The Barbaric Yawp - Sports Log

Akron 56 Bowling Green 55

2012-01-11T23:00:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Akron Zips
Venue: Stroh Center (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

It's a rarity when my work schedule has me in Toledo on the same day as a BG basketball game, but it happened tonight. I was glad for a chance to make my second visit to the Stroh Center, with a chance to see the Falcons take on the hated Akron Zips.

For the most part, I thought BG played pretty well in this one. It certainly looked like they were going to pull out a victory, as they were tied or ahead for over 39 minutes of gametime. Alas, it's a 40-minute game, and Akron was able to pull it out with a last-second shot that probably should have been negated by a charging call. I was pretty salty about that when the buzzer sounded, but the drive home afterwards helped me to put things in perspective. Had they done just a few more things right, they would have been able to hold on. With even one more made free throw (a 4 for 9 night is not something to be proud of), Akron's last shot would have resulted in overtime instead of a loss.

Still, Akron is always tough, and while I'm not going to pretend that a close loss is a moral victory in a game they should have won, there were some encouraging things. Sophomore center Cam Black had a really nice game, with ten points and seven rebounds, and I thought freshman guard Jehvon Clarke did a good job running the point off the bench. If those two can continue to contribute at that level for the rest of the season, BG should be in decent shape.

Coldwater 28 West Jefferson Roughriders 6

2011-11-18T23:27:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Coldwater Cavaliers
Visiting Team: West Jefferson Roughriders
Venue: Alexander Stadium (Piqua, OH)
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Doug, Pops

OHSAA State Playoffs, Regional Finals - Division V Region 20

My buddy Doug usually goes to a MAC football game each week throughout the season. With Troy out of the playoffs, I was free to join him. It's always an interesting experience to go to a game without any rooting interest--I watch the game in a completely different way. That was doubly true tonight, as we stood along the fence at a corner of one endzone instead of taking seats in the stands, so I had a field-level view. I liked it, especially being able to see how the players line up and how the plays develop. But it's hard to see the depth of the plays, and that's a pretty significant downside.

Anyway, this looked at first like it might be a pretty decent game. West Jefferson got the ball first and drove down to take the early 6-0 lead, missing the extra point attempt in a stiff wind. That was pretty much it for them, though. Their defense held Coldwater mostly in check in the first half, trailing 7-6 at halftime, but that score was a little deceiving as Coldwater turned the ball over twice on the goal line as they were preparing to score.

In the second half, Coldwater started taking advantage of West Jefferson's inability to cover their receivers deep downfield. They went up 21-6 going into the fourth quarter (after giving up the ball again on the goal line), and that's when we headed out. The final score turned out to be 28-6, but if Coldwater hadn't had all those turnovers, it could have easily been 49-6.

And Piqua's stadium: ick. I'm sure it's my bias showing, at least a little bit, but it just looks chintzy. They do have a nice turf field, though.

Bowling Green 63 Howard 48

2011-11-11T23:18:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Howard Bison
Venue: Stroh Center (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

As much as I enjoy BG basketball, tonight the game was secondary. This was the first official game in the brand new Stroh Center, the shiny new state-of-the-art facility built to replace Anderson Arena, the Falcons' nest since 1960. Anderson was one of my favorite places in the universe, but it was time for an upgrade. That being the case, I was anxious to get to the new arena and check it out.

The doors were set to open at 6:00, so I took off from work an hour early to make sure I got there with plenty of time to explore and still find my seat well before tipoff. I had seen the exterior (indeed, during construction I checked the webcam a couple of times per day), and I had seen photos of the interior, but this was my first chance to actually go inside and check it out for myself.

The falcon statue outside the main entrance is incredibly impressive. Again, I had seen photos of this beast, and saw it for myself when driving past, but you really appreciate it when you walk up to it on your way into the building. It's awesome, and the words to the fight song inscribed on the base are a nice touch.

I won't go into detail on all the stuff I checked out or all the features the building offers, but I will note a few things I really liked. One is the availability of restrooms and concessions, which were lacking in Anderson. I also really like how broad the concourses are--there's plenty of room to walk without "high-traffic" areas getting completely crowded, which is another contrast from Anderson. Also, you can actually understand what's being said over the PA system. And there's a big scoreboard/videoboard for replays and in-game stats. And I like that you can see the floor from just about anywhere in the arena, so you aren't going to miss a whole lot even if you get up to get a snack or something.

If I had quibbles, they were in the seating arrangements. I felt a little cramped--not in my actual seat, but whenever I had to stand up to let someone into or out of the row. I kinda miss the bleacher seating, which I think is easier to maneuver. I also think it's more conducive to standing and cheering, which is what Anderson Arena (The House That Roars) was known for. I also wish the students were given a more prime location than behind one basket, and I wish they were right on top of the floor like they were in Anderson.

In all, though, I really dug the place a lot. It's a great place to watch a basketball game. It may not have the charm and soul of Anderson, but hopefully it'll get to roar like the old place did. It's going to be a great home for the Falcons.

Upper Arlington 21 Troy 20 OT

2011-11-04T23:45:00.000-05:00

High School Football - Playoffs
Division I Region 3 Quarterfinals
Home Team: Upper Arlington Golden Bears
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Marv Moorehead Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 53 Sidney 6

2011-10-28T11:33:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Sidney Yellowjackets
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Sidney Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 38 Miamisburg 0

2011-10-21T23:24:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Miamisburg Vikings
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Trotwood-Madison 33 Troy 13

2011-10-14T23:10:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Trotwood-Madison Rams
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Good Samaritan SportsPlex
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 27 Piqua 7

2011-10-07T23:30:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Piqua Indians
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Gary B., Nikki G.

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 49 Vandalia Butler 15

2011-09-30T22:48:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Vandalia Butler Aviators
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Gary B.

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 35 Beavercreek 28

2011-09-23T23:00:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Beavercreek Beavers
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Frank Zink Field
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Gary B.

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 41 Springboro 21

2011-09-16T23:59:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Springboro Panthers
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 35 Fairborn 11

2011-09-09T23:20:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Fairborn Skyhawks
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Fairborn Memorial Stadium / Buschmeyer Field
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Middletown 29 Troy 21

2011-09-02T23:59:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Middletown Middies
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 30 Chaminade-Julienne 0

2011-08-26T23:59:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Chaminade-Julienne Eagles
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: West Carrollton Junior High
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Reds 11 Pirates 8

2011-08-19T20:59:00.000-05:00

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Pittsburgh Pirates (K. Correia)
Visiting Team: Cincinnati Reds (H. Bailey)
Venue: PNC Park
Game Time: 7:05 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Doug F., his family

Game Story | Box Score

Watching on television, I've always thought that PNC was an absolutely beautiful ballpark, and I've always wanted to see a game there. So when my buddy Doug, a Pirates fan, said he had an extra ticket for this game against the Reds, I jumped on the opportunity.

Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. PNC really is a beautiful ballpark, even more so in person than on television. The effect really begins when you cross the Allegheny River via the Roberto Clemente Bridge, which is closed to all but pedestrian traffic on game days. From there, you can look directly into the stadium. The stadium area begins immediately on the other side of the bridge, where there are a number of restaurants and bars built into the stadium structure. There was some kind of breast cancer event going on as we got there, so there were plenty of people and activity.

We got there well before game time, so we stopped for a burger at Jerome Bettis 36 Grille, which is a short distance from PNC and very close to Heinz Field, where the Steelers play. We ended up hanging out in there for a while as a pretty vicious storm rolled through, then walked over to check out Heinz Field. Doug was hoping the Steelers sideline shop would be open, but no such luck. So then we headed back over to the ballpark to go in and get ready for the game.

Although the rain had mostly moved on by the time we got there, the game time ended up getting pushed back about 40 minutes to 7:45. By the time it started, the skies were clear and it had turned into an absolutely fantastic night for a ballgame. Our seats were pretty awesome, too--down the right field line, just a bit past first base and eight rows up.

It looked at first like the game was going to pitcher's duel, as neither team scored in the first three innings. Then Joey Votto hit a two-run homer in the top of the fourth for the Reds, and the craziness began. From that point, there wasn't an inning in which at least one team didn't score, and only two scoreless half-innings. The Reds kept building a lead and then letting it slip away. I thought I was going to lose my mind when Nick Masset blew an 8-6 lead in the bottom of the eighth, but two (!) plays at the plate that inning kept the Pirates from going ahead. It was more relief than anything when the Reds scored three in the ninth to finally put it away. Of course, the Pirates fans I was with didn't exactly see it that way.

Anyway, it was a hell of a game, and a great experience overall. It was totally worth the long, late drive home that got me home close to 5:00 a.m. I had an absolute blast.

Dragons 7 Bees 6

2011-07-23T22:59:00.000-05:00

Minor League Baseball
Home Team: Dayton Dragons
Visiting Team: Burlington Bees
Venue: Fifth Third Field (Dayton, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Doug, Shawn, Lyle

Game Story | Box Score

The score was tied at 5 when we left after the bottom of the fifth inning. Leaving a game early is not my modus operandi, but the tickets came from my buddy Doug, so he was calling the shots. And really, I couldn't object--the temperature was well into the 90s with pretty significant humidity, so we were all bathed in sweat the whole time we were there.

And really, the story of this one wasn't so much in the game. The Dragons were celebrating their streak of 815 consecutive sellouts (now at 821, I think), the longest in pro sports history, so there was quite a bit of stuff going on. Before the game, ceremonial first pitches were caught by former Reds players Bill Doran, George Foster, and Eric Davis; plus they had a couple of skydivers land in the stadium during the National Anthem. During the game they had short speeches from Archie Griffin and Magic Johnson, part of the group that owns the team, and a little bit later they did something similar with former Dragons and current Reds Logan Ondrusek, Chris Heisey, and Drew Stubbs, who were helicoptered to Dayton after the Reds' victory over Atlanta. So all of that was pretty cool.

Of course, as cool as all of that was, I was definitely interested in the game as well. One nice thing about going to Dragons games is that there's usually at least one or two Reds prospects I'm looking forward to checking out. On this night it was shortstop Billy Hamilton, who did not disappoint. He had a walk, a stolen base, a triple, and two runs scored while we were there, and also played some nice defense. It'll be pretty awesome to have him manning shortstop in Cincinnati in a few years--dude makes things happen.

Bowling Green 73 Buffalo 63

2011-03-05T17:15:00.006-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Buffalo Bulls
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 1:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

BGSU Official Game Coverage

Thoughts being formulated...coming soon!

Bowling Green 65 Ball State 64

2011-02-09T23:45:00.049-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Ball State Cardinals
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Toledo Blade Game Story | Official Box Score

Hard to believe it's been three months since I last attended a sporting event, and nearly a full year since the last time I was at Anderson Arena. A whole slew of extenuating circumstances has contributed to that being the case, which is really unfortunate for me - Anderson is one of my favorite places in the world, and this is the last season it will be hosting BGSU basketball. It happened, though, that this game coincided with my monthly trip to Toledo for work, so I was able to stick around and catch some hoops action before making the drive back to Troy.

I haven't been able to attend any games before this one, but I've watched the Falcons play several times on TV and via streaming video. Still, it was nice to finally see them in person, especially since the core of the team is so young that I didn't see them play last year. I was pretty impressed, especially with A'uston ("The Apostrophe") Calhoun and Cameron Black. They're both raw, but have a lot of potential - Calhoun is already a scoring machine, and Black seemed to have a nice low post game for a true freshman. They definitely need to work on rebounding and getting to loose balls, though, not to mention free throw shooting.

The only thing that bothered me was the complete lack of crowd energy, which is hard to believe for a game like this. Sure, it shouldn't have been as close as it ended up, but still, a close game is a close game. There was very little crowd reaction at all, and that makes me sad for "The House That Roars." It deserves a more raucous final season, but it doesn't look like it's going to get it. I'm hoping for a large, loud crowd for the last game, at least; I'll be there for that one, one way or another.

Pickerington Central 24 Troy 8

2010-11-06T23:59:00.000-05:00

High School Football - Playoffs
Division I Region 3 Quarterfinals
Home Team: Pickerington Central Tigers
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Pickerington Tiger Stadium
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 57 Sidney 7

2010-10-29T23:59:00.001-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Sidney Yellowjackets
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 50 Miamisburg 14

2010-10-22T23:59:00.001-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Miamisburg Vikings
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Harmon Field
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Trotwood-Madison 18 Troy 0

2010-10-15T23:59:00.006-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Trotwood-Madison Rams
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Troy High School Class of 1995

Read my thoughts here.

Phillies 2 Reds 0

2010-10-10T23:59:00.000-05:00

Major League Baseball
National League Division Series
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (J. Cueto)
Visiting Team: Philadelphia Phillies (C. Hamels)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 8:07 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Game Story | Box Score

Commentary to come!

