HOW 'BOUT SOME ROUNDBALL?

Hey, I hope nobody out there thinks this funfest is winding down just because football season's almost over. (Actually, it's been over since the first week of September for FSU, but I digress). Ooooohhhhhhh HELL NO! Let's hit the hardwood, shall we?

This is going to be a little tougher because I am, despite some opinions to the contrary, entirely too smart to slag on Steve Cleveland. It ain't gonna happen, at least not like what you're used to seeing here. I abandoned my Red Wave ties to the basketball program very early in the Tarkanian debacle and was absolutely shocked to find I was the only one in town who saw Ray Lopes' true colors from the start. I was here for Boyd Grant, pleasantly tied up in the military during the Ron Adams years, and back in the fold when Gary Colson came to town. The big event that this town clamored for, Jerry Tarkanian coaching the basketball team, drove me away quicker than 12 guys can destroy a hotel room at the San Joaquin. It was a terrible mess that never got any better and Lopes was hardly an improvement.

But now we've got Cleveland. Hmmmmmm. I'm not going to be the dumbass that gets turned into a pillar of salt for blasting this guy. And especially when he's the very thing I've been screaming for over the last decade. And certainly not while Coach Cleveland makes the program competitive again like he did at BYU and certainly will do here.

No, this is a whole new set of circumstances. I'll need to lean on history even more than I have with football, for one thing. But that's fine. I'm ready. It's been the same mindset with this program, historically. A win over Utah or Tulsa gets everybody thinking we're on par with Wooden's UCLA teams. When the Fresno Bee reports actual events that shed too much light on the miscreants of the Tarkanian era, it's all the Bee's fault that things aren't going right. That kind of stuff. There's plenty of material there and the likelihood of the Wavers turning this year's team's success into grand delusions is just about a lock.

So let's get this thing started in a positive manner, while pointing out that the undefeated opening to this season has taken place without the benefit of any opposition that could be seen as formidable. I'll let the near-miss in an exhibition with Fresno Pacific slide because it was just that, an exhibition. But before anybody starts talking about Madness, let me reel off several self-explanatory points: Winston-Salem State, South Alabama, UC Irvine, USF and Arkansas Pine Bluff. That's all, no more and no less. The road's not going to be this easy come December, let alone in conference.

Go 'Dogs.......to class. And without machetes, please.

TWO STRAIGHT.....IT'S BEEN A WHILE

FSU 34, Idaho 0. Now, that's newsworthy. A shutout and a second consecutive win are both things that aren't to be taken lightly around here. The sky has indeed fallen and a win over the Idaho Vandals is something to treasure. The 20,000 empty seats at Bulldog Stadium last Saturday will never forget it. Never.

It's nice to see Pat Hill be a bit more humble and somewhat less paranoid in the face of a Titanic-esque season but it's a little sad as well. The biggest-talking little university in the NCAA did a great job of getting itself noticed over the last few years but now hangs its hat on a PCAA-like win in a half-filled stadium. A solid day for Dwayne Wright, nothing special from Tommy Brandstater. And, EUREKA!...... an interception. Dennis Erickson is a long, long way from Miami these days. While Pat Hill's program has slipped badly behind the likes of Ty Willingham's Washington Huskies and June Jones' Hawaii Warriors, it's nice to know the Red Wave doesn't have to take a back seat to the Vandals. I guess.

And so it goes in the quest to get into CBS.Sportsline.com's top 100. The 'Dogs are up a few notches to #102 and can smash through the gatekeepers with a visit to #100 Louisiana Tech this week. What an historic victory that would be. I can't believe anybody thought this was going to be a down year for the 'Dogs and that another healthy hike in the ticket prices wasn't warranted.

IT WAS THOSE DAMN DECALS!

With the weight of the logo stickers removed from their helmets, the Fresno State football team went out and won a football game on Saturday. Dwayne Wright topped the 100-yard mark and Tommy Brandstater didn't, but the once-again starting QB did an efficient job in guiding the team to victory over New Mexico St. Brandstater went 11-19 for 99 yards.

That put the 'Dogs at 2-7 on the season and 2-3 in the WAC. NMSU fell to 2-8 overall and 0-6 in the WAC.

