Yesterday I got a phone call from RPS asking if I’d like to join him for the first Lobo basketball practice of the year open to the media. Actually practices for the team haven’t yet started, but still, the UNM media relations folks wanted to provide an opportunity for members of the media to at least catch a glimpse of the players in a pre-season conditioning workout. Strength and conditioning coach, Mark Paulsen, was scheduled to lead a conditioning workout at some sand hills located somewhere between the city dump and the Journal Pavilion. Okay, the thought of watching guys run up a hill wasn’t as exciting as the thought of attending a Lobo Howl or even a shirts ‘n skins scrimmage, but still it provided a much needed fix for the Lobo Basketball withdrawals I had been experiencing the past couple of months.
On my drive to the sand hills, I noticed a sign that read “Lights On For Safety”. Wow, I started to feel as though I was driving into a combat zone. I dutifully turned my lights on and kept driving, nervously glancing in my rearview mirrors and scanning the horizon for signs of unsafe conditions. After taking the Rio Bravo exit, I finally navigated my way to Broadway and headed south. I missed the left turn at Bobby Foster Drive after becoming distracted by yet another car salvage yard that temporarily diverted my attention – automobile graveyards do that to me. But after a quick U’ie, I got back on track and soon arrived at the sand hills. I could tell I had arrived when I noticed about 10 cars parked by the side of the road out in the middle of nowhere.
I got out of my car and I was able to spot the players and a few members of the press at the base of a hill, about 300 yards away. But the most striking sight was not the people on the hill, it was the hill itself. The hill appeared to climb at about an 80 degree angle, finally kissing the sky somewhere beyond view of the people at the base. Did Coach Paulsen really expect his players to grind their way up this hill?? I now began to think that the “Lights On For Safety” sign had been erected as a warning to stay clear of this desolate area that was being used for conducting cruel conditioning experiments by Dr. Franken Paulsen.
I walked the 300 yards to where the workouts were being conducted. I hate to admit it, but the 10 degree climb through soft sand kind of winded me a bit. But I was not about to complain after watching the pain on the faces of the Lobo players. Coach Paulsen had them running 60 yard sprints up the hill in groups of 3. And then he would have them shuffle sideways up the hill, making them alternate lead legs. He also made them jump their way up the hill. And he would have them start slowly for 30 yards and then sprint hard for 30 yards. He mixed exercises, pace, and distances to keep the players “interested” in the workout. You could see the pain in the players’ faces and you could hear the pain in their voices as they vocalized the pleasure they were feeling. And this was the easy part of the workout.
What happened next is something nobody should ever have to view. It’s analogous to the saying about how you don’t really want to see how sausage is made. Take my word for it, you don’t want to see how Lobo players are made. Just enjoy the final product that you’ll watch in the comfort of the climate controlled Pit next fall.
Okay, for those of you sick-minded people who still want to see how sausage is made, let me give you a glimpse. Coach Paulsen had the players finish the workout by making the players climb to the top of the hill. The hill actually has 4 different paths to the top. The path on the left is slightly more forgiving. It’s the one that the players were working out on. On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s a 10. The other paths to the right are all 12’s on a scale of 1 to 10. All the players successfully made it up the hill on the leftmost path. They were in pain and they stopped numerous times on the way to the top, but they all completed the run. And then came the finishing crescendo. Coach Paulsen gave the players the option of running the path on the left 2 times or one of the paths on the right 1 time. The players chose the path on the right. Running is not exactly the correct term to describe how the players made their way up the hill on the final assault. Players in some cases were crawling up the hill on all fours. BRUTAL. Watching players being made is not pretty.
At the end of the workout Coach Paulsen provided an inspirational, psychological tip for the players. He said that in future workouts on the hill, that players should anticipate the workout in a positive state of mind. Rather than think unpleasant thoughts about the workout, they should think positive thoughts such as “good, this is my opportunity to improve my agility and speed”. I was thinking about Coach Paulsen’s great advice as I worked my way down the hill to my car. Finally, I was safely in my car and on my way back to the comforts of civilization. Or at least I thought I was on my way. Unfortunately, my car lights were still on for safety a full hour after I had arrived for the workout. Good thing RPS was there with jumper cables to provide a quick jump. Just the same, I think I’ll skip the next hill workout.
