34BoJackson.Fan's Blog

Trying to sell USF's brighter future

34BoJackson.Fan — Wed, 14 May 2008 05:11:05 GMT

(05-13) 21:14 PDT -- Exactly one month ago, Rex Walters was announced as the USF basketball coach. Not much has changed on some fronts. He still has a bare office, still hasn't found a permanent home and is still adjusting to the sticker shock of his new surroundings. So what has sexy Rexy - a college nickname - done if he's not decorating his office or moving his life from Florida to the Hilltop?

Apparently, just enough to bring some fans back to the Hilltop.

"He has us excited again," said Phil Fleig, an alum.

Walters, standing at a pulpit, fielded questions Tuesday from the 50-some alums and supporters who came to the school's first of three meet-and-greets scheduled for this month.

He was peppered with questions from recruiting to academics to what he would do if his team were up three points with six seconds left on the clock and the opposing team had the ball. His answer: depends on the circumstance.

A witty retort from a man described as a bright, straightforward guy.

Like the new kids on the block, Walters and his staff have been approached by basketball fans for the past month. People at the grocery store were giving Walters their two cents about the program and assistant coach Danny Yoshikawa felt the brunt of dealing with a longtime USF fan, who was working a ticket booth at Fisherman's Wharf. "I love that the people here are so passionate," Walters said. "They really want USF to be back where it should be and that's my goal."

Tuesday's meeting was another effort by the school to jump-start interest in a program criticized for its midseason coaching change and off-the-court issues.

Consequently, the staff has had to deal with remedying the past.

"It's more important than anything else," said Yoshikawa of bringing the program back into a positive light. "We're trying to change the culture here, but it's going to take longer than one month.

"We want to open the doors to get the alumni supporting us again. We want to build those relationships back up."

"There's no reason to look back at what happened one or two years ago," Walters said. "It's time to move forward."

Those close to the program have been pleased with Walters' ability to scramble on the recruiting front. Walters has addressed the need for more depth at the point-guard position and said he intends to use his last scholarship on a big man.

Granted, they're not top-flight players, but they are quality players who understand Walters' desire to be just as strong in the classroom as on the court.

"Everything looks terrific on the outside," said Larry Blum, who recently bought season tickets after having canceled them after last season. "He came in so late, but for him to get the players he did has been excellent."

With both assistant coaches, Yoshikawa and Calvin Byrd, immersed in the West Coast recruiting scene, USF is beginning to tap back into Bay Area talent. The inking of Skyline's Kwame Vaughn and Mitty's Angelo Caloiaro has high school coaches taking notice.

"I think overall, the coaching staff is making noise," Skyline coach Terrence Ransom said. "USF is taking and retaining local talent and letting them develop.

"Hopefully they can put together some solid years and make the program even more attractive."

The newest Dons

A look at new USF coach Rex Walters' 2008-09 recruiting class. He has one more scholarship available:

Angelo Caloiaro

Archbishop Mitty High, 6-7 forward

Senior year: 16.8 points, 8.6 rebounds

Dontae Bryant

Eastern Arizona College (JC), 6-2 guard

Sophomore season: 8.8 points, 7.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 2.8 steals

Kwame Vaughn

Skyline High (Oakland), 6-3 guard

Senior year: 23.9 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists

Evaluation

Vaughn is a fairly long and lean two-guard prospect with a smooth shooting touch out to 20 feet. Presently, he's more of a catch-and-shoot two guard prospect, mainly coming off screens, but he's quick enough to separate himself from defenders with the dribble. His handle is pretty solid, though he needs to polish up his left hand, and he makes enough savvy decisions to possibly be a one someday. Due to his shooting ability, Vaughn is able to get to the hole on occasion and finish, though he needs to get stronger. Look for most low-mid majors to start monitoring his progress during his senior season.

Chris O'Brien

Northwood High (Irvine), 6-4 small forward

Intended to attend Princeton, but wasn't admitted. Sat out last season.

Senior year: 19.6 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.4 steals

E-mail Bryan Chu at bchu@sfchronicle.com.

San Francisco Dons have landed Two Commits in 2008

34BoJackson.Fan — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:51:41 GMT

Rex Walters lands first recruit Angelo Caloiaro

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, small forward Angelo Caloiaro has verbally committed to the University of San Francisco. The 6-7 Caloiaro is new head coach Rex Walter's first recruit. Caloiaro was the number one rebounder and second leading scorer on an Archbishop Mitty team which featured four other Division I signees.

AZ guard picks San Francisco

The University of San Francisco has landed a verbal commitment from Phoenix point guard Jamaal West, according to the Arizona Republic. West led Camelback High School in scoring as a junior with 11.9 points per game and chose the Dons over Tulsa.