Troy 27 Piqua 14

2010-10-08T23:02:00.001-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Piqua Indians
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Alexander Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 34 Vandalia Butler 7

2010-10-01T22:25:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Vandalia Butler Aviators
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Butler Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 29 Beavercreek 0

2010-09-27T21:27:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Beavercreek Beavers
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 21 Springboro 0

2010-09-18T23:32:00.002-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Springboro Panthers
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: CareFlight Field
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 49 Fairborn 6

2010-09-10T23:17:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Fairborn Skyhawks
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Middletown 38 Troy 7

2010-09-03T23:27:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Middletown Middies
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Barnitz Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 23 CJ 0

2010-08-27T23:59:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Chaminade-Julienne Eagles
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Dunbar 14 Troy 0

2010-08-20T22:07:00.059-05:00

High School Football (scrimmage)
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Dunbar Wolverines
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Gary and Nikki (3rd quarter only)

The Trojans didn't look all that great this evening. Since the game didn't count, I'm not worried about it. It was pretty obvious that they were working on some different formations and player packages and trying to get things figured out, and not actually focused on winning the game. I'm sure they would have liked for those things to work better and produce some points, sure, but no big deal that it didn't happen. Troy has talent and experience this year. When they tee it up for real next week, I'm sure they'll be fine.

One thing I thought was really interesting was how much the Trojan offense lined up in shotgun formation with anywhere from three to five receivers. They ran quite a few bubble screens and just weren't getting enough blocking out on the edges for them to be effective. Now, I don't expect to see that play as many times throughout the entire season as I saw it tonight, but if they can get it figured out, that could be quite a weapon, as it looks like they've got some guys with some speed and quickness. I should also note that on the few occasions when they lined up on the Wing-T formation, which has always been the base offense, they moved the ball pretty much at will.

The biggest reaction from the crowd actually came on the opening kickoff, when Troy's kicker booted the ball into the endzone against a pretty stiff breeze. Unfortunately, since Troy didn't score in the game, that was the only chance we had to see him kick off, so there's no telling whether or not that was a fluke. If he can do that on a fairly regular basis, though, that'll be great news for our special teams since Coach Nolan likes to do crazy things on kickoffs to keep opposing teams from getting a big return. Also, the punter (and I didn't really notice if the punter and kicker are the same player) seemed to have a big leg, getting height and distance on his kicks. Hopefully they won't be punting all that much, but it's good to know they can do it well when the need arises.

Anyway, now the scrimmage is out of the way and it's time for the season to begin for real. The Trojans kick off at home next Friday against the Chaminade-Julienne Eagles. The Eagles took the opener against the Trojans last year, 10-0 at Welcome Stadium in Dayton. That was a Thursday game that started at 5:30. I'm glad this year we're sticking with the Friday routine, and hopefully the Trojans will fare better this time.

Bats 10 Mud Hens 4

2010-08-17T09:54:00.001-05:00

Minor League Baseball
Home Team: Toledo Mud Hens (Furbush)
Visiting Team: Louisville Bats (Reineke)
Venue: Fifth Third Field (Toledo, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Rankin

Blade Game Report | Box Score

Getting to go to this game was an pleasant surprise. I was in Toledo for my monthly trip to work in the office for a couple of days. The company I work for has a drawing for tickets to every Mud Hens home game, I think. Our graphics manager won these tickets in that drawing, but she couldn't use them, and since I'm rarely in town and don't get a chance to win, she decided to offer them to me. I'm a huge baseball fan, and any night at the ballpark is a good one, so I was more than happy to take them off her hands. And when I looked at the tickets and realized the Mud Hens were playing the Louisville Bats, the AAA affiliate of my beloved Cincinnati Reds, that was just icing on the cake.

And the Bats did not disappoint, living up to their name with a 17-hit, 10-run outburst that left little doubt about the outcome from pretty early on. Only one of those hits was a home run (third baseman Eric Eymann), but they banged a bunch of hits off the outfield wall. Fifth Third Field in Toledo is a pretty good-sized ballpark, so there's no shame in that. The Reds could use an infusion of offense in a couple of key areas, so it's nice to see that there's some help on the way.

Of course, I was really hoping to see some of the Reds organization's pitching depth on display, particularly in the person of Aroldis Chapman, the Cuban flamethrower they signed in the offseason. Alas, he didn't make it into the game; he'll likely be in Cincinnati before too much longer.

All in all, it was a great night. I got to spend a few hours at the ballpark, my friend Mike came along and we talked baseball pretty much the whole time, and there was a pretty cool fireworks show after the game, too. Not bad for what otherwise likely would have been a wasted evening.

Dragons 3 Loons 1

2010-06-18T22:28:00.024-05:00

Minor League Baseball
Home Team: Dayton Dragons
Visiting Team: Great Lakes Loons
Venue: Fifth Third Field (Dayton, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi, Jeff, Mindy

DDN Game Tidbit | Box Score

Tickets to Dayton Dragons games are hard to come by, so it's always a treat to go to one when the opportunity arises. This, however, wasn't exactly an optimal situation. Brandi's employer got a block of tickets in the group seating section, which happens to be beyond the outfield wall in left field. This was my first time sitting in the outfield for a game, and I have to say, it was really hard to pay attention. All of the action seemed so far away. On top of that, several of her co-workers had kids that were running around - a couple of them made friends with us and sat in our laps for a fair portion of the evening.

So, needless to say, I don't really have much to say about the game, because I really didn't see all that much of it. We had a good time, though, and that's all that matters. Oh, and I will say that sitting in the outfield gives an awesome perspective on balls hit in the air, particularly when they're hit hard. Other than that, I can't recommend it.

Astros 2 Reds 0

2010-05-30T23:59:00.005-05:00

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (M. Leake)
Visiting Team: Houston Astros (F. Paulino)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 1:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Box Score

Reds 12 Astros 2

2010-05-29T23:59:00.002-05:00

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (A. Harang)
Visiting Team: Houston Astros (B. Moehler)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Box Score

Reds 3 Cubs 1

2010-04-11T18:11:00.034-05:00

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (M. Leake)
Visiting Team: Chicago Cubs (T. Gorzelanny)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 1:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Game Story | Official Box Score

This was kind of a different experience. Going to the game was, more or less, a spur-of-the-moment decision. I bought my ticket online around 10:20 a.m. and hit the road at 11:00. I took nothing with me: no glove, no camera, no sunscreen. I regret that last one. I thought my seat would be in the shade, for at least part of the game, but it was not. I can feel the heat building in my sun-pinkened arms and face already.

The main reason I decided to go was to see the professional debut of Reds starter Mike Leake, their first-round draft pick last year. He became a rare player in Major League history (the first pitcher since 1988) by playing his first big-league game without spending any time in the minor leagues. That being the case, I thought it would be fun to be in the stands for such an event, and to see this young phenom for myself.

I was not disappointed. At first, it looked like it was going to be a disaster - after throwing a first-pitch strike, he proceeded to walk the leadoff hitter on the following four pitches. A double and another walk left the bases loaded for the Cubs with no one out in the first inning. But Leake got out of the inning without allowing any runs, and that set the tone for the day. He ended up walking seven guys before his day was done, but he only gave up one run in 6 2/3 innings. You could definitely tell he was tired just before he was taken out, but the bullpen was able to hold down the fort while the Reds scored some runs and got the win. Leake didn't get credit for it, but there's no doubt that he had a huge hand in the victory.

He had two hits at the plate, too.

Bowling Green 87 Valparaiso 70

2010-02-20T18:58:00.004-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Valparaiso Crusaders
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 2:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

I hate to admit (although anyone can tell with just a cursory examination of how this blog works) that this is just the second BG basketball game I've made it to this season. In general, I still consider games at Anderson Arena to be must-attend events, but extreme winter weather and several other factors have been conspiring against me.

All that said, I've still been following the team as closely as possible through streaming Internet video when available and streaming Internet audio otherwise. I was well aware, at any rate, of the struggles the Falcons have had at times this season with scoring the basketball. Even on grainy or pixelated Internet feeds, they're sometimes hard to watch. So it was awesome to be at a game in which that wasn't an issue. They were able to score pretty much at will, with all five starters ending the game in double figures (and sophomore Scott Thomas posting a double-double). I can't think of anyone that didn't look like they had a good game. I find Thomas to be a really impressive player all around. I do wish, though, that senior center Otis Polk would have, at some point during his playing career, figured out how to continue playing solid defense without fouling so much. It's a lot of fun to watch him play, but he just doesn't log many minutes.

And it was a win over a pretty solid opponent, too. Valparaiso is currently in fourth place in the Horizon League (credit goes to ESPN's BracketBuster event for a non-conference game so late in the season), but that's a pretty good mid-major basketball league. You know the Crusaders, of course, from the highlight shown each year during March Madness of the buzzer-beating 3-point shot that allowed them, as a 13 seed, to upset 4 seed Ole Miss in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament, on the basketball equivalent of football's hook and lateral play. That shot was made by Bryce Drew, who is now an assistant coach with Valpo, and his dad, Homer Drew, is now and was then Valpo's head coach.

Anyway, as I mentioned, it was good to see BG come out aggressive and be able to score and build a big lead early. It was almost too big of a lead, actually - they led 49-24 at halftime, which led to what looked like a little complacency in the second half. They were obviously trying to slow the game down, but they got a little sloppy and let Valpo at least entertain some thoughts of getting back into the game. Personally, I would have liked to see the Falcons stay aggressive, put their foots on the Crusaders' throats, but that's just me - I think that's always the way to go until the game is unquestionably out of reach. And to give the Falcons the credit they deserve, they weathered everything Valpo threw at them, and whenever the Crusaders made a run, they'd get a little run of their own going to push the lead back up close to where it was before. So that was nice to see.

Finally, I'd just like to send out a plea to BG Athletics' marketing department to can all the games and gimmicks going on during official timeouts. Seriously. They've been doing this for quite some time, but the inanity of it hit me anew during this game, possibly because this is only the second game I've been to this season and I've been away from it for a while. I realize this is probably an effort to get more people to come to the games, but it's not working. I mean, the arena was less than half full, and that was even with a decent-sized singing group there for the National Anthem, plus the fact that it was SICSIC beheading day and senior day for the cheerleading squad and dance team. A much better strategy would be to just let the band and cheerleaders do their thing during timeouts; the marketing crap just drains whatever energy the crowd has managed to build during the action. Case in point: at one point during this game, there was a minor scuffle underneath the north basket, and the crowd got at least a little frothy. But as the officials called their timeout to sort things out, here comes "Brian from Marketing" to play some asinine game, and there went the energy. Instead, the band should have been playing the theme from Rocky or something, and the cheerleaders should have been leading a BG-SU chant. Or something. Feed the fire, instead of dousing it.

Look, I speak from experience on this. When I first came to BG in the fall of 1997, I wasn't the world's biggest basketball fan. Once I started going to games at Anderson Arena, though, I was hooked. Why? Because it's a small, cramped arena, with the crowd right on top of the action, and the place would get loud. It fed on itself. It would start to get loud; you'd see the Falcons feeding off of it, and the visitors getting rattled (I'm looking at you, Andy Hipsher); then it would get louder. And that was awesome. The games were so much fun, and I got addicted. Don't get me wrong, the band and cheerleaders didn't always have the right song or cheer at exactly the right moment, but they did their best to add to the energy. Being there was electric, and I loved it. It made Anderson Arena one of my favorite places in the world, and the games were the highlight of my week. When I think back on my time at BG, basketball is the first thing that comes to mind. Now, Anderson is still one of my favorites places, but that atmosphere is completely gone. And the timeout crap isn't the only contributing factor in its demise, but it is a factor. There's only one season of basketball left at Anderson after this one, and I'd like to see at least one game in that time with a crowd that's just balls-out insane. If they really want to build a crowd, a following, I think getting rid of the marketing crap and letting the atmosphere speak for itself would be the best first step they could make.

Bowling Green 59 St. Louis 50

2010-01-02T23:11:00.008-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: St. Louis Billikens
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Hard as it is for me to believe, this was my first trip to Anderson Arena since the last home game of last season, which was in March. Since this was my first time seeing this year's squad play in person, I spent most of the pregame warmup period going over the program and familiarizing myself with the newcomers.

Aside from seeing this year's team for the first time, I was also interested in this game in particular because of the opponent, the St. Louis Billikens, led by Coach Rick Majerus. I wasn't paying attention when he was coaching at Ball State, but I watched his teams play quite a bit when he was at Utah, and I've always liked him as a coach. I was looking forward to seeing one of his teams play in person, and I thought they'd be a good test for the Falcons.

I was pleasantly surprised when BG came out strong, taking and building a lead early. St. Louis didn't even score until nearly seven minutes into the game, and none of their starters scored in the first half at all. The Falcons were running an active zone defense, spreading it out into a trap occasionally to mix things up, and the Billikens just couldn't solve it. That let BG run the lead out to as many as twenty in the second half before they got a little sloppy toward the end and let St. Louis whittle the lead down to the final margin.