The announced attendance was 33, 241, which is quite respectable considering the state of affairs with the product on the field. I looked in the FSU football media guide at attendance figures just briefly and I think the last crowd under 30,000 at Bulldog Stadium was in the '80's for a game against Fullerton State. If this season is as low as the program is capable of going, i.e. rock bottom, then that's a pretty loyal fan base. What I don't know is how many of those announced attendees didn't actually make it to Cedar and Barstow yesterday.

After a long, dry spell the team deserves credit for racking up a win. A halftime deficit was erased and a fourth-quarter touchdown was the difference maker. Special teams blocked two PAT attempts.

It was good to see Pat Hill had read my suggestions for turning things around. Lonyae Miller had one carry for one yard.

Up next for FSU is another WAC home game against a national bottom-feeder. While the 'Dogs jumped up four spots in CBS.Sportline.com's ranking of all 119 Division 1A teams, from 111-107, they welcome the number 97 team, the Idaho Vandals. Idaho sports a record of 4-6 overall and 3-3 in conference. That's who Fresno State needs to beat to post back-to-back victories for the first time in over a year.

And to think Boise St. is breathing a sigh of relief after their comeback win over San Jose St yesterday. Even with all that BSU has at stake, that sigh doesn't compare to the one that came out of Bulldog Stadium.

THIS SATURDAY AT BULLDOG STADIUM.....IT'S 111 vs 112!!!

That's right sports fans. Don't have a ticket for the Game of the Century this Saturday? Well I hope you have a couple of thousand dollars laying around if you want to get into Bulldog Stadium because this is a once-in-a-generation matchup. You just don't see this kind of matchup in the regular season very often. CBS.Sportsline.com's #111 ranked team (out of 119) Fresno State welcomes #112 New Mexico State.

It's basically a preview of Ohio St. vs. Michigan, only in reverse. The lower-elite of college football is just a step away, and it's a "who's who" of not-so-major football programs. Florida International is currently the anchor of the rankings with only Duke, Stanford, San Diego St., Louisiana-Monroe, Temple and Miami (Ohio) in between them and the loser of FSU-NMSU.

More goofiness on local talk radio this week but there's just too much of it and it's all along the lines of what's been said here already. Plus Pat Hill announced yesterday that the preparation and game-planning hasn't been a problem this year. That's right, it's all on the players. Now go out and win four straight, dammit! And be perfect! And end the war in Iraq! If you don't, you're not men!

SOMETHING GOT RUN......AND IT WASN'T THE TABLE

Almost exactly one calendar year ago the Fresno State Bulldogs threw a huge monkey from Pat Hill's back with a win over Boise St. in Bulldog Stadium, 27-7. That was on November 10, 2005. What has happened since has placed the Fresno State football program amongst the dregs of Division 1 football programs.

Following that landmark win for Hill's program last year, his Bulldogs went on to suffer a close loss in a thrilling battle with then-Number 1 USC at the LA Coliseum, 50-42. We all know what happened next. Fresno State got drunk on success gleaned from a failure and the hangover never ended for the 2005 team.

11 losses later, the 2006 'Dogs hold down the prestigious #110 spot in CBS.Sportline.com's ranking of college football's 119 Division 1-A teams. That's 110 out of 119. For those new to rankings, football, life, etc., it's the goal of all 119 teams to be near the top, not the bottom.

This blog has been a vent-fest and a rant-fest and my history as a Red Seat ticket holder has been detailed at length. So have the win (singular) and losses (plural) of the year that has passed since that November evening when all seemed right with the Pat Hill era at Fresno State. Hill had finally guided his 'Dogs to a victory on The Island and a win over arch-nemesis Boise St.

What a difference a year makes.

But I'm ready to move on. If only the program will.

Of course, the dick on the phone who argued with me about what a "great" year this was going to be is all wet. Of course the local talk show hosts are deeply into "what went wrong" mode. And, inexplicably, those same hosts are hiding behind a paper-thin "who knew?" motif.

I knew, that's who.

But here we go with solutions.