USF Hires Former NBA Player Walters As Head Coach

34BoJackson.Fan — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:40:42 GMT

USF Hires Former NBA Player Walters As Head Coach

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ??? The University of San Francisco lured former NBA player Rex Walters away from Florida Atlantic to take over its struggling basketball program.

Walters, who had a 31-33 record in two seasons for the Owls, was formally introduced at a news conference Monday afternoon.

"The University of San Francisco is a national name and we need to be a national basketball program," Walters said. "The challenge of that really excited me."

Walters takes over for Jessie Evans, who was forced to take a leave of absence in the middle of last season and then was fired last month. Eddie Sutton took over the program on an interim basis for the remainder of the season as the Dons finished 10-21 in their third straight losing season.

USF has struggled in recent years to compete with West Coast Conference power Gonzaga, and has also fallen behind Saint Mary's, San Diego and Santa Clara in recent years in the conference.

Walters said his goal is "to hang banners" at a school that won NCAA titles in 1955 and '56 with Bill Russell but has not been to the NCAA tournament since 1998.

"There's something special here. There's something special about the city," Walters said. "I told the guys they will all come in with a blank slate. I don't worry so much about what happened in the past. I'm here to talk about USF basketball today and in the future."

Walters inherits a roster led by Dior Lowhorn, who was No. 1 in the WCC in scoring at 20.5 points per game last season.

Walters will be the third new coach in the eight-team WCC, joining Tom Asbury at Pepperdine and Bill Bayno at Loyola Marymount.

Walters spent one year as an assistant at Florida Atlantic before taking over the program when Matt Doherty left to coach SMU. The Owls went 16-15 in Walters' first season, before falling to 15-18 this season. Walters previously spent two years as an assistant at Valparaiso.

Walters began his college career at Northwestern. He transferred to Kansas and played his final two college seasons under Roy Williams. Walters averaged 15.6 points per game with the Jayhawks, helping the team reach the Final Four in 1993.

Walters said he wouldn't be where he was if not for the time he spent with Williams. He also thanked some of his NBA coaches, Chuck Daly, Larry Brown and Pat Riley, for helping his progress.

Walters was selected 16th overall by New Jersey in the 1993 NBA draft and played seven seasons for the Nets, Philadelphia and Miami. He averaged 4.6 points per game in his career

West Matchup: No. 1 Lakers vs. No. 8 Nuggets

34BoJackson.Fan — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:38:20 GMT

How they match up:
The Lakers could not have asked for a better opponent. They owned the Nuggets in the regular season, sweeping three games by an average of 118.0-101.7. They didn't have Pau Gasol for any of the meetings and Andrew Bynum was a factor only in the first game. The only close game also was the only game the teams played in Denver. Allen Iverson went for 51 points—49 in the first three quarters—in that 111-107 Lakers win, and he led all scorers with a 32-point average in the series.

Best player:
Kobe Bryant is a problem for every team to defend, and he's an especially big problem for the Nuggets. Do the Nuggets go with Iverson, who is half a foot shorter; the slower and shorter Anthony Carter, or reserve J.R. Smith, who is not known for his defense? Or do the Nuggets play even more zone than they have been? Bryant's average of 22.0 against the Nuggets was 6.3 points below his season average, but that's a bit deceiving because he averaged only 33.1 minutes in the series. More telling was his blistering 56.8 shooting percentage, which included only a 1-for-8 effort on 3-pointers.

Key matchup:
Carmelo Anthony vs. whomever the Lakers play at small forward. For the Nuggets to have a chance, Anthony needs to average about 10 points better than the 20.7 he scored against the Lakers in the regular season. Vlad Radmanovic and Luke Walton get the bulk of minutes at the 3 for the Lakers, and Anthony has a size and quickness advantage over both. The Lakers likely will try the longer Lamar Odom on Anthony and have Radmanovic defend the offensively challenged Kenyon Martin.

Biggest mismatch:
Lakers' supporting cast over Nuggets' supporting cast. There was a reason Bryant began trusting his teammates this season: They played better. And that was long before Gasol was traded to L.A. Five Lakers besides Byrant averaged double figures against the Nuggets while Iverson and Anthony had double-digit help from only Linas Kleiza, with 13.0 points. Gasol is not a good matchup for Marcus Camby, who would prefer to stay in the lane on defense. Martin also will have a tough assignment when matched against Odom, who has played some of his best ball as a Laker since Gasol's arrival. Martin has regained his quickness and explosiveness after last year's microfracture surgery but he is a power player who could get in foul trouble trying to slow the versatile Odom.