BG pretty much dominated the game, but I still found myself impressed with St. Louis, at least on the defensive end. I liked their aggressive style, especially how they doubled the ballhandler on just about every screen. They pressured the Falcons into quite a few turnovers - fortunately, they weren't able to turn those turnovers into points on a regular basis.

For the Falcons, I was impressed with the post play of center Otis Polk, who continues to evolve as a player. He's always been a defensive force, due to his size and bulk, if nothing else. He still has some work to do in keeping his fouls under control (although he's light years ahead of where he was when he came in), but he's developed into a strong offensive force to complement his work on the other end. It's going to be fun to watch him in MAC play. I also really enjoyed watching freshman guard Jordon Crawford. He's tiny (5'6") but quick, and seems pretty heady for a freshman, and he's got a nice touch on his shot.

So yes, this was my first time seeing the Falcons play this year, but it won't be the last. I'll be making the trip to BG whenever possible for the remainder of the season. I just hope the weather cooperates - the snow on the drive back to Troy was a bit of a nightmare. It was so heavy around Bluffton that we couldn't even see the lines on the interstate. We just had to slow down and feel our way along until it finally started to clear up a bit around Lima.

Sidney 15 Troy 14 (OT)

2009-10-30T22:48:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Sidney Yellowjackets
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Sidney Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees:None

This game sucked. Read further thoughts here.

Piqua 13 Troy 12

2009-10-24T12:25:00.002-05:00

High School Junior Varsity Football
Home Team: Piqua Indians
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Alexander Stadium
Game Time: 10:00 a.m.
Fellow Attendees: Mom, Dad

In all my years of following high school football, this is the first time I've gone to a junior varsity game. My nephew is a sophomore linebacker who played in this game, and, being the last JV game of the year, my brother called and asked me to go. So I went.

Oh...did I mention that my nephew is a linebacker for Piqua? And that, as an alumnus of Troy, I've spent the bulk of my life cultivating a seething hatred for Piqua? Needless to say, that put me in a strange situation for this game. I wanted to see Brandon do well individually, but actually cheering for Piqua's team to win the game...well, that was a little beyond me. Had the game been against anyone but Troy I could have pulled it off, but not this one. So I just sat there (on the home side of Piqua's stadium, I might add, another bizarre element for me) and watched the game in silence, not actively rooting for either team.

I'm glad to say that Brandon did play well. He played every snap on defense, I think, and was in on quite a few tackles. He was almost always where he needed to be and looked to be pretty solid. So that's good. As for the game, well...Piqua won. Or, more accurately, Troy lost. They were up 12-0 at halftime and had quite a bit more talent than the Indians. They seemed to come unglued after the break, though, and absolutely gave the game away with penalties and turnovers.

Still, as a spectator, especially for this game, I was more interested to see what each team had than in the actual outcome. Troy had a couple of guys that looked to be pretty talented, although they'll need to buckle down and get those penalties and turnovers under control if they want to contribute on the varsity level next year. As for Piqua, their QB was a decent dual threat in the mold of most of their recent quarterbacks, but other than that it didn't look to me like they had too much, at least on the offensive side. Defensively Piqua will always be solid, talent or no, because that's their calling card. Overall, though, I didn't see anything from them to indicate that their varsity team will be getting back to their glory days anytime soon.

Troy 26 Piqua 0

2009-10-23T22:23:00.001-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Piqua Indians
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Trotwood-Madison 25 Troy 13

2009-10-17T19:57:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Trotwood-Madison Rams
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Bob Driver Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Alex

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 14 Lebanon 7

2009-10-09T23:45:00.007-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Lebanon Warriors
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Ohio 44 Bowling Green 37

2009-10-03T21:18:00.002-05:00

College Football
Home Team: Bowling Green Falcons
Visiting Team: Ohio Bobcats
Venue: Doyt Perry Stadium
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

This is the game that the Falcons probably should have won. Committing penalties at inopportune moments (not that there's really an opportune moment for a penalty), dropping passes in the endzone, and settling for field goals instead of touchdowns are not ingredients in the recipe for success. And yet, with all of that, BG was in this game until the end, and very nearly put a TD on the board that would have sent it to overtime. Even with the mistakes, this was a fun, entertaining game to watch.

Besides that, as much as I live and die with BGSU athletics, on this day it was just great to be back in Bowling Green. It was Homecoming, so Brandi and I went up and made a weekend out of it. Aside from the game, we also ate at some of our old haunts and had drinks at some of our favorite watering holes. I don't really miss living in the city of Bowling Green on a day-to-day basis, but I do miss being so close to the university's campus, and it's always nice to get back and spend some time.

Troy 27 Vandalia Butler 6

2009-10-02T21:55:00.007-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Vandalia Butler Aviators
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

#8 Boise State 49 Bowling Green 14

2009-09-26T23:56:00.001-05:00

College Football
Home Team: Bowling Green Falcons
Visiting Team: #8 Boise State Broncos
Venue: Doyt Perry Stadium
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Wow.

As a fan of Bowling Green, this game was tough to watch. As an avid and interested college football follower and enthusiast, it was pretty awesome. Boise State is one of those teams that shows up on TV on a fairly frequent basis, and they've had a lot of success, but so many people still seem to think it's a fluke. I've always enjoyed watching them play, and now that I've seen them in person, I'm here to tell you, they are no fluke.

A lot of teams, faced with an opponent that is obviously not on their level, will go with a conservative game plan, content to toy with them, generally letting the game stay close until they finally manage to pull away in the end. Boise State has no interest in that type of game plan. They come out and put their foot on their opponent's throat as quickly as possible, then sub out their starters and coast to the end. Honestly, I loved watching it. It sucked to see it happen to my team, of course, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't think Boise State's brand of football is the way football should be played. I think they're just going to get better - why wouldn't a recruit want to go there? They win a lot of games, and the way they play has to be fun.

That said, BG had some opportunities to make this more of a game than it was. The Falcons moved the ball well on their opening drive, only to miss a field goal at the end. After that they had some penalties and turnovers that held them back. I don't think correcting those items would have turned this into a win, but it could have made the final score a little more palatable, or forced the Broncos to leave their starters in longer in order to achieve blowout status. On the defensive side of the ball, I don't think BG played all that badly, really. Boise State had a huge advantage in speed, and their offensive schemes are so good at getting their guys where they need to be.

As happens to me all too often, Brandi and I ended up sitting in front of a couple of guys who couldn't control their knees, spilled beer all over our stuff, and had nothing good to say about anything for the duration of their attendance. That was one good thing about the unevenness of the game - these guys were gone before halftime.

Aside from the game, it was awesome to be back in Bowling Green, if only for a limited time. Sometimes it seems hard to believe that I lived there for so long. As happy as I am to be back in my hometown for good, I miss being so close to the university's campus and being able to just go wander around whenever the mood takes me. But, on the flip side, that makes visiting all the sweeter. Brandi and I will be back in town next week for the Homecoming game, as BG hosts the Ohio Bobcats, and we'll actually be staying overnight, so that should be a good time.

Troy 14 Wayne 12

2009-09-25T22:54:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Wayne Warriors
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Heidkamp Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Centerville 40 Troy 7

2009-09-18T23:51:00.005-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Centerville Elks
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Fairborn 20 Troy 6

2009-09-11T23:31:00.001-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Fairborn Skyhawks
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Fairborn Memorial Stadium / Buschmeyer Field
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 49 Xenia 6

2009-09-04T23:51:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Xenia Buccaneers
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

CJ 10 Troy 0

2009-08-27T22:13:00.000-05:00

High School Football
"Home" Team: Chaminade-Julienne Eagles
"Visiting" Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Welcome Stadium
Game Time: 5:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 17 Dunbar 6

2009-08-21T23:14:00.002-05:00

High School Football (scrimmage)
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Dunbar Wolverines
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

The only really important thing that needs to be said is this: football is back. I go to this scrimmage each year mainly to give myself a taste of being back at Troy Memorial Stadium, sitting under the lights and watching the Trojans do their thing. As much as I enjoy the action of the scrimmage, I'm never totally sure what to take away from it. I'm just happy to be here.

All that said, one thing this scrimmage definitively did show is that the Wing-T offense is back in effect in Trojanland. That's the offense that Coach Nolan has run for most of his 24-year career in Troy, but he went away from it last year to maximize the talent he had - QB Tyler Wright and HB Matt Allen. Those guys are gone now, though, and the Trojans this year will look to a full stable of running backs to provide most of the offense with the passing game relegated back to its customary afterthought position. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing; any longtime follower of Troy football will tell you that the Trojans have had a good amount of success with that approach. Whether that will be the case this year remains to be seen.

There were also encouraging signs from the defense, which was manhandled at times last year. Tonight they looked strong against the run. That's good, because the secondary is young and will undoubtedly be tested throughout the year. If the defense can count on being strong against at least one phase of the game, that's one less thing to worry about.

Now it's time to tee it up for real. The season opener is a little bit different this year, being held on Thursday night at an off time (5:30 p.m.). The game is being held at Dayton's Welcome Stadium as part of a doubleheader.

Bowling Green 75 Ohio 41

2009-03-08T19:46:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Ohio Bobcats
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 2:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Ohio's coach looks like a librarian. A very angry little librarian at times, I might add. I really think he was trying to get two technical fouls and get thrown out so he wouldn't have to continue to watch the multitude of suck that was his team, and I can't say I blame him. Alas, he was only able to achieve one technical, so he had to stick it out until the end.

As bad as OU was, though, I don't think anyone in the MAC would have beaten the Falcons today. It was obvious from the get-go that they knew they had something to play for, and they latched onto it with both hands and wouldn't let go. It was awesome to see them come out focused and hungry, intent on destroying anything in their path. Just about everybody on the floor looked good today. They went through a couple of sloppy stretches, but were able each time to collect themselves quickly and recommence the beat-down.

With the win, the Falcons tied for the regular-season MAC championship. I stuck around after the game to watch the team cut down the net on the south end of Anderson Arena, and I wasn't even close to the only one. Shortly thereafter, the final of the Miami-Buffalo game was announced - with Buffalo's win, the Falcons are the #1 seed going into the MAC Tournament, which starts next Tuesday, giving them a bye into the quarterfinals, and also guarantees an NIT berth in the event that they don't win the MAC Tourney for the NCAA bid.

This was also Senior Day at Anderson Arena, the last home game for Darryl Clements, Brian Moten, and Nate Miller. These three guys have been huge components of this year's success, and it's awesome to see them go out on top. It's a shame that Senior Day had to fall during the first weekend of BGSU's spring break - it would have been nice for them to get their ovations from a raucous crowd doing justice to the "House That Roars" legacy, but I suppose they'll probably take it however it came.

Now it's time to play for an NCAA Tournament spot. 1968 was a long time ago, gentlemen...let's get it done in Cleveland! Go Falcons!

Miami 50 Bowling Green 45 OT

2009-03-04T23:14:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: Miami RedHawks
Visiting Team: BGSU Falcons
Venue: Millett Hall (Oxford, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

First off, win or lose, I have to give the Falcons a lot of credit. Like so many other games this season, they were behind for a good portion of this game, sometimes by a significant amount. Like so many other games this season, they battled back to put themselves in a position to win at the end. Especially with one of the team's best players (Chris Knight) out and frontcourt depth at a premium due to injury (Marc Larson), the way BG has been playing of late has been very, very impressive. Alas, this time around, they just couldn't get the ball in the hole when they really needed to, but they gave it a hell of a run.

Going to sporting events by myself has good and bad points, sometimes wrapped up all in one thing. Since I'm the rare bird that just needs one ticket, I can often find a singleton in what seems like a really good spot. For this game I found myself in the first row right behind the Miami bench. That sounds pretty good, but really, it's not optimal. Once the game starts, players are jumping up and down, coaches and trainers are roaming around, and plenty of game personnel and event staff are in the vicinity as well. Frankly, it's often hard to see what's going on. I was extremely grateful to one ref who eventually made it a point to tell Miami's bench to sit down pretty much each time down the floor (I think at some point they should have earned a technical foul, but I'm biased). Of course, that didn't keep ol' Charlie from getting in my way from time to time, but it made it easier to see more of the game.

And it goes without saying that I was surrounded by Miami fans. One guy, on his way into the section, saw me decked out in orange and tried to tell me I was in his seat. When I assured him I had a ticket for my seat and actually started to get it out to show it to him, he remembered that he was actually in the row behind me. In the middle of the section I might have bought it, but I was in the first row - dude, you know I'm not in your seat. I think he just assumed I was trying to bogart the seat and wanted to keep a Falcon fan from occupying such a "prime" spot. Unfortunately for him, he had to listen to me yelling encouragement to the Falcons all night long. I don't think I was too obnoxious, except when Scott Thomas hit the 3-ball at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. I went a little bit out of my mind at that point. My throat is still a little raw from that outburst, actually.