Observations: -I spoke briefly with E-Man Negedu and Kendall Williams after the workout. Links to the audio clips are provided at the end of this story.
-E-Man said that he expected to hear about his petition for immediate playing time to the NCAA in the next couple of weeks. He’s been in Albuquerque for 3 weeks. His doctors kept him out of workouts for the first two weeks so that he can gradually acclimate to the altitude. He looked a bit winded on the hill, but he absolutely refused to submit to the hill. He would not let the hill beat him. It’s obvious that he is highly motivated and is fiercely determined to get into shape. He said that he would play both the small and power forward positions this year. He is working on his handles and his outside shooting so that he can contribute at the 3.
-Kendall Williams is a very poised and intelligent young man. It’s hard to believe that he’s only 18 years old. He’s going to be an analyst for ESPN sometime down the road – that’s my prediction. He’s a very vocal guy, constantly talking to all his teammates. When I asked him what his strength was, he immediately mentioned that it was his leadership skills. When I asked him about the California pipeline that this staff was establishing with the recent recruitment of him, Drew Gordon, and Dominique Dunning, he said that establishing a California pipeline was a great thing. Not to take anything away from Texas, Arizona, or New York, but he felt that Cali players were the best in the country. He had a good time with that one and was smiling when he said it.
-Demetrius Walker, the point guard transfer from ASU, is really built. He is huge in the chest, upper body, and back. Nobody will push him around. The strong, physical style that Dairese has established at the point guard position will continue when Demetrius is on the court in the coming years. -The guys really seem to be bonding well. Demetrius stopped to wait for a teammate on his way up the hill. Coach Paulsen instructed him to continue moving up the hill. Demetrius’ response was that he would not leave a teammate behind. I coulda’ sworn I was watching a scene from Hamburger Hill during that exchange. On a lighter note, three of the players were holding hands as they walked down the hill. Coach Paulsen made light of their “California” influence, shall we say. But the retort from one of the players was “coach, it’s okay, we’re family here”.
RedPitSea on Sunday 27 June 2010 - 11:39:11 Comments are turned off for this item
Sunday 14 March 2010
Hobson
RedPitSea on Sunday 14 March 2010 - 19:00:36 Comments are turned off for this item
Friday 26 February 2010
BLOO'S... err, STEVE'S Incredibly Insightful and Cogent View of the MWC game at BYU!
The skinny
Game #15
VS.
#10/#12 New Mexico (26-3, 12-2 in the MWC [1st place]) @ Brigham Young (26-3, 11-2 in the MWC [2nd place])
UNM road record (9-2, 1-0 neutral, 6-1 in MWC); BYU home record (15-0, 7-0 in MWC) Last games: New Mexico- won 72-66 at Colorado State (2/23); Brigham Young- won 82-68 vs. San Diego State (2/24). What you may not know: ∆-One of these teams will be off to a school-record 27-3 start after Saturday’s game. UNM would set both a school- and MWC records for their 13th straight win in conference, their 7th consecutive win on the road in conference, and seven road wins period will also be a conference record. Best of all, a win Saturday and the Lobos are the #1 seed in the MWC Tournament, guaranteed no worse than tied for first in the regular season. ∆-A sweep over BYU would be New Mexico’s first since the 2000 season. ∆-The comparisons with this season and the last outright regular conference season champion Lobos (1993-94) are ominous. That year, the Lobos, having been picked to finish fifth in the league, won the second-to-last regular season game on the road in Provo, snapping the Cougars 20 game home court winning streak (this year it’s at 21), and giving the Lobos the crown. That season, as with this one, it had been sixteen years since the last time the Lobos won a regular season conference title. It was also the first triumph in Provo for the Lobos in 9 seasons; this year if the Lobos were to win, it would be their first win there in 10. And finally, the 1993-94 Lobos started the same five all season long, which has not been done since then, but this season’s starting five has started all 29 games so far.