Scout's take:
"When I saw the Lakers recently, their offense was really clicking. They were moving the ball well, taking good shots, and hitting them. I think what happened in those home losses to Charlotte and Memphis was that the Lakers were looking ahead to bigger games. They played tired. ... Don't be surprised if Phil Jackson gets into some kind of issue with George Karl. He'll complain about the refs, or say something about a player. He always seems to do something."

Did you know?
By the time the Lakers travel to Denver for Game 3, they will have enjoyed a nice, long stretch of 17 consecutive days in L.A.

Prediction:
The Lakers have Kobe and a better supporting cast, they're better rested and they have home-court advantage. The only reason I'm not picking a sweep is because I can't see L.A. finishing the season series 7-0 against a team as talented at the Nuggets. So, Lakers in five.

Four 2009 Notre Dame Football Recruits

34BoJackson.Fan — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:32:38 GMT

Jake Golic
TE (6-4, 202)
Northwest Catholic
West Hartford, CT
Profile | Video

Theo Riddick
RB (5-10, 185)
Immaculata
Somerville, NJ
Profile

Tyler Stockton
DT (6-1, 290)
Hun School
Princeton, NJ
Profile | Video

Cierre Wood
RB (6-0, 192)
Santa Clara
Oxnard, CA
Profile | Video

RIVALS.COM

Jake GolicTE 6-42024.7-West Hartford, CTTyler StocktonDT6-12904.98-Princeton, NJCierre WoodRB6-01924.5-Oxnard, CA

Theo RiddickRB5-101854.45.9 Somerville, NJ

Cierre Wood | ATH

Hometown: Oxnard, CA
Santa Clara High School
Ht: 6'0" Wt: 192

Position(s): RB
Forty: 4.4

Evaluation

Wood is a terrific athlete with the physical tools to excel on either side of the ball at the next level. He has a tall, high-cut frame that has room for plenty of additional bulk. Has the speed, elusiveness and quickness to excel on offense, especially on the perimeter. Shows the great vision to set up his downfield cuts and has the loose hips to make defenders miss in space. Flashes good balance, body lean and leg drive. Has deceptive lower-body strength and can break through initial arm tackles. Displays good receiving skills out of the backfield and in the slot. Can find the soft spots in zone defenses. Has soft hands and good concentration. Knows how to high-point the ball. Has questionable skills as an in-line runner. Doesn't attack the line of scrimmage downhill, pick his way through traffic or pick up quality yards after contact. Has an elongated lower body that makes sharp cuts difficult. Sometimes lose something in transition. High-cut frame could expose his body to big hits between the tackles at the next level. Speed is good but not elite. Tends to build up to speed and lacks elite burst and acceleration. Wood has potential on offense, but his excellent range, leaping ability, ball skills and athleticism may be better suited to safety than running back. He figures to be one of the smoother, more versatile athletes in the class of 2009.
Notes

2007: Rushed for over 2,600 yards and 42 touchdowns. Also recruited by Auburn, Nebraska, North Carolina, Wake Forest...

Tyler Stockton | DT

Hometown: Princeton, NJ
The Hun School Of Princeton
Ht: 6'1" Wt: 290

Stockton registered 73 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, three batted passes and a blocked kick as a junior. He was named the 2007 Mid-Atlantic Defensive Player of the Year. He was named first-team All Mid-Atlantic Prep at defensive tackle for his sophomore and junior years, first-team All-State Prep at defensive tackle both years by the Star Ledger and first-team All-Area for both years by the Trenton Times and Princeton Packet.

Stockton runs a 4.42 short shuttle.

Evaluation

The Hun School has a dangerous defensive line in 2008 and a big reason is because of Stockton. He lacks ideal height, but this kid is a menace in the trenches especially lined up over the center. He possesses one of the most explosive get-offs in this class. He is extremely quick off the ball and consistent. Opponents lined up against him better be prepared to get hit and jarred backwards. In addition to be quick he will also stay low, quickly shot his hands, and on contact generate power from his lower body. He will physically hit a blocker so hard and so quickly that he will snap his head back and put him on his heels. He does a great job of quickly punching and pressing the blocker off of him so he can separate. Even when he does not knock a blocker back he does a good job of staying square and holding his ground. He has a good motor and hustles around. He is a solid tackler. He is a disruptive pass rusher. Has the quickness to get off the ball and beat his man. He is so quick and good with his hands that he will use them to help defeat a blocker. Can club and throw a quick swim. Displays the ability to punch and get skinny and slip past a blocker. He has adequate speed and short-area change-of-direction skills, but will get in on plays on the perimeter on effort. Stockton is a fun player to watch as he is explosive and disruptive. He plays like a tornado of terror and while he may lack certain ideals he is a good player that should cause some problems at the college level.