My observations on the game itself are a little spotty, due to my odd perspective, but here's what I've got. First, I'd love to see Scott Thomas get some more minutes. His absolutely clutch trey aside, he's the only player we have that looks confident and consistently competent when passing into the post. I think Otis could provide at least some scoring punch if we could get him the ball more often, and we know that Marschall can score. With the offensive droughts these guys go through sometimes, that could be huge. And what was Otis doing on his last foul? He fouled a guy shooting a 3 - bad enough when anyone does it, but why was the center out there? We could have used him in OT. I also wasn't crazy about Nate driving for the layup with about 10 seconds left in overtime, down by 3. The defense cleared out and was pretty much giving it to him, but with that little time on the clock, I think it was time to shoot for 3. It didn't help that he missed the layup, but I think it was the wrong decision either way. And I'm not criticizing Nate - that could have been a coaching call as much as his own initiative. And without him we're not in that situation anyway. He's been huge for us.

So now the Falcons go into their final regular-season game in a four-way tie for first in the MAC with Miami, Buffalo, and Akron. There's a bunch of different ways this can play out, but the only thing the Falcons can do at this point is take care of OU at home and let the whole mess sort itself out. I'll be at the House That Roars (and hopefully it will) on Sunday to cheer the Falcons on, and hopefully we can send B-Mo, DC, and Nate out in style.

Bowling Green 59 Toledo 54

2009-02-11T23:59:00.002-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: Toledo Rockets
Visiting Team: BGSU Falcons
Venue: Savage Arena (Toledo, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

This was an ugly game, an absolutely brutal game to watch. But hey, I'm not going to complain too much, because it was a win, the first time I've seen BG win at Savage. Ugly or not, beating the Rockets (in anything) is a salve to soothe all ills.

There's really not a whole lot to say about the game. The Rockets are terrible, and they shouldn't have even been in this game. Unfortunately, the Falcons played almost as badly and let them stick around. I've rarely seen so many passes bounce off of hands or just sail out of bounds untouched. But, again, they managed to pull it out in the end, and that's all that matters.

And the game wasn't the only thing that was ugly. The weather outside was frightful, and I was soaked by the time I got into the arena. After the game, there was a small lake inside the parking garage I was in. And the drive home, which should take around two hours, took more than three due to severe winds blowing over no fewer than three semis along the way. But, much like the game, I made it eventually, and that's all that matters.

Also on the bright side, I didn't have to pay to get into the game. A gentleman standing with his son near the ticket windows had one extra ticket, and since I was by myself, he offered it to me for free just so it wouldn't go to waste. I always do the same when I have extras, but it's an unexpected delight when it comes back around.

Bowling Green 68 Western Michigan 61

2009-02-04T23:59:00.002-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Western Michigan Broncos
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

The education of Otis Polk continues.

The big man was a beast tonight, and a lot of fun to watch. It seems like he's finally figuring out how he needs to play in order to keep himself out of foul trouble and on the floor. And that's great to see, because I think he can be a serious force in the MAC. Everyone knows what he can do on the defensive end; if we can start getting more performances like this from him on the offensive end, oh boy, watch out.

Miami 67 Bowling Green 60

2009-01-20T23:11:00.002-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Miami RedHawks
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Sometimes I'm not sure what to think about this year's BG team, and this is one of those times. They looked pretty solid early in the year...granted, mostly against lesser competition, but also in a close loss to Ohio State. As the season has progressed, though, it seems like they're getting worse instead of better. I know they go through stretches when they have trouble scoring, which is one thing. Tonight, though, they went through a couple of stretches when it didn't look like they knew what they were doing anywhere on the floor, and that's discouraging. That they managed to make this a close game is pretty astounding; had they been able to maintain competence particularly coming out of the half, they likely would have won.

Still, there's no great shame in losing to Miami, one of two non-BG programs in the MAC that I actually have quite a bit of respect for (the other being Kent State). Charlie Coles is a great coach - you know his guys are going to be tough, year in and year out.

Troy 55 Piqua 42

2009-01-16T23:25:00.001-05:00

Boys' Basketball
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Piqua Indians
Venue: Trojan Activities Center
Game Time: 7:30 p.m. (theoretically)
Fellow Attendees: None

(JV Score: Troy 73 Piqua 50)

Well, it's not football, but a Trojan victory over Piqua in anything is a good way to start the year.

This was just the Trojans' second win of the year, against nine losses. Unfortunately, this was the first time I've seen them, so I can't really speak to why they haven't had much success. They looked pretty decent to me. They've got a couple of big guys down in the post who look pretty good. The guards aren't anything spectacular, but they seemed solid enough. Maybe they're putting things together and will win some more games from here on out. Or maybe Piqua is just that bad. Time will tell.

I was really impressed with Troy' JV team. I didn't see any amazing talent, but they seemed to be really well coached. They were pretty fundamentally sound for guys so young, especially in terms of passing and defense. They had a good feel for where the other guys were on the floor, and they were fun to watch. They played an uptempo style, quite a contrast from the varsity team's more deliberate play. Of course, that resulted in quite a few fouls, and the refs in that game were quite whistle-happy. The JV game started at 6:00, with the varsity scheduled to begin at 7:30. The varsity game didn't end up starting until about 8:10. That one went quite a bit faster, though, and I was on my way out by 9:15 or so.

Bowling Green 78 Eastern Illinois 60

2008-12-28T16:06:00.001-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Eastern Illinois Panthers
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 2:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Ah, my first sporting event in over a month, and my first time back on the BGSU campus in even longer. I missed a couple of home basketball games in that span, a rarity for me, due to prior commitments, so it was good to be back in "The House That Roars." I missed it.

Of course, it wasn't roaring on this day, not with the student body almost entirely absent due to Christmas break. There was a cheerleading squad there, but no dance team, no pep band, and very few student fans. That makes for a dead arena. As irritating as some of the students can be at times, the atmosphere without them is mostly non-existent.

That didn't seem to bother the team, though. They jumped on the Panthers from the opening tip and never really let up. I really like the way these guys play together, and I still think the fact that Nate Miller and Chris Knight haven't cracked the starting lineup is a great sign. Knight showed some good things as this game went along - he's still getting into the flow after missing some time due to an injury and then a short suspension. He was strong on the boards and showed some scoring touch as well. The other player who caught my eye was freshman forward Scott Thomas. His line doesn't show anything impressive, but I liked how active he was on the floor, and he made some nice passes into the post.

Not much else to say about this game...BG was definitely the superior team, and they did what they should do against a weaker team. I'll be there when they return to Anderson Arena again next Saturday, the first game of the new year. Hopefully some of the students will be back for that one as well.

Ohio State 61 Bowling Green 57

2008-11-24T23:53:00.003-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: Ohio State Buckeyes
Visiting Team: Bowling Green Falcons
Venue: Schottenstein Center (Columbus, Ohio)
Game Time: 8:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Given my previous experience as a visiting fan at an Ohio State sporting event, I debated for quite some time over whether or not I was going to go to this one. After seeing the Falcons play last week, though, I felt like they might have a shot at this one, and I knew I'd be pretty irritated with myself if they won and I wasn't there to see it in person. And I thought maybe their basketball crowd would be a little more easygoing than their football crowd.

And I was right on that count. No one had any snide comments or dirty looks for me in my bright orange BGSU shirt, even when I took my seat just two rows behind the OSU bench. I even ended up chatting a little bit with the guy sitting next to me, although our chatter grew more and more infrequent as the game wore on and the Falcons failed to just go away as several fans behind us seemed to think they should.

As I mentioned, I ended up right behind OSU's bench, just two rows from the court itself. How I ended up with that particular seat I'm not entirely sure - I bought it online from everyone's favorite global ticket conglomerate on the day before the game, and that's just where I landed. I didn't know myself how close I was until I got to the arena and started down the ramp. It sounds like a great place to watch a game, but frankly, I wouldn't have minded being a little higher up. I had a great view of the game when it was on my end of the court, but it was hard to see when it went to the other end - weird angle, coaches and officials standing in the way, etc. Even given that, though, and the Falcons' loss, I'm glad I decided to go. Watching in person is almost always better than watching on TV, and going into a Big Ten setting isn't something you get a chance to do every day.

The game got pretty close down toward the end, which made it exciting, but in the end BG just didn't hit enough shots or take good enough care of the ball to pull off the upset. I wasn't particularly impressed with any of OSU's guys, but they're well coached under Matta, and they play a sound game of basketball. The Falcons didn't play poorly by any stretch of the imagination, but they turned the ball over a couple of times right at the very end when hanging onto it could have turned a loss into a victory. Still, it's hard to be too upset, going into the Buckeyes' house and taking them down to the wire. Again I was impressed with Darryl Clements; Brian Moten and Nate Miller provided the offensive punch; and Joe Jakubowski did a nice job handling the ball against OSU's pressure defense. I also thought Otis Polk did well in the post against Ohio State's size advantage.

I have to say, attending this game was unlike any college hoops experience I've had before. Traffic before and after the game was easily navigated, although that may have been because I had to park so far away that I had to take a shuttle to the parking lot to the arena and back again after the game. The Schottenstein Center is an NBA-caliber venue, but that really took any semblance of a college atmosphere out of the game, which, to be honest, probably helped BG's chances. It was definitely the most sterile place I've ever seen a college game - even when BG played Michigan State at the Palace at Auburn Hills several years ago, the place was packed with screaming fans. This wasn't even like an NBA game. It was...just weird.

(I got some pretty cool photos I'll post as soon as I remember to unload them from my camera.)

Bowling Green 80 Wayne State 48

2008-11-20T23:29:00.002-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Wayne State Warriors
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Walking into Anderson Arena for the first time following an eight-month absence is always a special occasion. The tipoff of a new season brings one of my favorite times of year. There are few things I like better than sitting amongst familiar faces on Anderson's old wooden bleachers, cheering the Falcons on to victory.

This was my first chance this year to see the guys in action, and the Div. II opponent allowed me to sit there and take everything in without too much stress about the outcome. I was pretty impressed by what I saw. For the first time in quite some time, I'm able to say that the Falcons are pretty deep. Deep enough, in fact, that the two leading scorers from last year's team are, for the time being at least, coming off the bench instead of starting. I don't expect that to continue throughout the season, or really even for very much longer, but the simple fact of the matter remains that there will be guys on the bench that are capable and worthy of starting. That's huge, as Coach Orr will be able to keep guys' minutes down instead of playing some guys 35-40 minutes a night, which has led to players being worn down by the end of most past seasons. Also, I don't think there's anyone on the roster now that makes you cringe when they come into the game, which hasn't always been the case in the past. Everybody out there is at least solid.

A big component of that newfound depth is the return of junior forward Erik Marschall, who didn't play last year due to injuries. Now it looks like he has bionic legs because of the way they're wrapped, but it's great to see him back out there and playing well. I admit to grimacing a couple of times when he landed on the floor or when other guys were falling around his feet, expecting the worse, but he came away with no trouble each time. Here's to an injury-free season for Erik - not just because we need him, but because he deserves it.

I was also impressed with the play of Darryl Clements. I wasn't exactly enamored with his game last year, when he was often, admittedly, playing out of position, but he looked so much better tonight than he did all of last season. Kudos to him for putting in the work to make that happen.

Aside from all that, this was a pretty standard game against an overmatched opponent. The Falcons beat the Warriors mostly from the perimeter in the first half, and mostly from the inside in the second half. Everybody who dressed played at least a little bit, and everybody looked pretty solid. Forwards Nate Miller and Chris Knight, suspended for the first three games of the season, looked like they were trying to find their way into the flow a little bit; Nate managed to do so, ending up leading the team in scoring and rebounds, whereas CK looked (to my untrained eye) like he was struggling a bit. But he's the type of player to take what he's given, and I have no doubt that he's going do some big things this year.

Maybe the biggest story of the night is related the game in only the most tangential of ways. On my drive home, I put gas in my car for $1.569 per gallon. That, my friends, is awesome.

Now that the first home game is out of the way, the Falcons will be away from Anderson for nearly a month, not coming home again until December 14. Their next game, though, is on Monday in Columbus, as they travel down Rt. 23 to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. I'm still debating if I'm going to make the trip across I-70 from Troy to see them, but knowing myself, I'd have to say it's pretty likely.

St. Mary's 21 Tippecanoe 14

2008-11-01T22:27:00.003-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Tippecanoe Red Devils
Visiting Team: St. Mary's Memorial Roughriders
Venue: Park Stadium
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

OHSAA State Playoffs Round 1 - Division III Region 10

Make no mistake, I live and die with the Troy Trojans. But, I must admit, I've got the tiniest little soft spot for Tipp. I used to work in Tipp City, just a block over from the park (and, hence, the stadium), and on nice days I would occasionally take my lunch there. However, as my Friday nights during football season are booked with Troy games, I had never seen a game there, so I decided to take the opportunity.