Spin the slots
Here is the fifteenth of hopefully 19 looks at the conference portion of the 2009-2010 Lobos' schedule. As you might remember, I am straightening out my life and I found religion at the end of the Air Force game, and next thing you know- MORE MIRACLES! And I didn’t mean the win in Ft. Collins! You won’t believe it if I told you, but the miracles just never cease around here, and Steve the Sock Puppet has reappeared, just when I thought a massive dust mite had taken him out underneath one of the couches. Just my luck, eh?
Never at a loss for words, Steve says he’s been praying for my Views to actually make any sense. Isn’t he a riot? Just when I’m about to offer to drive him to an impromptu play date on one of our freeways, he reminds me that game time is getting closer, and tells me I should stop playing around unless I want him to write this- yeah, like he could do that!
Seriously, a ride up the tram might be in order... are they still open air trams? Wait... Steve! Is that a mallet in your hand, err, my hand... in your mouth? Steve! What are you dooooooiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnngggg?
-----------------------------------------
Hello Lobo fans, yuck yuck! My name is Steve the Sock Puppet. Bloo is a little... uh, how shall I put this- under the sofa right now. He’s very tired, yeah... tired! So he ASKED me... Steve, would you finish my write-y thing-y? And I said yeah. So yeah.
So he pulls this lever here and reads the symbols... how hard can that be?
Between you and me, this is what takes him so long writing these things. He never knows what these symbols really mean- you should see the look on his face! He calls frantically looking for anyone who will help him decipher these things... to tell you the truth, they don’t make a lot of sense to me either. If I had to guess, I’d say:
1. The first image is a clock. This probably means that Bloo will come to at 4:00 and miss tomorrow’s game. Or he’ll wake up at Ridiculous O’Clock in the morning and ask me what happened. I’ll tell him I don’t know. He’ll look at me suspiciously and I’ll remind him I’m just a sock.
Actually, Coach Alford likes to keep track of the game in increments of four minutes. About then there’ll be these “media timeouts”. Not exactly every four minutes, but pretty close. Anyway, he’ll want to win as many of these “mini-games” as he can. Me? I think the first and the last one of each half will be critical in this game. Don’t let BYU go on one of their runs, especially during one of these times. SDSU let BYU go on one of those runs before halftime, and BYU had a four-possession lead going into the half of a game that was really close for the first 15 minutes.
Win these four four-minute battles and you’re in good shape.
2. This is Bloo’s family. If you haven’t guessed, he’s a stick figure. Isn’t that thrilling? Wouldn’t you like to visit him? I think he’d make a fascinating study over at the zoo or the Natural History museum.
Really, though, is this about BYU being tall? Is it about throwing the ball into the post? Is this slot machine really always this vague? Is it trying to say the transition game is a key to this game? What a lame machine you are, you old, special slot machine!
BYU is the best transition team on the planet. Maybe in history. Better than the Harlem Globetrotters, or the Los Angeles Lakers in the 80’s, I guess. What do I know? I’m a sock. Anyway, there’s getting back on defense, and there’s getting back on defense asleep, and so I’m going to set the alarm for 4:00... no, wait, that’s the first one.
UNM needs to get back and stop BYU from running- did I say that? That means take good shots, make good shots, and run like crazy because you know BYU will. Limit these opportunities and that’s a good thing. Make some of your own opportunities in transition, and that’s gravy. I have a gravy stain on my left cheek. Did Bloo mention that to you?
3. Bloo thinks he’s brilliant, but any schlep with a magic kit can fool him. I like to play shell games with him and watch his eyes cross and go back into his head and stuff. Fun times!
Seriously, though, Tavernari might hit a shot or two, or Hawes might get off a bit, or Emery might get a steal or two... you have to make sure though that Fredette is working and taking contested shots because he’s the pea under the shell that you need to keep track of. The others are just decoys. Empty shells. They’re not going to beat you on their own, but if Fredette is on, they will help drive you nuts. Nuts- get it?
Dairese was up for the challenge last time- this could be the key to the game. Ready, Dairese?
Steve's take:
Did you know Bloo lost me last month on purpose? He says I slipped into the rinse cycle, but how do you slip when you don’t have any legs? And who do you think allows the dust mites to grow to the size of rats under the couches? Don’t believe anything he says... ANYTHING!