Jake Golic

Hometown: West Hartford, CT
Northwest Catholic High School
Ht: 6'4" Wt: 202

Evaluation

The 2008 class produced an undersized but talented Golic at the center position. The 2009 class once again has a Golic in it, but this time he is a tight end. Like his older brother this Golic lacks ideal bulk for the position, but has the frame to add the needed bulk and tools to be a productive college player. At the high school level he is mainly a wide receiver. He has a tall rangy frame, but lacks the burst and separation speed to stay at receiver at the college level. His frame, ball skills, and physical nature though lead you to believe he can develop into a productive and well-rounded tight end at the college level. As a receiver he would likely struggle to be anything more than a solid possession guy, but as a tight end he could be a bit of a weapon. He has very good ball skills. Good hands and while he can be a bit of a body catcher at times, he does display the ability to snag the ball away from his body. He displays the ability to locate the ball and make the over-the-shoulder grab. Displays very good concentration to catch the ball in traffic and will take the hit to make the grab. He is a competitive receiver that will go up and get the ball at its highest point. His height, leaping ability, and the ball is mine attitude make him a solid option in the red-zone. He has adequate speed and runs solid routes. He needs to build speed and will be most dangerous in the short-to-intermediate passing game. Not overly elusive, but if he can get the ball in stride is savvy enough to make a defender or two miss. He is a good receiver, but where he really opens your eyes is as a blocker. Despite being light in the pants he plays a very physical game. While most of his snaps are with him split out wide, he does play some as an in-line blocker. He needs to hit a college weight program and add serious bulk, but he has the toughness and technique down to be a good blocker. He makes good initial contact and quickly gets good hand placement. He takes good steps out of his stance and rolls his hips and generates power from his lower body. He keeps his feet moving and is able to generate push off the line of scrimmage in the run game. He has a good motor and forces defenders to keep their head on a swivel as he will often come in on plays make big blocks. He displays the ability to move and seal a defender and climb to the second level. If Golic can add the needed size and not loss speed he could develop into a very productive college player.
Notes

Committed during junior year. 2007: Caught 21 passes for 410 yards (19.5 average) and two touchdowns. Brother of Class of 2008 center and Notre Dame signee Mike Golic Jr. Son of former Notre Dame and NFL player and current host of ESPN 2's Mike and Mike in the Morning, Mike Golic. Uncles, Bob and Greg, also suited up for the Fighting Irish.

Theo Riddick | ATH

Hometown: Somerville, NJ
Immaculata High School
 Ht: 5'10" Wt: 185

Evaluation

Riddick is a quality running back prospect, but we are impressed more with his athleticism and skills as an overall football player on film. Lacks great size but is solidly built and defined. As a back, he is not overly sudden or explosive through the line but runs low to ground and with good shiftiness picking and stabbing through traffic. Shows some decisiveness as an in-line runner and a bit of burst when he finds a north-south seam giving him added power to break tackles. Runs with good body-tilt and keeps his legs driving on contact; can be slippery to wrap up and turn a short run and a big gain. Flashes adequate-to-good lateral quickness bouncing it outside and a sneaky second gear to separate when he gets to the sideline. However, top-end speed is not great and he was occasional caught from behind in game footage we evaluated. Yards after contact is not a strong area as well; you would expect his balance and lower-body leg strength to be better for a shorter compact runner. Will come up and lay the wood at defensive back with great closing speed. Strong tackler and is explosive on contact. Shows good range on run support: wastes little motion pursuing the football and covers a lot of ground quickly. Anticipates the throw well versus the pass and shows a great break getting over the ball on deep throws. Lacks ideal size for a safety though and the coverage skills to project well as a corner. With that said, Riddick shows some great athleticism and instincts as an overall football player, and should be productive at the next level once he polishes his skills on one side of the ball.

Notes

Committed during junior year. 2007: Rushed for 1,352 yards and 23 touchdowns. Also recruited by Boston College, Rutgers, Northwestern, Syracuse...

Latest Notre Dame Football 2009 Recruit Cierre Wood

34BoJackson.Fan — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 03:21:12 GMT