The Tipp City Park is a great setting for a game. Even the lack of a parking lot doesn't really hinder the experience, as there's plenty of parking available on the nearby side streets. I drove into the area about half an hour before kickoff and found myself a perfect Taurus-sized spot just a short walk from the stadium. And that was with a good crowd - the stands weren't jam-packed by any means, but they were pretty full, and there were plenty of people hanging on the railing or camped in the green spaces surrounding the field. The park is filled with trees that were in their full fall glory, rioting with color in the glare of the stadium lights. And the weather was absolutely perfect - I took a jacket along, but I put it on only after it fell through the stands to the ground below, as a way to ensure that such an occurrence would not happen again.

Another thing that I thought was cool was that Tipp had a sign language translator on the sideline facing the home stands for all pregame activities and announcement. I'm not fluent in sign language, but I thought she was fascinating to watch nonetheless. She even signed the words of the fight song as the band played, keeping time with the music. Very cool, and I think it's awesome that they do that for their fans.

As for the game itself, it was pretty simple: Tipp just couldn't stop St. Mary's ground game with any consistency, and they couldn't get their own offense going. They looked the best coming out of halftime when they mixed up the offense and worked in some passes, but Tipp's coaches seemed far too insistent on reverting to their own run-heavy tendencies, and the Roughriders were having none of it. Still, I have to give the Red Devils credit for fighting - they were down 14-0 at half and being pretty much dominated, but they were able to come back and tie the game 14-14 in the third quarter. They actually would have taken the lead on a punt return TD, but one of the blockers unnecessarily hit the very last Roughrider defender in the back, which nullified the score. From there, Tipp couldn't get back on the board, St. Mary's ground it down the field and into the endzone, and that was the ballgame.

EDIT: Another random note I just had to mention. One guy sitting behind me was a very loud clapper (totally acceptable at a football game, but irritating when it continually happens at a distance of what sounds like approximately two inches behind your head) and a constant second-guesser of the players on the field. I noticed at one point when he left the stands that he was wearing a pair of obnoxiously loud and ridiculous-looking boots. Later in the evening, we were at a party here in Troy, and I saw Brandi talking to a guy in a Tippecanoe shirt, so I wandered over to chat about the game. Then I looked down and saw the obnoxious boots he was wearing, and realized it was the same guy. I ended up not saying much about the game, or anything at all.

Troy 48 Sidney 14

2008-10-24T23:57:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Sidney Yellowjackets
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Miami 27 Bowling Green 20

2008-10-18T22:00:00.002-05:00

College Football
Home Team: Bowling Green Falcons
Visiting Team: Miami RedHawks
Venue: Doyt Perry Stadium
Game Time: 12:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

What a disappointment.

Not too long ago, Miami and BG could both be counted among the class of the MAC. This game was like watching two blindfolded and dizzy little girls hack away at each other with foam bats - you knew one of them was going to win eventually, you just weren't sure if it would mean anything or not, and it certainly wasn't pretty.

This Bowling Green team had plenty of talent back from last year, when they went 8-4 and earned a bowl bid, and they were expected to challenge for the MAC title this year. Instead, they're a mess, particularly on offense, which used to be what Bowling Green was known for. The defense I didn't think was too bad outside of too many penalties, although they've been hot and cold this season, and special teams were okay.

The offense, though, makes me want to gouge out my eyes. The one place the Falcons did lose guys from last year is from the offensive line - we have a bunch of new starters up front, but that doesn't look like the problem to me, not by a long shot. Those guys look like they're holding their own. No, it looks to me like the problems stem primarily having three "primary" running backs, none of whom get regular touches from the running back spot, and one of whom actually subs in for the QB for the majority of his carries, which take the form of highly predictable draws or sweeps.

If I were to be put in charge of the BGSU football program tomorrow, here's what I would do:

Institute a policy that, for every yard in stupid penalties (personal fouls, late hits, unsportsmanlike conduct, etc.), the whole team will run ten sets of stadium stairs.

Take all designed QB runs out of the playbook, except option plays.

Put a few plays into the playbook that are not run from the shotgun formation so when it's 3rd-and-1 (or less), we can do something other than a QB draw.

Pick a primary running back (probably Chris Bullock) and commit to getting him at least 15-20 carries per game.

Head coach Gregg Brandon came to BG as Urban Meyer's offensive guru, and that reputation got him the big job when Coach Meyer left for Utah. But the playcalling is largely vanilla and predictable and has been for several years, and having players with such ill-defined roles leads me to the conclusion that he just doesn't know what he's doing. I think he's a good recruiter - there's plenty of talent on this team - he just doesn't know how to maximize his players' talents to put them in the best position to win games. At least, that's how it seems to me. I don't know how else to explain these losses to teams like Miami and Eastern Michigan, teams which I don't think there's any doubt BG is more talented than.

So yeah, it's frustrating, watching a team that had everything lined up this year to make a serious run at a MAC championship and is letting it slip away. Of course, they still aren't out of it, which is pretty sad, to be honest, but I don't think there's much question that they will be at some point. I have a hard time seeing a team like this all of a sudden putting things together and becoming competent halfway through the season. If it was a team full of young guys, maybe, but for the most part these are veteran guys who should already be better than this.

Also, while I'm venting, I hate noon kickoffs. They suck, and they were bad enough when I lived on campus or in town. When they put lights up at the Doyt a few years back, I thought noon kickoffs were behind us forever. Having the game so early eliminates (for me, and probably for a lot of people) the possibility of getting there early for tailgating, and I think it cuts pretty heavily into student attendance as well. Again, if I were in charge, 7:00 p.m. would be the standard kickoff time, with absolutely no starts before 4:00 p.m. Any weeknight games would start at 7:00 or 8:00, although they'd be avoided wherever possible; and Friday night games would be absolutely, 100% off the table.

But hey, it was good to be at the Doyt, and it was good to spend some time back in ol' BG. A win, or even a solid performance by the team, would have made it more enjoyable, of course, but anytime we can get back is never going to be a total loss.

Troy 49 Piqua 28

2008-10-17T22:59:00.001-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Piqua Indians
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Alexander Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Amy, Doug (sort of)

Read my thoughts here.

Trotwood 26 Troy 22

2008-10-10T23:59:00.001-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Trotwood-Madison Rams
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None
My Photos

Read my thoughts here.

Lebanon 24 Troy 14

2008-10-03T23:59:00.001-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Lebanon Warriors
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: James VanDeGrift Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None
My Photos

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 34 Vandalia Butler 21

2008-09-26T23:59:00.003-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Vandalia Butler Aviators
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Butler Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None
My Photos

Read my thoughts here.

Wayne 35 Troy 16

2008-09-19T23:45:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Wayne Warriors
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Centerville 48 Troy 14

2008-09-12T23:19:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Centerville Elks
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Centerville Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Minnesota 42 Bowling Green 17

2008-09-06T23:59:00.001-05:00

College Football
Home Team: Bowling Green Falcons
Visiting Team: Minnesota Golden Gophers
Venue: Doyt Perry Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi, Mike, Lisa

Well, the tailgate was fun, at least. A lot of fun, actually. We rolled into town several hours before kickoff and, after suffering some misadventures while searching for the group we planned to join, settled in with some drinks, some good food, and some good company. For next time I think a little more planning might be in order, and definitely a non-styrofoam cooler that won't blow its load while being carried only a short distance, but we did okay.

The game, on the other hand...the word that comes to mind is 'disappointment.' The Gophers are much improved from last year, but they are, I think, a team that BG should have beaten on their own field. The score was close going into the fourth quarter, but then the mistakes snowballed until the game was out of hand. The Falcons just couldn't quite get things rolling when they needed to, and it seemed at times like they were just trying to be too cute or do too much. They still might have come away with a win if they just could have held onto the ball. They gave Minnesota too many chances, the defense was on the field too much, and that was the ballgame.

At any rate, it was great to be back in BG for a while. Hopefully next time we can actually stay the night of the game and have some more time to enjoy the local atmosphere we used to call 'home,' instead of having to drive back the same night.

Troy 47 Fairborn 7

2008-09-05T23:31:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Fairborn Skyhawks
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 56 Xenia 21

2008-08-29T23:54:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Xenia Buccaneers
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Cox Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 17 Chaminade-Julienne 14

2008-08-22T23:52:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Chaminade-Julienne Eagles
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 20 Dunbar 7

2008-08-15T23:00:00.002-05:00

High School Football (scrimmage)
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Dunbar Wolverines
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

What a perfect night for my first visit of the year to Troy Memorial Stadium. Of course, I'd probably say that even if it had been 40° and/or storming, but fortunately, that wasn't the case. It was 70° and sunny, perfect for sitting about 2/3 of the way up the bleachers on the west 40 for a couple of hours and getting a feel for what the Trojans have this year.

As with probably any scrimmage for any team, there were ups and downs. I was pretty pleased overall with the defense, which looked to be disruptive. They gave up some plays here and there, most notably a 30-yard touchdown run on a draw play on 4th and long for Dunbar's lone score, but they also made a number of stops behind or just past the line of scrimmage. They pressured the QB well, the defensive backs made some nice plays on balls in the air, they forced some turnovers, and tackling looked to be pretty good. Now, Dunbar isn't exactly a powerhouse in the area, so we'll see if these things translate once the level of competition steps up, but these are all encouraging signs, at least.

The offense showed flashes of being impressive, but it looked like they had a hard time getting in sync and stringing a solid drive together. Feature halfback Matt Allen looked good, quick and elusive, and fullback Chris Basil was laying some licks, both as a lead blocker and as a ballcarrier. It's possible, though, that QB Tyler Wright is the best runner of the bunch. It's good to have a quarterback who is elusive and mobile, particularly when passing plays have a tendency to look like they were drawn up by a 6-year-old who came across his dad's whiskey stash. Whenever Wright dropped back to pass, it seemed like there was a defender (or two) in his face before he even finished his drop. He turned a few of those situations into positive plays, so it's good that he can run. He'll need to.

I'll be back at Troy Memorial this coming Friday, and this time it's for real. The season opens with a visit from the Eagles of Chaminade-Julienne, who should provide a good early-season test for the Trojans.

Mets 10 Reds 8

2008-07-17T23:59:00.002-05:00

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (J. Cueto)
Visiting Team: New York Mets (J. Santana)
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Official Box Score

What a crazy game.

It looked like the Reds had this one in hand. It was already fixed in my mind that the Reds were 3-0 this season in games I attended, and then the whole thing went straight to hell. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, given how the game had gone prior to that point, but still - two-run lead, bottom of the ninth, closer in the game...this should have been a win for the Reds.

Still, it was pretty cool to be at the first game back after the All-Star break. We even managed to be in our seats for the first pitch, which I was unable to accomplish in my first two trips this year. And we got to see a bunch of home runs (5, even though 3 of them were by Mets). I'm still a little bit in shock that a pitching matchup between Johnny Cueto and Johan Santana turned into such a shootout, but that's what we got.

We also had a good time with the two guys who sat in front of us. One of them was trying to keep score (I think it's great when people score baseball games), but he wasn't paying too close attention - he had to keep asking me what had happened so he could write it down. At one point during the game he got up to go to the bathroom, and he couldn't find his way back. He kept wandering up and down the aisles, and his friend was laughing his ass off.

I didn't take my camera to this game, and I wish I would have. We went down to Cincinnati early since Brandi and I were both on vacation, and we went to the Bodies Exhibition at the Museum Center that afternoon. We finished up there earlier than we thought, so we got to the ballpark early and decided to spend some time in the Reds' Hall of Fame. Being a Reds fan for so long, that was an awesome experience, and I wish I could have gotten some photos. I especially enjoyed the tribute to late Reds player and broadcaster Joe Nuxhall, and the view of the Rose Garden (a preserved section of the Astroturf field from Riverfront Stadium marking the location where Pete Rose's record-breaking 4,192nd hit landed, surrounded by roses) along with the wall of baseballs (50 feet tall) marking each of Pete's hits. Just amazing. On the bright side, buying admission lets us go back for free anytime up through the end of the year, so hopefully I'll be able to correct my camera oversight sometime before then.

Reds 5 Nationals 3

2008-07-03T23:59:00.003-05:00

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds
Visiting Team: Washington Nationals
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Game Story | Official Box Score

Okay, so it wasn't as exciting as Monday's game, when Ken Griffey Jr. won the game in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run homer, but it was still a good way to spend the last evening before my 31st birthday. The tickets were free, and it was a good, close game on a (mostly) nice night, with a sweet fireworks display afterward.

We were supposed to go down with a couple of Brandi's friends, but they couldn't make it at the last minute, so we went by ourselves. As it was on Monday, the weather was a little bit worrisome, but we went anyway. It did rain a little bit toward the end of the game, but not too hard, and not for very long, so it wasn't a big deal.

I've been to two Reds games now this season, and they're 2-0 when I'm there. Apparently I need to go more often.

Reds 4 Pirates 3

2008-06-30T23:38:00.003-05:00

Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds
Visiting Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Amy, Doug, Miranda

Game Story | Official Box Score

It was cool to see Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th career home run on TV a few weeks ago. It was even cooler to see him hit #603...in person...in the bottom of the ninth inning...to win the game for the Reds.