1. Play Brandstater the rest of the year - He's the best bet to salvage some dignity over the remainder of this year and be "the guy" for the remainder of his college career. I don't have a problem with Norton and this, most definitely, is NOT Adrian Claiborne vs. Richie Donati. Both of these guys can do this job and be succesful. But they're both absolutely, positively green. Brandstater's better and will become the better QB with more playing time. This is the horse to ride. Being that he is a sophomore and he had no meaningful game experience going into 2006, it is way too early to worry about his Pinegar-esque interceptions that come at the worst possible time. Both QB options were void of experience. Hence the rough year, my disbelief at the over-confidence of the Bulldog faithful, etc., etc....They've both done the best they can. Brandstater's the future. Let's do it.

2. Feature Lonyae Miller - Dwayne Wright's got an impressive skill set that could be deadly if used correctly, but Miller, even as a freshman, is good to go. I would propose something like a 60-40% distribution of the rushing duties between the two, with Miller getting 60% of the carries. With Wright as a feature back you're going to see fumbles and injuries. That's all there is to it. But he would be brutally effective as a change of pace, on short yardage and catching passes out of the backfield, as we saw against Colorado St. The thunder and lightning of these two would be as impressive a running attack as any in the country. Maybe FSU could even get out to a lead behind these two one of these days.

3. Get an offensive philosophy - Steve Hagan is the new offensive coordinator and Jeff Tedford and Frank Cignetti are long gone. It is hard to know for sure just exactly what Hagan is dealing with this season with two inexperienced QB's behind a suspect offensive line. There are three money receivers in Paul Williams, Joe Fernandez and new blood Chastin West. Can Brandstater and Norton get the ball to these guys? This year's answer has been a mixed bag. But with those three and Bear Pascoe at TE, the "O" is sporting a bunch of weapons out there. Plus Wright and Miller out of the backfield. Well, Wright anyway, at this point. FSU was once spoken of around here as Wide Receiver U. Pat Hill's citing of the stats be damned. Stretch the field.

4. Hey, Bulldogs fans (in Axl Rose voice)....."Do You Know Where You Are?!?!?!?!" - You're in Fresno, baby. You're gonna struuuuuuuugggggggggglllllleee. Sad but true, folks. Hill's been brilliant in bridging the years so that there haven't been any abysmal seasons like this during his tenure. But Fresno State does NOT attract the blue chippers by nature. Hill's brought in great talent from throughout the Valley and sparred with the heaviest hitters in the NCAA and that's to his ultimate credit. But we've got this coming once a decade, don't you think? Being comfortable with losing is unacceptable, but you can't possibly think of yourself as elite when your gold standard of teams (2001, 2005) can't avoid three losses each year and can't beat the likes of Hawaii and Louisiana Tech. The truth hurts. This isn't USC or LSU or any other elite program. It's Fresno State and thank goodness for Pat Hill bringing his lunch pail and blue-collar attitude here because it will take nothing less than that to get this show on the road. It's not working this year. The team takes the field short handed almost every week. But to get back to having that puncher's chance against the titans, you're just going to have to ride this one out. And Hill's going to have to pick his weapons (Brandstater or Norton, vertical game or this crap that's going on now, etc.) and build, build, build. He's got a pretty good track record after taking over for Sweeney with the cupboard absolutely bare.

5. After 11 losses in 12 games, stop challenging these guys to win out - 2006 is beyond saving. Yet Hill tells his team, after this latest blowout, that he expects to win all four remaining games. God damn. David Carr and Nick Burley and Bernard Berrian aren't in that locker room. This team's another animal. Build. Grow. All expectations have been shattered. All the sexy goals are unattainable at this point. Forget winning four straight games. Put two good offensive series together. Get consistent stops from the defense. Or even an interception once or twice a season. Give them something to build on and feel good about. And I don't mean the fact that no kickoffs went out of bounds this game. Build these units and make them a team. Start at ground zero, because that's pretty much where the hell you are.

2006 is a wash, from the standpoint of continuing the drive for a BCS bowl and all that. FSU can't be bowl-eligible, even if they (sigh!, I hate this freaking phrase) run the table. So look up and look ahead. David Carr's not suiting up this week or ever again for FSU. (And even if he did, he'd have trouble with Boise St., but I digress). Go 'Dogs, win.......something.