Sorry for the lack of posts lately

"If Ron Burgundy says it...IT'S THE TRUTH!"

Sorry for the lack of posts and all. It's been a crazy few weeks and all but I'll give you people the news you deserve, even if you've already seen it, read it, and argued about it over pitchers of Bud Light and shots of Wild Turkey on Mug Nights at Hooligans.

In a post I just posted, this is ISU's new theme song until something good happens. Indeed, it could very well be embraced by the city of Pocatello and Southeast Idaho at large. It's so perfect!!!

http://rocketrossblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/isus-new-fight-song-in-light-of-recent.html Follow the link hyah.

ISU basketball went to two very different paths since the last official postings, and so did the Big Sky. The men received their orange Snuggies today, with a bonus matching black Snuggie from the Big Sky Trophy God in honor of their illustrious 7 and 20 campaign. It was a season that many say went downhill after the completion of the usually brutal non-conference slate. The downfall began with another loss to Sacramento State at Sacramento by 1 point and after that it was all downhill. ISU lost on Senior Night and later on lost their final game to EWU. It can't hurt as much as the way Weber State went out though. Up by 20 at halftime...IN OGDEN...in the Big Sky Championship Game, with ESPN2 and a good Ogden crowd with the Big Sky Trophy God in attendance, Weber State was looking very good at avenging last year's "Holy-Shit-That-Happened" moment against Montana State. NOT! The Grizzlies rode Anthony Johnson the whole way as he scored a Big Sky Championship Game record of 42 points as they STUNNED Weber State to reach the Promised Lands. The Big Sky Trophy God handed out a beautiful purple and white Snuggie to a distraught Wizard of Weber and departed without the usual good-hearted mockery, knowing this was indeed a tender moment for the Weberians.


Weber State lies in stunned ruin as Montbo looks over the carnage approvingly

On the flip side of the coin, the ISU Women pulled off a series of great upsets and thrilling games on the home run of the season (the last 6 of 8 games were in Reed Gym) by toppling the Conference powers at home with powerful defense and Oana Iacovita, who should be inaugerated into the list of Great Romanians. It started with grinding Portland State and holding Vince Young Faucher to a Colt McCoy-vs Ohio State 2006 level of performance. ISU did the same to the high flying Eagles, who would eventually go on to host the tournament as regular season champions. ISU also hung with Sacramento State using...DEFENSE!!! The game went into overtime (off of several bad calls by a certain lady referee, who almost threw Yours Truly out of the game) and there was no better way for Senior Andrea Videbeck to go out than getting the game-winning steal. ISU secured 4th place in the regular season and sadly, fell to Portland State at the Conference Tournament in Cheney, Washington. PSU would go on to the NCAA's, giving Claire Vince Young Faucher one final raid on unsuspecting monasteries.

Other updates:

ISU Rugby lost to Utah Valley in the Conference Tournament, after beating Boise State for a second straight semester in the first round. ISU's Spring record so far is 2-1-1 with wins against Boise State and Utah State, the tie coming against Snow College (in which the game was called due to a brawl at halftime) and the loss against UVU in the tournament, 25-18. There are still some games to be played against Montana Tech and others being arranged for April, in which Yours Truly hopes to get in on and take part in modern-day Viking raids and battles.

Softball is alive and at 4-13, is going to finish up the non-conference slate for awhile with the two Oregon schools, and will be home after the Spring Break period is over. Of interesting note, Coach Andrea Wilson is on paid administrative leave at the moment with investigations pending. Hopefully nothing will turn up and the whole incident just passes over, whatever the hell it is (this softball program has already survived a 24-year absence, countless defections and transfers, and a softball coach (Larry Stocking) who embezzled money from the program and is now serving a prison sentence for it. I just want it all to end and let softball worry about playing softball instead of looming scandals and dissention).

ISU's New Fight Song in Light of Recent Breakdowns

So in an earlier post I remarked that men's basketball would have to win out in order to avoid a total collapse. Well, they didn't. In fact, we finished 7-20 for the season. In honor of this achievement, I present to you, loyal fans, with ISU's (and Pocatello's) new fight/theme song: the Cheers theme.

Enjoy!