#24 Cierre Wood function photos(){ window.open( "/PictureGallery.aspx?PlayerId=101519&Title=Cierre%20Wood", "PhotoGallery", "height=450,width=550,statusbar=no,location=no,scrollbars=yes,toolbar=no,resizable=yes"); } Photos (16)... Santa Clara HS Roster Player Alerts: Add to My HotList™ Player's Feed
Cierre Wood Scout.com Headlines: Wood Makes The Call
West's top running backs makes his decision on Saturday morning on his college future...
-by Scout.com Apr 19, 2008 Cierre Wood Talks Irish, Bruins
The West's top running back talks about why Notre Dame and UCLA are his top two schools...
-by Scout.com Apr 17, 2008 Who Will It Be?
Five-star RB Cierre Wood has narrowed down his list of favorites to two lucky schools.
-by IrishEyes.com Apr 16, 2008 ScoutTV: RB Cierre Wood
Clips of the West's top-ranked running back from his 2007 junior season...
-by Scout.com Mar 31, 2008 Cierre Wood Talks Recruiting
Scout.com talks with the West's top RB in this video interview at the Badger/New Level Pass Camp
-by Scout.com Mar 18, 2008 Badger/New Level Pass Camp: Gallery One
A collection of images from this weekend's passing camp held at UNLV.
-by Scout.com Mar 18, 2008 Offer #15 For Five-Star RB Wood
SEC school is the latest to throw their hat into the ring for the West's top running back...
-by Scout.com Mar 7, 2008 Wood Booked For South Bend
Oxnard, Calif. RB Cierre Wood will visit ND for the first time in April at the Irish's spring game.
-by IrishEyes.com Mar 2, 2008 Two More Offers for Wood
Oxnard (Calif.) Santa Clara running back adds a pair of Pac-10 offers to list...
-by Scout.com Feb 25, 2008 Cierre Wood Has Them Lining Up
The probable #1 running back in the West for 2009, Wood already has 12 schoarship offers to date...
-by Scout.com Feb 21, 2008 1-1011-20 >>
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Media Center: Cierre Wood Interview 3/16/08 Cierre Wood - Jr. Highlights - RB Cierre Wood - Jr. Highlights - RB Cierre Wood - Jr. Highlights - O/D/ST Cierre Wood - Jr. Highlights - Returns Cierre Wood 2006 Highlights
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 200 40: 4.5
Position: RB Year: Class of 2009
2009 Scout.com HS Football Rankings (full list): Pos: RB Pos Rank: #3 Pos Rating:
   
Biography: As a 2007 junior, Wood scored 42 touchdowns, rushed for 2,612 yards on 178 carries and caught seven passes for 191 yards. He also played cornerback, recording 50 tackles and three interceptions and led Oxnard (Calif.) Santa Clara to the CIF-MidValley Division Title. Wood averaged 14.7 yards per carry and 200.9 yards per game. Was named the CIF Player of the Year and Ventura County Player of the Year.

Had a memorable sophomore season in 2006, highlighted by being named California State Sophomore Player of the Year and First Team All-State. Earned all-CIF First Team honors, All-Ventura County (Coaches and VC Star) and All-League.

Had 2,480 all-purpose yards, 1,407 coming on the ground (12.03 ypc) and 595 coming through the air (37.19 per catch). Scored 25 touchdowns (17 rushing, seven receiving and one a kick return).

4.57 forty, 3.94 shuttle, 32.5 vertical.

Schools of Interest: SchoolInterest LevelOffer? Attended Camp?Visit DateSigned LOI? Notre Dame Verbal Yes None Auburn No Interest Yes None California No Interest Yes None Florida No Interest Yes None Oregon No Interest Yes None UCLA No Interest Yes None USC No Interest Yes None

USF DONS 1951 Football Team Honored at Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

34BoJackson.Fan — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:23:31 GMT

TOSTITOS RECOGNIZES ONE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S FINEST TEAMS Courtesy: Fiesta
Release: 12/26/2007
Courtesy: Fiesta
http://www.fiestabowl.org/?ATCLID=1356203&SPSID=46030&SPID=4135&DB_OEM_ID=10200
1951 San Francisco Dons Football Team

University of San Francisco Dons Team To Celebrate Bowl Game They Never Played

Plano, Texas. (December 27, 2007) - As a longtime supporter of college football, Tostitos appreciates and believes in the values it teaches on and off the field - teamwork, camaraderie and sportsmanship. For these reasons, Tostitos is honoring the University of San Francisco Dons 1951 football team for exemplifying the true meaning of "team spirit" with a special, nationally televised halftime tribute at the 37^th Annual Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, which will be played on Jan. 2, 2008.

During the 1951 college football season, the San Francisco Dons team finished with a 9-0 record and average 33-8 score, the best of any team in the nation at that time. They received a Bowl bid but with one stipulation: they had to play without their African-American teammates, Ollie Matson and Burl Toler, as college football was not fully racially integrated until the 1970's. The team promptly declined the bid and as a result of financial losses, the University had to drop its football program.

"The 1951 Dons' story is incredibly inspirational, and their courage, character and conviction set a great example for all of us," said Ann Mukherjee, group vice president, marketing, Frito-Lay North America. "The Tostitos brand is proud to celebrate these champions with not only a memorable experience, but an experience that frees the fun of this overdue Bowl game experience within each of them."