Stick with me, folks! I can write this column better than he can. You want a Lobo victory? OK, but it’s going to take concentration, a double-double from Hobson, getting back on defense, making free throws, getting more than their share of the boards, some timely threes by McDonald, limiting transition, coupons, relatively odor-free road uniforms, a recipe for fish, Dairese Gary wearing out BYU guards trying to guard him, AJ Hardeman and Will Brown staying out of foul trouble, ankle tape, fresh biscuits, Ro getting into every line on the stat sheet, bench-play, Fenton and Adams not playing like freshman, ten paperclips, an old newspaper, Curtis giving whatever he’s capable of giving, timely threes, and fresh eggs.
See? I know what I’m doing. I say: #10/12 UNM 83, #13/11 BYU 79. Oh, and that’s TACO NOM!
RedPitSea on Friday 26 February 2010 - 19:24:22 Comments are turned off for this item
Monday 22 February 2010
BLOO'S Incredibly Insightful and Cogent View of the MWC game at CSU!
The skinny
Game #14
VS.
#10/#12 New Mexico (25-3, 11-2 in the MWC [1st place])
@
Colorado State (15-11, 6-6 in the MWC [5th place])
UNM road record (8-2, 1-0 neutral, 5-1 in MWC); CSU home record (10-3, 3-3 in MWC) Last games: New Mexico- won 59-56 vs. Air Force (2/20); Colorado State- lost 70-39 vs. Nevada-Las Vegas (2/20). What you may not know: Not only would a victory over Colorado State mean the Lobos would break a team record for consecutive wins in conference play (12- breaking the record they just set vs. AFA), the streak of 12 games would tie a MWC record as well. Utah won 12 straight games in 2004-05. A victory in Ft. Collins would be the Lobos’ 9th road victory, which would set another school record, breaking the record of 8 held by several teams, most recently the 2007-08 squad (also the 1972-73 team, the 1977-78 team, and the 1995-96 team. The ‘72-‘73 team and the ‘77-‘78 team both won WAC championships; the ‘95-‘96 team won the WAC tournament.) It would mean that the Lobos had won for a school record 10th time away from home, and it would also be a school record sixth straight win in road conference games.
Spin the slots
Here is the fourteenth of hopefully 19 looks at the conference portion of the 2009-2010 Lobos' schedule. Well, I am just getting back from a third straight day of confessionals, and let me tell you, it sure does feel good to get some things off my chest and admit that prayers can be answered. I don’t mind saying that I hadn’t been to confession in quite some time; in fact, I don’t know if you would consider my divine relationship very close at all. However, with 26 seconds left in Saturday’s game, you better believe I was praying my nervous rear end off!
Friends, if my new found holy relationship has taught me anything, it is that I will NEVER- and I mean NEVER- take an opponent of the Lobos for granted again! I’ve said 10 Hail Mary’s and 10 Our Father’s and I’ve even said 10 Half-Court Buzzer Beaters and 10 Last Second Free Throws. Are you kidding me, I am taking a rosary with me every time I see the Lobos live or on the television- you better believe it!
Speaking of believing, I believe our mighty slot machine told you the Lobos better not sleep on the job (several Lobos got caught snoozing and gave up backdoors) and that they need to run whenever possible (ZERO fast break points) and that they needed to guard against overconfidence (I take that one on the chin for the Lobos)... so you better hope we’re all paying attention when... HEY! Is that the Virgin Mary that just plopped out of my grape jelly squeezable plastic jar onto the peanut butter side of my PB&J?
Anyway, while I’m on hold with the folks at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, I might as well give a pull of that special, old slot machine:
I asked the Ripley’s folks and they all find it hard to believe that these images mean anything significant relative to everyday living, but I can best estimate that the symbols mean this:
1. If I had only put a dime in this machine for every time I pulled it, I might have saved enough dimes to send myself to Vegas. Or they might all just be stuck in the machine, since I don’t know how to open the thing up anyway.