When my friends Amy and Doug called and said they had tickets to the game and asked me to go, it was a no-brainer. I hadn't been to a game all year, and I was ready. Also, in case I don't get down there again before the trade deadline (or, perhaps, the rest of the season)...well, I wanted to make sure I got a chance to see Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. play as Reds at least one more time.

I was a little nervous about the weather, as it was overcast all through the day, but it turned into a great night at the ballpark. I took a jacket just in case it did rain or get chilly, but I didn't need it. We ended up getting to the ballpark in time for the bottom of the 2nd inning. And we had great seats - we were just to the first base side of home plate in the lower seating area. Several foul balls found their way into our section over the course of the night, including one that landed on the other end of the row we were in.

It didn't seem like a whole lot happened for much of the game. It was already 1-0 Pirates when we got there, and then Jerry Hairston homered in the bottom of the third to tie it (I got a pretty great shot of it, if I do say so myself). The Pirates scored 2 to go ahead 3-1 while I was scouting the concession stands in the 6th, then Jay Bruce drove in one in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-2. And that's where it stayed until the bottom of the ninth.

I had a good feeling when Griffey came to the plate. No matter what his stats say he's doing this year, he's a guy I want at the plate with the game on the line. I definitely didn't expect him to end it with a walk-off home run, though. It was awesome, and complete pandemonium broke out. I was trying to take more photos, but I was too busy jumping up and down and screaming while fireworks went off (from two locations - one for the home run, one for the win) and the Reds poured out of the dugout to celebrate at home plate. That was definitely the best finish to any game I've ever attended.

Dragons 5 Wizards 4

2008-04-08T22:46:00.003-05:00

Minor League Baseball
Home Team: Dayton Dragons
Visiting Team: Fort Wayne Wizards
Venue: Fifth Third Field (Dayton, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Official box score

What a perfect night for a ballgame. You really couldn't ask for better weather on April 8. It was in the upper 60s, and I was perfectly comfortable in a T-shirt and sandals. I got there plenty early and enjoyed a cold beverage as the grounds crew got the field ready for the game and the crowd filed in. Brandi, who provided the tickets, missed the first part of the game since she was at work, but she joined me just as the third inning ended.

This was my first Dragons game since Austin Kearns and Adam Dunn were patrolling the outfield back in 2000. Due to their reputations, I had heard of both of them despite the fact they were in Single-A, but I arrived at the ballpark tonight not knowing any of the players. It became apparent, though, that shortstop Todd Frazier was a guy to watch, and that turned out to be right on the mark.

It didn't look good early on. Dragons starter Scott Carroll gave up a run in each of the first four innings, but each situation could have been a lot worse as he managed to work his way out of some jams. The Dragons managed to score a couple of runs in those first four innings (including a solo home run by Frazier), and the bullpen held the Wizards scoreless for the rest of the game, providing an opportunity for Dayton to come back. They did so in the seventh inning, when third baseman Brandon Waring homered with Frazier on to tie it up. The score stayed tied at 4 until the bottom of the ninth (aka "peanut butter jelly time"), when Frazier hit his second home run of the night to send the fans home happy.

Dragons tickets are tough to get, but we're fortunate enough to already have tickets for three more games this year, courtesy of Brandi's work (which is where these came from as well). Fortuntely, though, our seats for further games are in a different location. Oh, don't get me wrong, these seats were great--first row, right behind the visitors' dugout. The people around us, though...the girls to our left, I think, were cheering for any player they found attractive, regardless of which team they were on. The family on our right came complete with a couple of fat little girls who ate from the time they sat down to the time the game ended, and who also had no concept of personal space. I would think the parents might have used the outing as an opportunity to teach some lessons on moderation and social skills, but no such luck. Both groups had the air of people who are there often, as well, so that's why I won't be sorry to move further down the first base line when we go back. And all things considered, it was a very small price to pay for a nice evening at the yard.

Mount St. Mary's 69 Coppin State 60

2008-03-18T22:43:00.003-05:00

Men's Basketball
2008 NCAA Tournament Opening Round Game
"Home" Team: Coppin State Eagles
"Visiting" Team: Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers
Venue: University of Dayton Arena
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Bowling Green 89 #23 Kent State 83

2008-03-01T22:34:00.002-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Kent State Golden Flashes
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 12:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

This was the last game of the season at Anderson Arena, and what a way to go out, defeating nationally ranked Kent State, the top team in the MAC. The Falcons played a great game and led this one from start to finish. It was almost like watching some of the games from earlier in the year, but in reverse--for once, it was BG jumping out to an early lead, then hitting big shots to hold off the other team anytime they started making a run.

What a game from Joe Jakubowski and Brian Moten. Jakubowski, a freshman point guard, had far and away the best game of his career so far, scoring 21 points and dishing out 12 assists. He was everywhere--driving the lane and getting to the hoop, or passing it off when the defense collapsed. He was a lot of fun to watch. And Moten was just on fire, scoring 24 points, including 6 3-pointers. Whenever the Falcons needed a shot, it seemed like the ball ended up in Brian's hands, and going from there into the hoop. Both guys were absolutely fantastic.

This game should give the Falcons a ton of confidence heading into their final two regular season games and from there into the MAC Tournament. Probably more importantly, it's the sort of game that should build some momentum for next season. This year's team has no seniors, so everyone should be back next year, and now they know what they're capable of when they play well. They can beat anyone. With Erik Marschall coming back from injury and a couple of recruits coming in to provide some more depth, next year's Falcons should be pretty decent. My guess is that they won't be picked to finish last in the MAC East, as they were this year.

Akron 65 Bowling Green 56

2008-02-16T20:15:00.001-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Akron Zips
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 2:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

First, the good news: the first time these two teams played this season, BG lost by 36. This time around, they were able to cut the deficit to 9.

Now, the bad news: this is a game the Falcons had no business losing at all. Don't get me wrong, Akron's a good team, but right now they're wounded, they were on our home floor, and they were ripe for the taking. BG had a lead with less than 3:00 remaining, and just couldn't seal the deal.

As has often been the case in Falcon losses this year, this was a game of missed opportunities. Too many turnovers, too many failures to make a play at times when one play might have been enough to carry them over the hump. Most of all, too many missed free throws. 50% as a team? That's just unacceptable. Making just three or four more of those would have been enough to make this a totally different game.

I have to say again that the "spread out the floor and let Nate Miller drive to the hoop" offense is not the way to go. It has worked for us at times, no doubt, but at some point in the season you have to assume the other team has seen some tape and is ready for it. That was surely the case in this game. The Falcons went into this particular offensive mode coming out of halftime, and the results were brutal. They managed to score just one point before the first media timeout. And I'm not saying that to dog Nate by any means--the dude's a warrior, our team MVP by far, and probably my favorite player on this team. When the entire defense knows where he's going, though, he's not going to be effective. Akron used that particular drought to push their lead out to ten points, and I thought the game was pretty much over at that point.

Give the guys a ton of credit, though--they battled back to tie the game and then take the lead before losing it again in the waning minutes. Another capable body on the bench might have helped, too--just when BG tied the game, Darryl Clements and Marc Larson came into the game. I know the guys on the floor, who had been scrapping so hard, probably needed a break, but that was a curious move to me. Darryl has been scoring more of late, but neither of those guys was exactly an offensive asset in this game, and with the lineup on the floor working so well (Jakubowski, Moten, Miller, Knight, Polk), I personally would have stuck with it at least a little bit longer.

Now, if I may, I'd like to go off on a bit of a bit of a rant that's only tangentially connected to the game. Lean in close, if you would, and I'll whisper a bit of BGSU blasphemy into your ear.

There's a long-standing campus organization known as SICSIC that is ostensibly a spirit squad. They dress in masks and jumpsuits anytime they're in public, they post various signs all over campus, and they come to games to throw candy and harass and irritate the fans. I'm sure there's more to it than that, but I don't know what it is. There are six members, two each from the sophomore, junior, and senior classes at BG. No one outside the organization is supposed to know who the members are until late in each basketball season, when the two senior members are "beheaded" (i.e. unmasked) at halftime of a game.

Now, here's the blasphemy: I hate SICSIC. The point of the organization is to generate school spirit, and from what I can see, they do a pretty terrible job. The less-than-stellar student attendance at basketball games is one demonstration of that. They do increase attendance on beheading day, at least, when their family and friends (mostly fellow members of their fraternities or sororities--you'll pardon me, of course, if I don't refer to them as "brothers" or "sisters"--I'll save my rant on the Greek system for another day) show up to see them unmasked. However, the people who show up for this event do nothing to improve the game atmosphere; the only clog up the bleachers and express their lack of interest in and knowledge of the game itself (I generally end up, somehow, sitting in the middle of a group of them; this year, thankfully, I did not). Only for the first half, though--they invariably exit en masse after the halftime festivities. And that, to me, underlines the futility of SICSIC as a group--if you can't get your own posse to stick around and show enthusiasm for one full game they're coming to anyway, then you're obviously not fulfilling your stated intention of promoting school spirit.

And it'll be a similar story next time out, the Falcons' last home game of the year, when the mascots, Freddie and Frieda, are likewise beheaded. I'll be irritated with the people who show up solely for that as well, but you won't hear me railing against the birds. For one thing, they came to my wedding. For another, they actually contribute to the game atmosphere, getting people into it in various ways (trying, at least), whereas SICSIC is just annoying.

At any rate, as I just mentioned, there's just one home game left for the Falcons, and it'll be a toughie--MAC leader Kent State on March 1.

Bowling Green 69 Toledo 58

2008-02-10T21:26:00.001-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Toledo Rockets
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 4:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Another disappointing showing from BG students. I suppose it's not possible to keep a group of fans from your team's most hated rival from sitting in the general admission "student section" if they're really determined to do so, but I would think that a hostile and boisterous crowd would make them not want to sit there. And really, if you're not going to come out to watch a decent team play their biggest rival, then when are you going to come out? I don't get it. It's free to get in, the arena's right in the middle of campus, you get the best seats in the house, and the team is at least fairly good. But hey, whatever. I get there early and I'm loud, so I'm doing my part.

I'll admit to being a little nervous going into this game. On paper BG seemed to have the advantage, but, as they say, games aren't played on paper, they're played inside television sets. As it turned out, the worry was needless. The Falcons jumped out to a good lead, weathered a bit of a storm in the second half, then pulled away again to send the Rockets and their fans home disappointed.

Good game all around. Nate Miller is the man. He put the team on his back today. It was good to see Otis get back into the flow offensively, and I think his thunderous dunk was probably the nail in Toledo's coffin--it got the crowd and the players jacked up. I'm still generally opposed to Darryl being a primary ballhandler, but he's definitely finding a bit of a stroke on his shot, and that's great to see.

Now the schedule gets real tough. There are only two home games left for the Falcons, against probably the two toughest teams in the MAC--Akron and Kent. Road games are never easy, and when two of them are at OU and Miami, it's really rough. Still, hopefully the Falcons can stay strong and keep rolling into the MAC Tournament.

Central Michigan 81 Bowling Green 77 (OT)

2008-02-06T22:10:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Central Michigan Chippewas
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

What a tough game to lose. Due to an utterly crazy night in conference play, a win would have tied BG for first place in the MAC East. A game on our home floor, where we hadn't lost a MAC game yet this season, against a 9-11 CMU team, this is one we should have won.

The Falcons have a habit of starting games slowly when they play on the road, and unfortunately tonight they brought that trend home with them. They were down 19-4 at one point. The good part is that they were able to battle their way back into the game; the bad part, of course, is that they couldn't pull it out. If they hadn't dug themselves that hole, it might have been a different game.

I'd just like to point out that the officiating in this game was absolutely insane. You never really expect a well-officiated game in the MAC, but it's generally consistent within each game. Not this one. Seeing the stuff they called versus they stuff they let go, it was so unpredictable as to be completely arbitrary. This isn't really a complaint, just an observation--I saw BG players get away with plenty (although I also saw some really weak calls against them). Would a better officiated game have helped them? Who the hell knows?

I wasn't totally crazy about the way the game was played as the clock wound down. I'm not sure why our offense milked the clock with more than a minute remaining and a mere one-point differential (I think the Falcons were ahead at that point, but I'm not 100% sure)--the offense is not exactly a well-oiled machine, and dribbling the ball near the timeline until only 7 seconds are left on the shot clock doesn't give us time to find better options. Our fouling strategy with a 2-point lead and just seconds left in the game was questionable (we had fouls to give, but didn't). Clearing the floor for Nate Miller every single time down the floor in crunch time isn't the best option (he doesn't shoot free throws well, and thus gets fouled a lot, then doesn't score any points).

Looking at the box score, I see the Falcons didn't do too badly overall from the free-throw line this evening. Still, I don't feel like they shot well--they missed too many big ones in crunch time.

