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.
Showing posts with label 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2008. Show all posts
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Ohio State 61 Bowling Green 57
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.)
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.)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Bowling Green 80 Wayne State 48
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.
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.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
St. Mary's 21 Tippecanoe 14
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.
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.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Troy 48 Sidney 14
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.
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.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Miami 27 Bowling Green 20
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.
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:
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.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Troy 49 Piqua 28
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.
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.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Trotwood 26 Troy 22
Friday, October 3, 2008
Lebanon 24 Troy 14
Friday, September 26, 2008
Troy 34 Vandalia Butler 21
Friday, September 19, 2008
Wayne 35 Troy 16
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.
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.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Centerville 48 Troy 14
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.
Home Team: Centerville Elks
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Centerville Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None
Read my thoughts here.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Minnesota 42 Bowling Green 17
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.
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.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Troy 47 Fairborn 7
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.
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.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Troy 56 Xenia 21
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.
Home Team: Xenia Buccaneers
Visiting Team: Troy Trojans
Venue: Cox Stadium
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None
Read my thoughts here.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Troy 17 Chaminade-Julienne 14
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.
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.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Troy 20 Dunbar 7
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.
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.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Mets 10 Reds 8
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.
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.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Reds 5 Nationals 3
Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (J. Cueto)
Visiting Team: Washington Nationals (J. Lannan)
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.
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (J. Cueto)
Visiting Team: Washington Nationals (J. Lannan)
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.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Reds 4 Pirates 3
Major League Baseball
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (A. Harang)
Visiting Team: Pittsburgh Pirates (P. Maholm)
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.
Home Team: Cincinnati Reds (A. Harang)
Visiting Team: Pittsburgh Pirates (P. Maholm)
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.
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