Big Sky Conference Women's Basketball Standings. Plus an ocelot

It's January 10th, and boy oh boy was it an eventful day. Caesar crosses the Rubicon, Napoleon annuls his marriage to Josephine, and John Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil. Oh and funnily enough, the League of Nations holds its first session and ratifies the Treaty of Versailles...on the same day, 26 years later, the United Nations hold ITS first ever session.

But that's kid stuff in the face of the awe-inspiring might that is Big Sky Women's Basketball and the Race for Wooden Trophy Glory! Portland State continues to roll, Eastern Washington is a surprising 9-6 (3-0), Idaho State keeps to the sacred and divinely-inspired tenets of bludgeoning teams to death and sacrificing the survivors, and Montana under Darth Selvig is struggling in the wake of losing Mandy Morales and Sonya Rogers (only 2-2 so far, 7-9 overall). As for the rest, here are the standings!

Eastern Washington (3-0) 9-6 W3

Portland State (3-0) 9-7 W3

Idaho State (3-1) 8-9 W2

Montana (2-2) 7-9 L2

Northern Colorado (1-2) 8-8 L2

Northern Arizona (1-2) 3-13 W1

Montana State (1-3) 8-9 L3

Weber State (1-3) 7-10 L1

Sacramento State (0-2) 4-10 W1

So here we have the Eagles in the lead, having beaten Montana, MSU, and Sacramento State. Portland State, the other unbeaten, has defeated those same schools with that Vince Young impersonator, Claire Faucher (pronounced Fo-shay for those not familiar with Les Langue Francaise). Idaho State is in 3rd, having played 4 Conference games with 3 wins (over NAU, Northern Colorado and Montana State in overtime) and the lone loss to Montana (only account of a late run by a freshman on UM's roster. I forget her name, and am too lazy to look it up). Montana, the dominating force of the conference since the Fall of Numenor and the founding of the Kingdoms in Exile, has struggled mightily this year. Mandy Morales, the warrior from hell, has moved on to basketball in Greece (appropriately enough) and Sonya Rogers has also graduated. Darth Selvig is going to be entering a rebuilding year in conference play; they finished non-conference with a 7-9 record. It was only a few seasons ago they cracked the Top 25 in the country. Norther Colorado is next at 5th in conference and hopes to regain some composure after their defeat at Idaho State. UNC is sporting a 1-2 record in conference play with the win coming against NAU. Speaking of which, they are tied for 5th (6th in the official standings) with an identical 1-2 record. The lone victory was against a faltering Weber State. NAU finished non-conference with a 3-13 record, which was painful to say the least. Montana State comes in at 7th, with a 1-3 record and a 20-point win over Weber State. Weber State comes in at 8th, with a 1-3 record and their only win vs Northern Colorado. On a sidenote, they beat BYU in 2 overtimes, which is awesome (because BYU=Sauron). And bringing up the wagon train is Sacramento State, who has no wins as of yet (and it hopefully won't be ISU).

So far the conference race has been fun to watch and it will get even better as the season rolls on. And hopefully it will end with ISU clutching the Wooden Trophy after beating opponents senseless by bludgeoning and pounding them to a pulp and earning the praise and blessing of the Big Sky Trophy God! Go Bengals! For Defense and the Munger Way!


OCELOTS! AWWWAAAHHH!

By the way, have a random picture of an ocelot. They're cute. It's like the unofficial mascot of my blog. Cute, mysterious and totally random.

On the Move Up for Montana and FCS Football all dramatic like

The silent ruins of a once proud FCS program, forgotten by time

Urban Meyer once said, "If you're staying where you're at, you're regressing, not progressing."

There has been a lot of talk on whether Montana should move up when the NCAA removes the moratorium on teams moving up in 2011. It's a subject that has been beaten, brutalized, and savagely ripped up into tiny tiny pieces over the years. However, this year is special. With the failing of several FCS programs and their imminent axing, along with several programs like Idaho State and Northern Arizona who are running the risks of going the same way, plus several of the FCS' best programs planning on moving up immediately after the moratorim has been lifted and others planning on moving up in the very near future, the debate on the move for Montana has gotten bigger and has taken on more meaning.

Egriz has a thread debating where Montana would be in 5 years. Many have said that the Griz will likely be competing for bowl games in FBS play, and while expressing distaste for the idea, it seems some of Griz Nation is accepting its inevitibility. And they, sadly, are correct in my opinion and from what I'm seeing.