Beyond that, I'm not crazy about Darryl Clements being a primary ball-handler. He has a hard time creating space from the defender (he committed two five-second violations tonight) and doesn't always make smart decisions with the ball. He did a nice job getting some shots tonight, but I just think Joe Jakubowski should pretty much be the only guy bringing the ball up the floor. Play Ryan Sims for a few minutes here and there when Joe needs a break, and let Darryl do his thing away from the ball. I'd also like to see Chris Knight and Otis Polk get more touches offensively, as well as Brian Moten. Moten has really come on lately--I like his game, and we need to make it a point to get the ball into his hands even more.

So, a missed opportunity. This is still a young team learning a new system from a new coaching staff, and there are going to be games like this. Hopefully they'll learn from it and get better.

Now the Falcons look ahead to the game on Sunday with the hated Toledo Rockets at the House That Roars. I have a feeling that could be another barnburner, hopefully one with a better result.

Miamisburg 46 Troy 41

2008-02-05T22:41:00.000-05:00

Boys' Basketball
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Miamisburg Vikings
Venue: Trojan Activities Center
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

(JV Score: Miamisburg 56 Troy 55)

I went to an open house to see the new gym at Troy High School last year, but this was my first chance to actually see a game there. I like it. Good size, good view from the bleachers, informative scoreboard. My only complaints are minor--the bleachers pick up a little too much vibration when people are going up and down the steps (as they almost always are), and the buzzer is way too loud. I have no idea if they have the capability to turn down the volume or shorten the duration, but it would be nice if they could and did.

Anyway, it had been quite some time since I had been to a high school game. I was immediately struck by the difference in size and shape between the varsity players, who look mostly like full-sized and fully functioning adults, and the junior varsity players, who do not look that way and seem, in fact, like they may not have the potential to ever reach that point. Both games were fun to watch, though--the kids play hard, and that's cool.

For the varsity Trojans, it was mostly an issue of being unable to get a handle on a single player who hurt them often--a quick guard who could penetrate or shoot from outside. The Trojans have a player who looked as though he might have the ability to take over a game--6'6" sophomore forward D.J. Martinez--but the Vikings were able to hold him down by playing a 2-3 zone defense for the whole game, a defensive set that effectively acted as a triangle-and-two, enabling them to triple-cover Martinez anytime he got the ball. The Trojans had a hard time scoring on that zone--they just didn't have anyone who could make Miamisburg pay for selling out on defense that way.

The high school season is nearly over, with just one game remaining before the state tournament begins. I'll probably try to get to more than just one game next year. I'm just glad I managed to make it to one this season before it was over.

Bowling Green 63 Northern Illinois 59

2008-01-27T21:20:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Northern Illinois Huskies
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 2:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

This was a great college basketball game between two teams in similar situations: brand new head coaches, teams not really expected to do much of anything in conference. What the final outcome boiled down to, I think, was the fact that BG was playing at home. On the road, I'm not sure they pull this one out. Of course, it would have helped even more if a bigger or more enthusiastic crowd had been on hand, but at least no crowd of visiting fans tried to take over the arena either.

Despite their record, NIU isn't that bad of a team. They play hard, and they're fairly solid. BG led for much of the game, but anytime they'd start to build a lead, the Huskies would cut back into it. That was the pattern until NIU finally took a 59-56 lead with around four minutes left in the game. The Falcons held them scoreless from there and put up enough points to secure the win for themselves. The exclamation point was added when Nate Miller stole the ball near halfcourt and took it down for a dunk with just a couple of seconds left.

I'd just like to point out, if I haven't done so before, that I love to watch these guys play zone defense. They're so disruptive. That's what's given them a chance to win some of these games lately that, at the beginning of the season, it was thought we might not be in. Another nice thing, as it pertains to defense, is our low post defense. We're leading the MAC in blocked shots, which is a pretty fun thing to see. Our center tandem of Marc Larson and Otis Polk isn't lighting it up offensively on most nights (although Otis has flashes from time to time), but they're getting the job done on the other end, and that's awesome.

The next area in which this team needs to improve, in my own humble and uninformed opinion, is finishing around the basket. So many times, in this game and others, we've gotten decent looks from close range, only to have the ball bounce or roll off the rim. We've been able to eke out some close wins, but getting some of those points would maybe make the ends of games a little more comfortable. And with the way the Falcons have already improved in leaps and bounds in several areas this season, I have no doubt that this issue will be getting its due attention.

Also, with all the games I've seen in Anderson Arena over the years, I've heard many, many renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner. On this day, I heard perhaps the finest so far. I didn't catch the young lady's name, only that she was an eighth grader from Sandusky. She was very, very good.

Bowling Green 55 Miami 52

2008-01-23T23:41:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Miami RedHawks
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

One thing that has to stop: visiting fans being able to come to Anderson Arena and carve themselves a large area right in the middle of the student section, which happens to be the prime seats. I don't blame them for doing it--it's a general admission area, the seats are great, and our students certainly aren't coming out in force to prevent them from doing so. It sucks a lot of energy out of the arena, though.

One of the highlights of Miami visiting Anderson Arena is, generally, watching the antics of Miami's head coach, Charlie Coles. He's usually pretty animated, making him a target for fan heckling. Tonight, though, he was way more subdued than usual. Maybe he's under the weather, or maybe he just misses Coach Dakich--another animated guy, he and Charlie really seemed to enjoy one another. Who knows?

It looked early on like this was going to be another setback for the Falcons. Miami came out hot, and BG came out cold. The RedHawks jumped out to a 12-2 lead, and the Falcons looked like they'd have a hard time throwing it in the ocean...and then they switched to a zone defense. That turned the game around right there. They were able to put the clamps on Miami's offense, and their own began to warm up. They scratched and clawed to tie the game at 19, and they didn't look back. They built a decent lead in the second half, which Miami was able to bring down toward the end, but the Falcons were able to hold on and fend off a last-minute shot that would have sent the game to overtime.

Before the game, I attended an info session on the new convocation center project that was recently announced. I've spent so much time in and have grown so fond of Anderson Arena, I wanted to know as much as possible about the new nest for the Falcons. As it turns out, there wasn't a whole lot of definite information to be had. They're still in the very early stages, and although they've narrowed things down, they're not even 100% decided on details such as the site and the capacity of the new arena.

Still, it was highly interesting to hear about the process that went into the decision to build a new arena (not that it was much in doubt, given the state of Anderson--I love the place, but it'll never be mistaken for the lap of luxury by either players or spectators). And I got to chat with Athletic Director Greg Christopher for a few minutes, which was pretty cool. I asked him about the location of the student section, as that's the one factor that contributes most heavily to the atmosphere of Anderson Arena, and he assured me that the students would remain on the floor, that their #1 priority for the new place was to create as much of a home-court advantage as possible. And I'm all for that, even if I decide to leave my youth behind and get tickets somewhere other than the student section when the new building opens for business.

Bowling Green 83 Buffalo 70

2008-01-17T23:48:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Buffalo Bulls
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Right now, Buffalo coach Reggie Witherspoon is standing at the scorer's table in a dark and empty Anderson Arena, sounding the buzzer over and over again in hopes that the Falcons will emerge from the locker room and give his team an arbitrary chance to win a game they lost in regulation. Why not? It worked last time (well, except for the dark and empty part).

Okay, so I'm still just the tiniest bit bitter about the ending of the last matchup between these two teams. Thankfully, BG didn't leave any doubts about who the winner was this time. I felt pretty good when I looked up at the scoreboard less than eight minutes into the first half and saw that the score was already 20-10 in favor of the good guys. The Falcons were able to maintain a comfortable lead throughout the rest of the game.

Yeah, the Bulls aren't very good. They came into the game with the same record as the Falcons, so I was very interested to see how we would play against a team that's roughly on our level. Answer: they played pretty well, and were able to dominate throughout. And that's great to see.

It looks like things are finally coming together for the Falcons on the offensive end. Scoring points has been a problem at times this season, but tonight it really looked like the guys were starting to figure out how to play together, how to move the ball around and find each other. That led to a pretty balanced attack, with four guys in double figures, led by Brian Moten's 20. He's really come on lately, as have Otis, Jakubowski, Clements...a bunch of guys who were question marks coming into this season. Guys are starting to learn and fill their roles, which is a great sign for the rest of the season.

Another great sign? BG was able to do this well offensively without huge contributions from forwards Nate Miller and Chris Knight. Nate looked okay, just seemed to realize he didn't need to score as much as usual tonight. Knight still looks tentative, like he's trying to find his way. That's all right. The light will come on for him eventually, and he'll be a monster. It's worth having his athleticism on the floor even when he's not scoring a lot.

I really enjoy watching these guys play. Aside from the fun of seeing them improve, both individually and as a team, from game to game, they're becoming the type of team I can really get into. They're tenacious. It's even fun watching them play defense, which I've probably never said prior to this year. I'm still trying to keep my expectations on the low end for this season, but it's impossible not to be encouraged and enthused about what I've seen so far.

Oh, and Coach Witherspoon? The game ended--I mean actually ended--almost three hours ago. The refs aren't going to hand you this one.

Bowling Green 52 Ohio 49

2008-01-05T22:08:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Ohio Bobcats
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 4:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Here's the situation: OU is loaded and supposed to be pretty good this year, with a couple of signature wins under their belt already this season; BG is pretty much the opposite, with a thin bench and picked to finish at the bottom of the MAC East. Apparently there's not much else to do in Athens on a Saturday afternoon, so a whole bunch of OU fans decided to take advantage of the fact that BGSU is still on holiday break and fill up the best seats in the house. They were rewarded with some enthusiastic and vocal BG fans around them (hey, I'm not sitting anywhere else just because someone else has invaded my house) and also with a great view of their overrated team being taken down by a team with much less talent but much more desire. And there are few wins sweeter than that.

This game gave lie to the cliche of "no blood no foul," showing that sometimes even with blood, there's no foul called. BG's freshman PG Joe Jakubowski got absolutely jacked in the face during a triple-team, with no call, despite the fact that the officials had to call time just a moment later to get him off the floor and mop blood of the court. The old ladies in front of me took advantage of the timeout by praising OU for their tough defense, while I took advantage of it by suggesting to the refs that perhaps they should be replaced by law enforcement officials who take a dimmer view of mugging than they apparently did.

Despite the win, I definitely wouldn't say the Falcons played very well on the offensive end. They certainly didn't shoot very well. They did get some decent looks, but just couldn't get the ball in the hole. They did do a better job of dealing with pressure, though, when OU started off the game by trying to play the same way Duquesne did against BG. The Dukes were a lot quicker than the Bobcats, though, and BG was generally able to get the ball into the frontcourt.

Defensively, though, they did play well, especially down low. They did a nice job of taking the ball away from the Bobcats, which was nice to see. Really, they just did well with hustling, flying around, getting to loose balls. Seeing 6-9, 285-pound Otis Polk lay out to grab a ball that was saved inbounds and then call a timeout was truly something to behold.

Also, in contrast to Wednesday's game, it was good to see a squad of cheerleaders and a high school pep band at this one. It just helps the atmosphere so much, which was huge in this game. Otherwise, the Bobcat fans may have ruled the arena, which I'm sure is what they've had in mind. Instead, they were put back on the road for the long drive with the sour taste of defeat in their mouths.

Duquesne 96 Bowling Green 78

2008-01-02T23:46:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Duquesne Dukes
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Ah, my first visit to Anderson Arena in the new year. Unfortunately, the Falcons didn't get a win, and although the game was pretty exciting, it was missing at least some of the atmosphere that helps make Anderson such a special place. No band, no cheerleaders, no dance team, not many students in attendance. Just Freddie and Frieda, and one member of SICSIC. I know it's Christmas break, and many of the athletic auxiliary groups are probably in Mobile for this weekend's GMAC Bowl, but would it have been too much to ask to get maybe a high school pep band and a B-squad of cheerleaders, or something? The crowd got pretty into the game at times, but just a little more home-court advantage could have pushed the Falcons over the top. Not saying it would have happened, but I've seen the power of that place firsthand, and if you discount it, you do so at your peril.

Anyway....

I wrote in my last entry that this year is about improvement more than wins. I definitely believe that, and I'm very encouraged by the improvement the Falcons showed in this game, but this would have been a nice win to have. That may seem like a ludicrous statement if all you see is the 18-point differential in the final score, but the game was much closer than that. It got out of hand toward the end as the Falcons had to foul and then jack up shots to try to catch up as the clock wound down, but Duquesne didn't put this one away until late in the game.

Duquesne is a good team, and I really like their style of play. They played pressure defense for almost the entire game, and on offense they pushed the ball and looked to score quickly. That pressure defense is probably what won the game for them, as they forced the Falcons, inexperienced at the guard positions, into 24 turnovers. Anytime BG made a mistake, they capitalized on it, and fast. Although BG never led in this game, they were able to close the deficit to just 2 or 4 points a few times, only to see the Dukes push their lead back out to double digits almost immediately each time.

The Falcons kept fighting, though. I give them a ton of credit for that. Duquesne got up early after a flurry of Falcon turnovers kept them from getting even a look at the basket, and it would have been easy enough for them to chalk it up to another tough night and get blown out. Despite their recent offensive struggles, despite their thin bench, they found it within themselves to keep clawing their way back into it, and that's really encouraging.