On January 1, 2008, the 1951 Dons will be recognized with a dedication ceremony at the Fiesta Bowl Center and Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona, with the induction of a Dons team jersey as a permanent display to commemorate this year's well-deserved Bowl bid from Tostitos. The following day, the 1951 Dons will be honored at the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, with a video tribute highlighting the team's accomplishments and history, airing nationally during halftime.

"We pulled out of the Bowl bid because it was the right thing, and only thing, to do - we were a family," said Bob St. Clair, part of the 1951 team who later went on to play with the San Francisco 49ers and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1990. "The entire 1951 Dons team is honored that Tostitos has recognized us with this honor, and we are excited to be a part of the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl."

The 1951 Dons is the only team in college history to produce three NFL Hall of Famers, as well as one of the most successful NFL commissioners of all time; highlights include:

Ollie Matson: One of the African-American players, who later went on to become an NFL Hall of Famer
Burl Toler: One of the African-American players; suffered career-ending injuries in the 1952 College All-Star Game but worked for 35 years with the NFL, where he spent the first 25 of those as the league's first African-American official
Ed Brown: Debuted with the Bears in 1954, leading them to the 1956 title game
Bill Henneberry: Was the back-up quarterback of the team, and now director of athletic development emeritus at the University of San Francisco
Gino Marchetti: Went on to become an NFL Hall of Famer
Bob St. Clair: Went on to become an NFL Hall of Famer
Joe Scudero: Became an NFL kick returner and defensive back
Pete Rozelle: The 1951 Dons' sports information director later went on to become the NFL's commissioner from January 1960 - November 1989

The Tostitos brand, a registered trademark of Frito-Lay North America, provides a full line of tortilla chips and dips including Tostitos Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips, Tostitos Gold Tortilla Chips, Tostitos Scoops!, Tostitos Salsa and Tostitos Cheese Dip. Frito-Lay North America is the convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc., which is headquartered in Purchase, N.Y.

Here is the link to the halftime show from Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKc4aDuijmE

Latest Notre Dame Football Recruit #22

34BoJackson.Fan — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 05:11:25 GMT

Ht: 6-5 Wt: 304 40: 5.2
Position: OL Date of Birth: 5/16/1990Birthplace: Elkhorn, NE Year: Class of 2008High School: Elkhorn Secondary School
(Elkhorn, NE)
2008 Scout.com HS Football Rankings (full list):Pos: OGPos Rank: #6Pos Rating:
Scout.com Player Evaluation:STRENGTHS Drive Blocking Skills Explosion Power And Strength AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT Technique Robinson is quick off the ball, has great feet and quickness. He is a nasty run blocker that gives great effort. Robinson moves well, has great hips and balance. He's just explosive, especially in the run game. He is just an agile, aggressive and overpowering interior OL.

Notre Dames commitment 19,20, and 21

34BoJackson.Fan — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 05:17:15 GMT

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 200 40: 4.55
Position: WR, DB Year: Class of 2008High School: Cretin Derham Hall
(Saint Paul, MN)COMMITMENT #19
2008 Scout.com HS Football Rankings (full list):Pos: WRPos Rank: #6Pos Rating:
Scout.com Player Evaluation:STRENGTHS Downfield Threat Hands and Concentration Size AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT Route-Running Skills Floyd is usuaully a mismatch against smaller corners. He is very explosive off the snap and is physical enough to beat a jam. He has outstanding ball skills and is always a threat downfield. Floyd is deceptively quick for his size.
Biography:Led Cretin Derham Hall to runner-up spot in 2005 Prep Bowl. Floyd caught 65 passes for 1,245 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior. Floyd also rushed 12 times for 245 yards and three more scores. Floyd benches 250 and has a 38-inch vertical jump.

Floyd reports a 3.2 core GPA and hasn't reported his June SAT results yet.

Floyd: "I'm real physical and explosive off the ball. I'm bigger than most corners and block well too. I'm really quick and get off the ball. I can break-away fast too, but want to improve my route running. I think I could have better footwork and more moves. Also, I want to improve my running form and make quicker cuts."

Notre Dame needed a go to Wide Receiver and this is the guy that they need. Nicely done!!!

Commitment # 20

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 175 40: 4.5
Position: CB, S Date of Birth: 9/7/1989Year: Class of 2008High School: David W Butler HS
(Matthews, NC)
2008 Scout.com HS Football Rankings (full list):Pos: CBPos Rank: #10Pos Rating:
Scout.com Player Evaluation:STRENGTHS Closing Speed Size Tackling Ability AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT Backpedal Quickness Robert Blanton is an exceptional defensive back with tremendous closing speed and plays very well up along the line both in press coverage and making tackles. Fast hips, great awareness and presence on the field, and makes quick, accurate decisions. Shows leadership on the field, comes back well from the rare poor play. Tall corner, could be versatile to play nickleback or safety early in career. Needs to develop the rest of his frame.
Biography:During his sophomore season, Blanton picked off seven passes and recorded 147 tackles, four blocked kicks and two TDs, earning him a spot on both the all-conference and all-county teams as a junior.