Actually, there is marked difference in the styles of these two teams. The Lobos average nearly 15 assists, while the Rams average just over 10. The last time these two teams played, the Lobos had 18 assists, which is not their season high (24 is), and they have had 18+ assists six times (4 20+ assist games); Colorado State has had 18 assists once all season. They don’t seem to like to share the ball, which makes total sense, as it is obviously what other teams expect them to do. If CSU executes this strategy to perfection, not sharing the ball at all, expect the Lobos to be standing around in awe, and expect Ripley’s Believe It Or Not to be on hand and hand a plaque out to CSU, because how could you share the ball less than not sharing the ball at all?
I, for one, will not underestimate the Rams’ ability to be totally selfish and despite the fact that they are 5-10 when they record less assists than their opponent, I will not overlook this absolutely essential aspect of their master plan to beat the Lobos.
2. OK, so I get a little angry when things don’t go my way. I get it. Anger management classes, before someone gets hurt or I have an aneurism. I can even spot Jack Nicholson in a crowd before 98% of the average Joes, so I won’t fall for him being my counselor like Adam Sandler did.
Really, though, the challenge to keeping one’s head is to have a short memory. If something goes wrong, don’t sweat it- just forget it! It works for defensive backs in football, and it can work in basketball, too! You blow an assignment, don’t spend the next seven possessions worrying about it, because chances are you’re sitting on the bench after blowing six more assignments and giving up a dozen points.
The challenge with Colorado State is contesting their shots. If they are on, they win. CSU is 12-0 when outshooting its opponents, so it is imperative that they don’t do what they did to Wyoming earlier this month and go 10-15 from outside the arc. Nobody wins when other teams do that. Hand in the face, make them take tough shot after tough shot. If they make it, don’t get angry.
I fully expect (and will not underestimate) CSU to try to make UNM mad. Mad players make mistakes. Mad players foul out. Nobody likes a mad player. Don’t be a mad player, Lobos! Keep your heads in the game!
3. I have been on hold with Ripley’s long enough to paint my entire house. It is probably best that I didn’t try, however, because I am a sloppy painter, and there would probably be more paint on the furniture and carpet than paint on the walls. Yuck! What a mess! (No, really I said I didn’t paint while I was waiting!)
Seriously, though, the place where this game will be won or lost is in the paint. Control the paint, and... oh, no you don’t, Colorado State! You sneaky little devils! You think because UNM outrebounded you by 18 boards last time, they’re going to be cocky and expect to win the battle of the boards. You think that because the Lobos controlled CSU’s inside game and held Ogide and Franklin to 8 combined points, they’ll just automatically assume they will again. Nevermind that you scored just 6 points in the paint against UNLV... oh, I’m ON to you, Rammies! You WANT us to believe that your interior game is worse than the Brady Bunch’s interior decorator! You can’t fool me! I’m on to you, CSU!
I will NOT underestimate you...
Bloo's take:
Colorado State rolled into Albuquerque before the Lobos went to Ft. Collins last year the same way the schedule has them arranged this year. Last year, in The Pit, the Lobos controlled the Rams and came away with an 18-point victory. Then they went up north for their return visit, and they nearly had their heads handed to them. Daniel Faris had to throw one over his head to tie it with less than a second, and it took double-OT to solve the Rams and get a two-point victory.
Flash forward to this season. Hmm, an 18-point victory in the game in Albuquerque... yeah, we’ll have no problems in Ft. Collins, folks. Bet your paychecks, your houses, your children’s college funds. I know a dupe when I see one, and I’m not falling for it- not for a second time from a second team from Colorado!
I think the Lobos need to stay wary, stay alert, and watch that ridiculous floor for wire traps. I think there may be Greek Sirens in the Green section... err, student section at Moby. There will be flat spots in the floorboards, and maybe even Eric Curry will be scheduled to referee this game. Don’t fall for ANYTHING, Lobos! Keep this game as your focus!
Despite all the trappings and pitfalls that are no doubt being laid before them, I say: #10 UNM 69, CSU 61.
RedPitSea on Monday 22 February 2010 - 20:03:48 Comments are turned off for this item
Thursday 18 February 2010
Lobos Bowl Over the Cowboys
It wasn’t a perfect 300, but it was darn close to one tonight as the Lobos dismantled the Cowboys 83-61 in a game that marked a milestone 300th D1 win for Coach Alford. The game wasn’t as close as the score indicates as the Lobos jumped on Wyoming early and often on their way to an 11-0 lead at the 15:39 mark.
