on the field and in the game plan that have prevented us from winning."

"I feel frustrated and disappointed. I am tired of being close and not winning."

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