Blanton claims to have a 3.0 core GPA and SAT (two-part) retake score of 810.

Blanton: "I'm one of a kind…the best way I can be better, is to be better than myself. I'm great at reading and running the pass. I have a great reaction to running and passing. I don't let anything get by me. I don't know any weaknesses I have. I guess I want to work on my strength and speed for the next level."

Commitment # 21

Ht: 5-11 Wt: 214 40: 4.35
Position: RB Year: Class of 2008High School: Detroit Country Day School
(Beverly Hills, MI)
2008 Scout.com HS Football Rankings (full list):Pos: RBPos Rank: #13Pos Rating:
Scout.com Player Evaluation:STRENGTHS Power Size Tackle-Breaking Ability AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT Blocking Ability Gray is one of the nation's top power backs. He has improved his breakaway speed and he eats up the yardage. Very explosive off-tackle. He does not hesitate when hitting the hole. Not a real elusive type of a back, but he does have exceptional cut-back ability for being a power running style back. Has very good hands out of the backfield as well.
Biography:In seven games during his junior season Jonas rushed for 1,252 yards and 19 touchdowns. In nine games as a sophomore, Gray ran for 797 yards and 15 touchdowns.

http://florida.scout.com/a.z?s=109&p=9&c=6&dv=20071020&yr=2008

Football RecruitingHot News Prospects Eligibility Combines Search Visits Commits Videos Team Rankings Visits 
PosNat'l
RankNat'l
RatingName
School, Hometown VideoHT/ WT/ 40 Interest
LevelOffer?Visit DateVisit SchoolWR 6 Michael Floyd
(Cretin Derham Hall)
Saint Paul, MN 6-3/200/4.55 Verbal Yes 10/20/2007Notre Dame CB 10 Robert Blanton
(David W Butler HS)
Matthews, NC 6-1/175/4.50 Verbal Yes 10/19/2007Notre Dame OG 12 Kenneth Page
(A C Flora HS)
Columbia, SC 6-3.5/290 Med Yes 10/20/2007Notre Dame

Notre Dame will definately be back in 2008 and 2007 is all about getting the experience for the Freshmen, Softmore and Juniors. 2008 will also be the year Weis would be tested. Goo Notre Dame!!!

Bonds the New Homerun King!!!

34BoJackson.Fan — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 08:33:51 GMT

NEW KING OF SWING

Bonds' HR to center puts him at the top

Henry Schulman, Chronicle Staff Writer

More...

THE NEW HOME RUN KING

Bonds sets home run record

Knapp: Homer comes amid true believers

Ostler: Deal with it

Mad scramble for Bonds ball

Slugger joins immortals

Open Mic Podcast: How does it rank?

Box score | Splash Blog

Comment | Photos

There's a new home run champion of all time, and it's Barry Bonds.

Is he the greatest home run hitter of all time? All who cherish this game will have to search their hearts and answer that question in their own way. But the number is not open to debate, dispute, praise or scorn. The major-league record is 756, and Bonds owns it.

He broke his three-day-old tie with Henry Aaron in the fifth inning of the Giants' 8-6 loss to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night. With one out and nobody on base in a 4-4 game, Bonds hammered a 3-2 pitch from left-hander Mike Bacsik into the bleachers to the right of straightaway center field.

Bonds hoped to set the record at home, in front of fans who love him unconditionally, just like most of his other milestone home runs. To the surprise of nobody, it happened exactly that way in front of 43,154 people.

Lest anyone doubt how Bonds feels about this record, amid a loud chorus of criticism that he achieved it using performance-enhancing drugs, he explained his feelings forcefully and concisely during his postgame news conference.

"This record is not tainted at all, at all, period," Bonds said. "You guys can say whatever you want."

Bonds knew he had the record as soon as he connected. When the ball soared into a cool but fogless summer night, he immediately raised both hands and watched it fly over the fence, and clapped as it landed in the seats, 435 feet from home plate. As he trotted around the bases, a "756" banner was unfurled on one side of the giant scoreboard in center field. Another banner depicting Bonds was dropped from the opposite side.

After he reached home plate and greeted his son, Nikolai, Bonds pointed to the sky with both arms, a tribute to his late father, Bobby. Then he thanked the raucous crowd, bowing and blowing kisses as fireworks shot from the top of the scoreboard.

The game was delayed 10 minutes to allow Bonds to greet his family, teammates and godfather Willie Mays, and for a short ceremony.