The Lobos led this one from start to finish, stretching their lead to as much as 19 (37-18) in the first half and to as much as 31 (69-38) in the second half. The Lobo bench contributed to the cause with substantial minutes and points tonight. Every Lobo player played double digit minutes with the exception of Chad Adams who played 9 minutes and every player scored.
It was one of those fun games where everybody plays and there’s a ton of highlight plays featuring lots of dunks and no-look assists for an easy layup or dunk. Though Coach Alford enjoys watching the players have fun, he wants to see them have fun if they work hard and play smart in the process. Work, be smart and then have fun, that is coach Alford’s mantra.
Unfortunately the Lobos started having fun without being smart or working hard during a stretch in the 1st half. Play got really sloppy when Hobson and then Garth attempted alley oop passes for dunks on consecutive possessions with the Lobos up by a 16-8 score, both attempts going awry much to coach Alford’s chagrin. Coach Alford read his team the riot act at the next timeout and the Lobos responded by steadily increasing their lead on the way to a 37-20 halftime advantage.
To be sure this Wyoming team was simply overmatched tonight. The Lobo team was simply too strong, too fast, and played together too well for Wyoming to keep up. On top of that the Lobos played tenacious defense, especially to start the game, which really put Wyoming in a hole that they were unable to recover from.
On their first 7 possessions, the Cowboys managed 4 turnovers and 3 weak shots, one of them an airball, that basically sealed their fate. The Lobos early defensive success fired up the Pit crowd which had started the game in a subdued mood. The Cowboy players appeared to be like the proverbial deer in the headlights as they struggled to deal with the tremendous pressure applied by the players and the tremendous noise applied by the Lobo fans.
The Lobos were led by Darington Hobson’s 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. Hobson went 0 for 2 from three point range, but from 2 point range he was 9 of 11 for yet another incredible performance that has become almost routine for him in the past 4 games. It was Darington’s 4th consecutive and 9th overall double double of the year. In addition to playing effectively, Darington also entertained the crowd with an incredible no look behind the back pass to Phillip McDonald, garnering a huge reaction from the Pit crowd.
Phil McDonald and Roman Martinez scored 14 and 13 points, respectively to round out the list of double digit scorers. Overall the Lobos finished with 23 assists and only 8 turnovers, continuing to execute what coach Alford described as their staple of hard work and unselfishness.
Despite the coast to coast, dominating win, coach Alford was still lighting into his team as late as two minutes remaining in the game. He is well known for breaking the game into 4 minute increments, his goal being to win each of those increments. He was not satisfied that the Lobos were losing the final 4 minute segment tonight. His drive to coach a perfect game was never more apparent than in win number 300 tonight.
RedPitSea on Thursday 18 February 2010 - 18:00:28 Comments are turned off for this item
Saturday 13 February 2010
BLOO'S Incredibly Insightful and Cogent View of the MWC game at Utah!
The skinny
Game #11
VS.
#15/#19 UNM (22-3, 8-2 [1st place]) @ Utah (11-12, 4-5 [6th place]) UNM road record (7-2; 1-0 neutral, 4-1 in MWC); Utah home record (7-6, 2-2 in MWC) Last games: UNM- won 76-66 at UNLV (2/10); Utah- won 64-55 at TCU (2/10). What you may not know: With Steve Alford’s next win in Salt Lake City, he becomes the first head man in UNM history to win twice in on the Ute’s floor. Easier said than done- like Alford, Dave Bliss also won in his first try visiting Utah, and then went 0-10 trying to win his second game there. UNM is 6-52 all-time in SLC. Utah center David Foster already has the Utes’ record for blocks in a season with 96, eclipsing Luke Neville’s 92, set last season. UNM’s 8 game conference winning streak is tied for their second longest in school history (1997-98). The school record is 10, set by the 1977-1978 team that won their first 10. That streak ended with a loss to Utah in Salt Lake City.