BG really seemed to ease some of the offensive struggles they've had of late. They had to, or else they would have been run out of the gym by Duquesne's high-powered offense. Some guys definitely stepped up. Chris Knight (14 points, 14 boards) looked good in flashes, Nate Miller (15 points, 7 boards) had another solid game, and Joe Jakubowski helped out with 10 points and 7 assists. I was also impressed with Brian Moten, who came off the bench to give the Falcons some punch with 12 points, and he also provided some energy.

But the story of the night was none other than sophomore center Otis Polk. I raved about his limited play in the previous game, and tonight the lightbulb really seemed to come on for him. He played 31 minutes, answering questions about his endurance as well as his propensity to commit fouls. He did finish with four fouls, but all of them came in the second half, and they were spread out enough to allow him to finish the game. He scored 17 points and pulled down 7 boards, but he kept a bunch of balls in the air to give BG a fighting chance at coming down with them. He had a nice game down low. He's going to be a monster, and this was our (and his) first real glimpse of what he's capable of if he can stay on the floor.

So yes, it was a loss, but hopefully it was a step in the right direction. The Falcons open MAC play this coming Saturday, when the Ohio Bobcats come to town, and we'll see then if the improvement carries over.

Bowling Green 52 Eastern Illinois 48

2007-12-29T23:47:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Eastern Illinois Panthers
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

One last visit to Anderson Arena to close out the year.

This game was ugly. The Falcons were 4-6 coming in, and the Panthers were 1-10, and it showed. The first half looked like both teams were playing in mittens and blindfolds, and the ball was just bouncing around at random. It picked up some in the second half, but at no point did the product on the court resemble what Division I college basketball is supposed to look like.

The biggest problem is that neither team had the slightest idea how to score. Each team made just over 29% of their shots. On the bright side for the Falcons, they rebounded fairly well, but they had a hard time doing anything with the ball once they brought it down. They really need to improve on their free-throw shooting. If they had a better percentage from the line, that would have made this win a little more comfortable.

Still, a win is a win, and at this point we fans can't really be too picky. Right now it's more about improvement than it is about wins anyway. It would be nice if they could become a decent team at some point during MAC play, and I don't think that's entirely out of the question. Otis Polk, for one, is starting to look like he knows what he's doing, which is fantastic news for the Falcons if he can learn to stay out of foul trouble--he committed four fouls in just nine minutes of action against Eastern Illinois, but he also scored six points and pulled down five offensive boards. If he can stay on the floor, he can be a monster. With the gutty play of Nate Miller (17 pts., 14 rebounds) and the emering point guard play of Joe Jakubowski, there are some pieces there. If Chris Knight can return to his early season form, I still think this can be a respectable team by the time the MAC Tournament rolls around.

The Falcons will ring in the New Year with two more home games this week: against Duquesne on Wednesday, and then the MAC opener against Ohio next Saturday. I'll be in attendance for both.

Temple 72 Bowling Green 55

2007-11-24T23:59:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Temple Owls
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 2:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Having already beaten Cincinnati this season, a win over Temple would have given BG another win over a "name" program and something else to hang their hats on as they build toward the MAC season.

Alas, it wasn't to be. The Falcons played really well in the first half and went into the locker room with a 31-all tie. In the locker room, though, it seems like they lost their mojo. They looked discombobulated to start the second half, and they were never able to get on track as the Owls took the opportunity to build and keep a big lead.

Simply put, the Falcons just couldn't put the ball in the basket. They only hit two three-pointers in the game--one early on, and one in desperation time toward the end of the game. Even inside, though, they just couldn't get the ball to go in the hole. Freshman phenom Chris Knight, who played so well in the tournament in Cincinnati, scored only two points. He fought through it in the first half, pulling down a bunch of rebounds, but it looked like frustration took its toll in the second half. He hung his head early, and never seemed to get out of that funk.

Give Temple credit, though--they're a good team. If BG had shot better, they still may not have won, although at least the game would have been closer. Hopefully they can just put this one behind them and get back to playing good, solid team basketball. Their next game is on Tuesday night at Furman, so we'll see if they can get back on track then.

Bowling Green 37 Toledo 10

2007-11-23T23:59:00.000-05:00

College Football
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Toledo Rockets
Venue: Doyt Perry Stadium (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 2:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

There's only one thing better than beating your rival, and that's laying a serious smackdown on your rival. The Falcons played their best all-around game of the season and handled the Rockets in all phases of the game.

First off, I want to give kudos to the people who came out to watch this one in person. For a nationally televised game on a fairly cold afternoon on the day after Thanksgiving, there was a pretty healthy crowd. And they were into it, too, coming to their feet and making noise when the Falcons needed a big play. Quite often at BG games I feel like I'm all alone when I stand up and get loud, but the home crowd definitely had my back for this one.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the way the defense played. That's been the weak link for the Falcons in quite a few games this season, but they stepped up against Toledo. The pass coverage was good, they got pressure on the quarterback, and most importantly, they tackled relatively well, which was huge in limited Toledo's rushing attack, which is pretty potent.

The offense seemed like they were going to struggle a bit at first, but once they got into a little bit of a rhythm, they were just fun to watch. QB Tyler Sheehan had all day to make his throws, and he took advantage of it, finding guys open downfield and letting them make plays.

BG finishes the regular season at 8-4 and now just waits to see which bowl they'll be invited to, and who the opponent will be. A bowl game will be a sweet way to end a season that had some ups and downs, and the extra practice time will help this still-young team become even better for next season.

Bowling Green 86 Morehead State 70

2007-11-17T23:59:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Morehead State Eagles
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 4:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi

Another year, another home-opening win for the Falcons. This one was different, though, in that it was the first home victory for new BGSU coach Louis Orr.

The crowd was fairly decent for a day that featured some healthy competition for sports fans' attention in the form of the Ohio State-Michigan football game. I think the attendance numbers will grow for this team as the wins pile up and people start to realize how much fun they are to watch. These aren't Dan Dakich's Falcons anymore (and that's not a slam on Coach Dakich, just a comment on Coach Orr's team playing a style that many consider to be more fan-friendly).

Two good things about this game that I want to note:

The Falcons were able to keep their cool when the Eagles made a little bit of a run. BG led for the entire game, but Morehead State was able to close within 8 points in the second half. Instead of folding and letting them back into the game, BG was able to keep scoring and push the lead back to double digits.

Also, BG had a great, balanced scoring attack on a day when leading scorer Chris Knight played somewhat limited minutes due to foul trouble and maybe a little bit of an injury or illness. Last year, if Martin Samarco was out of the game, BG's scoring went downhill fast. This year, it looks like they'll be able to overcome that sort of obstacle, and that bodes well.

Yes, it was the beginning of a new era for Falcon hoops, and I'm glad I was there to see it.

Bowling Green 44 Akron 20

2007-11-02T23:59:00.000-05:00

College Football
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Akron Zips
Venue: Doyt Perry Stadium (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Attending this game was a last-minute decision. Part of the deal I made with myself when I decided to go to the basketball game on Thursday was that I would skip this game. In the end, though, the call of the Friday night lights was too strong for me to resist. Sure, I could have gone to a local high school playoff game instead, but it wouldn't have been nearly the same as being in the stands to cheer on a team I'm invested in.

And I'm extremely glad I went, because the Falcons looked good. Really good, in fact, particularly on offense. Which is amazing, if you think about it--top receiver Corey Partridge was out with an injury, as were top running backs Willie Geter and Eric Ransom (who's been out since the first game). Anthony Turner really stepped up in his slash role, though, and Tyler Sheehan looked to be back in early season form. He was making good throws, and the receivers were making good plays on them, and everything was clicking on that side of the ball.

Defensively, well...the Falcons still don't know how to tackle. They created some takeaways at some key points, though, and that really helped a lot. They've really been hurt by injuries on that side of the ball as well, and it didn't help when linebacker John Haneline went down early in the game with a possibly broken foot. The guys who were pressed into service did some good things. I feel like the defense has a lot of potential. Here's hoping they can still put it together at some point this season.

I got pretty excited at one point when I noticed that Troy's high school football coach was in attendance, as I automatically assumed he was escorting a potential recruit from Troy's team. I think he was just taking in a game with his family, though.

It was a perfect night for a football game, and I'm really, really glad I didn't miss it. It was a little chilly, but there was no wind (which is an extreme rarity for Bowling Green), and I was perfectly comfortable in a sweatshirt over a long-sleeved t-shirt. I went down onto the field for the alma mater with the team after the game, which was my first time on the new FieldTurf. It's pretty sweet.

Just one more home game remains for the Falcons: the hated Toledo Rockets on the day after Thanksgiving. That comes during another perfect storm of Falcon athletics, as there's a men's basketball game (vs. Temple) the next day in Anderson Arena. I have a feeling that I'll be partaking in another double dip that weekend.

Bowling Green 59 Wayne State 44

2007-11-01T23:02:00.000-05:00

Men's Basketball (exhibition)
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Wayne State Warriors
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

It was just an exhibition game, but I drove from Troy to Bowling Green to be there just the same. Are you kidding me? Exhibition or not, this was the first game for the Falcons under new head coach Louis Orr. Being the BG hoops junkie I am, I wasn't about to miss the beginning of a new era.

Going to games at Anderson Arena from now on is going to be quite a different experience than it has been for the past ten years. This team wants to play fast, which is quite a contrast from the conservative style of play we had under Coach Dakich. Granted, this being their first time out, they weren't always successful, but they kept their eyes up and pushed the ball as much as possible. They also drive a lot more to the hoop, rather than cutting, screening, and passing. It's going to take some time, but it's going to be fun to watch.

Defensively, they looked pretty good. They held Wayne State to a low percentage, and didn't commit nearly as many fouls as has been customary. I don't think they reached the double bonus in either half, which is quite a difference from what Falcon fans are used to.

First impressions:

Chris Knight is going to be a hell of a player for the Falcons. He had to sit out last year, but Coach Dakich raved about how good he's going to be. He looked good in his first time out. It looks like he can score from anywhere, and he's also a good rebounder.

Nate Miller was our leading scorer, despite looking frustrated on offense for most of the night. That's good to see. On nights when he's feeling it, he's going to fill it up.

We still seem to have some trouble getting the ball into the post. With Coach Orr's past as a standout post player, I'm sure this is something that will improve. Starting center Marc Larson had just one point. Otis Polk played pretty well in the second half, though, getting some stickback points. I think we'll have a pretty healthy game down low if these two sophomores can come along.

Freshman Joe Jakubowski will be the starting point guard at some point this season, likely sooner than later.

The foul shooting has to get better. On this night, it was dreadful.

I have no feeling at this point for how the Falcons will fare in the MAC, but I do think that they're going to be better than people expect. Now, I'm a fan of Coach Dakich (now an assistant at Indiana), but getting some new blood into the program was probably a good thing, and Coach Orr seems like the right guy.

The Falcons open the season at the Peggy Cronin Classic tournament in Cincinnati on November 9, 10, and 11.

Ohio 38 Bowling Green 27

2007-10-27T23:59:00.000-05:00

College Football
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Ohio Bobcats
Venue: Doyt Perry Stadium (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 6:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: McComas

I'm trying to think of something positive to say about this game, and I'm drawing a blank. Offense, defense, special teams--nothing really went the Falcons' way on this night.

Offensively, we moved the ball a little bit, but not enough to keep up with the Bobcats. Willie Geter looked good running the ball, and I think he's going to be a lot of fun to watch over the next few years. Beyond that, though...WR Corey Partridge was injured early on in the game, and it was a long night for the passing game over that. Dropped balls, poor passes, etc. QB Tyler Sheehan was often holding the ball way too long, and that led to an interception return for a TD when he got hit as he threw.

Defensively, I don't feel like the Falcons played too terribly, although, again, they certainly didn't do the job they needed to do. The problems they had were the same problems they've had for years--poor tackling, poor pass coverage.

Let me just stop myself there. The details don't matter. They lost, and it seemed like they beat themselves as much as they got beat by Ohio. That's the long and short of it, and it's a crappy way to lose.

On the bright side, I managed to coax my buddy Mike out to the game, which was cool. I hadn't seen him for probably about six months, so we got to hang out for a few hours and solve the world's problems (or at least the BG offense's), and that made the trip worthwhile even if the game didn't.

Wayne 21 Troy 7

2007-10-26T23:59:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Wayne Warriors
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Heidkamp Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.

Troy 36 Piqua 35

2007-10-19T23:59:00.001-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Troy Trojans
Visiting Team: Piqua Indians
Venue: Troy Memorial Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: Brandi, Amy

Read my thoughts here.

Trotwood-Madison 20 Troy 19

2007-10-12T23:59:00.000-05:00

High School Football
Home Team: Trotwood-Madison Rams
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Bob Driver Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

Read my thoughts here.