In a remarkable moment, the Giants asked everyone to turn their attention to the scoreboard for a video tribute, similar to those by Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali on earlier nights. The crowd had to be stunned to see the face of Aaron, who has spurned Bonds throughout this chase, saying he wanted to be anywhere but in the ballpark when Bonds broke his record.

Aaron congratulated Bonds and said, in part, "I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historical achievement. My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams."

Bonds seemed touched and pointed toward the screen. Later, Bonds was asked what Aaron's message meant to him. He said, "It meant everything. It meant absolutely everything. ... We all have a lot of respect for him from everyone in the game. Right now, everything's just hitting me so fast I'm lost for words again. It was absolutely the best, absolutely the best."

In the last archway along the right-field wall, where the homer totals of Bonds, Aaron, Babe Ruth and Mays have been listed for the last several years, the "1" that had marked Aaron's nameplate was replaced by "2," and Bonds' went from "2" to "1."

Aaron established his record by surpassing Ruth on April 8, 1974, and held it for 12,173 days, sharing it with Bonds for the last three.

When Aaron hit his 715th home run, two fans at Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium ran onto the field and greeted Aaron as he trotted between second and third base. After Bonds hit his 756th and stood in front of the Giants' dugout, a man ran onto the field and was tackled by a large complement of police and security officials. Bonds did not appear to see the intrusion.

Several Nationals players, including the pitcher Bacsik, returned to the dugout after the ball left the yard, having heard in advance the game would be delayed if Bonds homered. As the fans serenaded Bonds with cheers, the Washington players still on the field, including catcher Brian Schneider, on his knees at home plate, clapped as well.

After the Aaron video tribute, Bonds was handed a microphone. In a brief speech, he thanked the fans, his teammates and his dad.

When Bonds finally returned to the dugout, shaking hands with owner Peter Magowan as he walked down the steps, manager Bruce Bochy put both arms on Bonds' shoulders and told him what he had in mind: Bochy had Bonds take the field for the top of the sixth inning and immediately replaced him so he could run off the field to another ovation.

Bochy said the reaction of the fans and even some in uniform "is something we'll all remember. I actually saw some tears in a lot of people's eyes close to the dugout. That's how happy they were for him."

Inside the clubhouse, Bonds got a visit from Frank Robinson and Jimmie Lee Solomon, the two officials representing Major League Baseball in place of Commissioner Bud Selig. The Associated Press reported that Selig left the chase so he could speak to the committee, headed by former Sen. George Mitchell, which is investigation steroid use in baseball.

Selig issued a statement calling Bonds' record "noteworthy and remarkable" and phoned Bonds to congratulate him, the first time they have spoken in several years.

"I was very happy about that," Bonds said. "I thanked him. He told me it was a great accomplishment. He said, 'You've endured a lot.' He said, 'I have a lot of respect for you,' and I have a lot of respect for him."

Bonds also got a visit from Bacsik, who congratulated the new home run king and got an autographed bat in return.

Bacsik's father, also named Mike Bacsik, pitched for Texas and Minnesota from 1975-80. On Aug. 23, 1976, in a Rangers-Brewers game, the elder Bacsik faced Aaron two months after The Hammer hit his final career home run. Aaron singled off him in two at-bats. Thus, the Bacsiks became the only father and son each to face different hitters with 755 home runs.

"If my dad was gracious enough to give up a home run," Bacsik said, "we both would have given up 756."

Bonds' 756th home run ball was retrieved by Matt Murphy, a 22-year-old from Queens, New York, who flew to San Francisco with a friend Tuesday. They were on their way to Australia and purchased tickets just before the game.

Once the game ended, the Giants blowing a 6-4 lead by allowing four runs in the eighth inning, Bonds celebrated with teammates, who gave him a champagne toast.

It took Bonds six at-bats to go from 755 to 756, including a double and single he hit in his first two times at the plate against Bacsik. Before the game, Bonds had a good batting-practice session with his regular thrower, John Yandle, and said he knew this could be the night.

When the night came to a close, Bonds sat on a dais alongside his children and his wife, Elizabeth, who wore a shirt that read, "The King and I." With his mom, Pat, seated among reporters, Bonds said his mind was a lot clearer as he faced Bacsik than it was before he tied the record against Clay Hensley in San Diego.

"Seven fifty-five was the hardest," he said. "Every time I'm training in the winter time, running the hill, it's always harder to get to the top. It's not that hard to come down from the hill."

Record-breaking snapshot

Time: 8:51 p.m.

Pitcher: Mike Bacsik

Count: 3-and-2

Pitch: Fastball

Distance: 435 feet

Destination: Center-field bleachers

The Call: Duane Kuiper on Fox Sports Net Bay Area:

"Bacsik deals ... and Bonds hits one high ... hits it deep! ... It is out of here! ... 756! ... Bonds stands alone."