Spin the slots
Here is the eleventh of hopefully 19 looks at the conference portion of the 2009-2010 Lobos' schedule. Many view Saturday’s game with Utah as a sort of trap game, but not me. I have decreed it proverbial kick a dog while it’s down game, although by the time I finish this View, someone will have alerted PETA, who will be closing in on me shortly afterwards.
It’s just that this dog has been especially rude to us for the last... oh, almost 60 years, kind of like the nemesis of a long-time postman, so the raunchy treatment while the dog is down is long overdue. Or think of him as the dog that kicks the crap out of Wile E. Coyote each time he tries to score a sheep from the time they both clock in until quitting time. After a while, it’s just not fair, and nobody minds if the cartoon dog gets his, right? Wile E. can drop an Acme hole on that old sheepdog, and then pummel him where PETA can’t watch. It’ll be our little secret.
Speaking of secrets, why this old, special slot machine showed up on my doorstep is a mystery, though I probably shouldn’t sock a gift horse in the mouth, and it’s my lot to give it another spin, so here we go!
I called the local Animal Humane Society, and after we reviewed the symbols on the slot machine, we’ve come to the agreement that we shouldn’t poke a pig in a poke with a stick, and guessing what these symbols mean is like coming to consensus interpreting the Rorschach images. (They’re all flies after someone went KPAO on them anyway.) However, in regards to this Saturday’s game, I can best interpret them to mean this:
1. People with big heads probably shouldn’t try to blend in with a crowd if someone is looking for them. Like PETA.
Actually, though, the Lobos need guard against that proverbial trap game and go into this game as if it is already a W. While Utah has a sub .500 record both overall and in the MWC, they are .815 in the Jon M. Hunstman Center.
The fact remains the Utes can block shots, its shooters can get hot, and even a blind squirrel can run smack into a tree... err, I mean a blind squirrel can get a nut. The Lobos need to have their foot constantly on the accelerator, even if it means rodent roadkill is left in their wake.
2. My animal idioms are being taken literally, and PETA has hedged me in since I didn’t run for it when I had the chance.
Really, though, the Lobos played some tremendous defense against the Rebels, but that intensity needs to continue, if not increase, on Saturday against the Utes. A big team wants to run amok in the paint, and hopes that it can hit from the outside to keep you from packing it in inside too much. Hedging those screens to keep a quick release, like the one Marshall Henderson has, from going off will also help keep that inside game at bay. They’re interconnected that way.
Keep a hand in the face of the shooter, and it could be a long day for the home team.
3. I think kicking a dog when it’s down is such a good idea, I’m going to head to the dog park tomorrow and kick everyone’s dog there... and then run like hell.
Or, this could mean that not only are the Utes down this year, but the first time these two teams met, the Utes got a spanking, which is what my dog is going to get the next time she gets into the trash while I’m writing one of these Views! In a game that is 90% mental (the other half is physical), why keep a dog and bark yourself, a bird squashed in your hand is worth two eggs in a frying pan... err, a bird in hand is worth two in a bush...
No need to re-invent the wheel, what worked in Albuquerque should work here in Salt Lake... attack the rim, keep their bigs off balance on both ends of the floor, and KICK THIS DOG WHILE IT’S DOWN!
Bloo's take:
Next the Lobos go from one of the most hostile environments outside of The Pit into one of the most historically unfriendly. It is ridiculous to even think about the lack of success the Lobos have experienced in Salt Lake City. Talk about treating us like dogs.
The best thing that can be said going into this game, besides the fact that Utah is only 7-6 in this building, and besides the fact that the Colorado State Rams came away with a 15 point win in this building at the beginning of the month, is that these Lobos don’t really know about the lack of success the Lobos have had here through the years. (And don’t go telling them, either.) Throw out Roman’s 1-2 record here, and almost everyone else is 1-1, 0-1, or has never been here. All year long, the Lobos have done things they should not be able to do for the youth they possess. It follows that they should not find the Huntsman intimidating as an experienced Lobo team might. They don’t know any better (that they shouldn’t be able to win here), and let’s keep it that way.
Let’s wolf down these Utes, and, oh, in case you were wondering, no animals were harmed in the writing of this View:
#15 UNM 71, Utah 56.
RedPitSea on Saturday 13 February 2010 - 17:48:25 Comments are turned off for this item
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