FCS football is a losing proposition, a fading realm reminiscient of older times of a more informal, freer society of ragtag regional powers scrapping happily amongst each other in a quest of establishing dominance that used to characterize FBS football before the rise of the 24/7 News Era. Programs that cannot bring in the gold are becoming mere pages in a dusty history book long since forgotten. Hofstra and Northeastern have dropped their programs entirely and after the firing of Jerry Glanville, Portland State said in a press release that "if we don't get this hire right, it may be the last football hire we ever make." My very own Idaho State football team is on the edge of being axed. Northern Arizona is wondering if they should also cut football due to the chronic budget shortfalls plaguing Arizona. Sacramento State is also pondering the move to ax their program as well, due to the major fail that is the California economy. Meanwhile, the best and most recognizable programs of the FCS, Appalachian State, Texas State, Montana and James Madison and a few others are looking at the 2011 date with an ever bulging eye. Major stadium upgrades are being looked at and being constructed, and other details being mulled over as well. Not that they will for sure move up but it is a distinct possibility. These teams along with a few others constitute the top, very elite half of the FCS. The rest of the FCS is losing money; in most cases many programs are bleeding money out of a major wound.

Montana finds itself in a unique situation, and that's not necessarily a good thing. Missoula is a grand football citadel in a state that's sparsley populated, with few population centers that barely match up to dynamic Boise or Salt Lake City. This isolation will make it a hard sell for the Griz to get into a conference; indeed if the FCS will last long enough for the Griz to get settled. Adding to this is that Montana is in a conference that is slowly fading and withering to nothing; their empty stadiums an echo of what once was. Outside of the state of Montana, there is no interest in any of the Big Sky schools save for a small minority of diehards who will go down with those ships. And unlike their bretheren east of the Mississippi, who compromise a good 90% of the FCS' best teams, Montana is the one and only top program in the FCS West. There will be no competition for the Grizzlies whatsoever, no matter how many teams are brought up from Division II football.

Although Montana enjoys playing for national championships in a playoff system, in the long run Montana will be doomed to a long, empty decline to irrelevance and eventual fading away if they stay in the FCS. There simply is no future with the decline and fading away of the FCS, never mind the dying of the Big Sky Conference.

Elrond Half-Elven elaborates on this (paraphrased and worked around to fit this thing):



"If Montana remains in the FCS after this moratorium is lifted, you will still be a winning program. If your enemies in the CAA have moved on or have been defeated and you are crowned champions and all that you hope for comes true you will still have to taste the bitterness of the inevitability of collapse. Whether by the swords of the few remaining programs east of the Mississippi River or the slow decay of time, your program will die. And there will be no comfort for you, no comfort to ease the pain of its passing. Montana will come to death an image of the splendor of the Lords of Big Sky programs and FCS teams in glory undimmed before the breaking of the FCS. But you, Montana...you will linger on in darkness and in doubt as nightfall in winter that comes without a star. Here you will dwell bound to your grief and Montana State under the fading ruins of FCS stadiums until all the world is changed and the long years of your life are utterly spent."

Big Sky Conference Standings as of Meow

Greetings! We're nearing the end of the Year 2009 and so far, the conference race is heating up already! Already one team (Montana State if you can believe it) has 2 Conference wins! It's incredible, I know! These are your Big Sky Conference standings as of meow!

Montana State 2-0 (7-5) Losing streak at 1

Stuff: MSU is the surprise of the conference right now standing with 2 conference wins and the lead over a surprisingly 7-6 Weber State. Perhaps the black magic that the Bobcats used last year in the Conference Tournament of Wooden Trophy Glory was only a sign of things to come. More likely, MSU will hopefully falter and order will be restored in the conference when Weber steps up to the plate. Key Wins: Northern Colorado, Northern Arizona, UC Santa-Barbara

Weber State 1-0 (7-6) Losing Streak at 1

Stuff: Weber State is aiming to roll through the conference after a surprising 7-6 start to the season. The Wildcats are hoping to establish hegemony once more over the Big Sky Conference and erase the memory of an OOC slump (losing to BYU and USU...gahhhh...). An OOC slump that has also seen some inconsistency, like winning by a mere 3 points over Montana Tech while beating Utah by 7, all the while losing to the same UC Santa Barbara team that lost big to Montana State. And adding insult to injury, lost to the Aggies of Utah State twice, once in Ogden by 6 and then again in the Gossner Foods Classic (seriously? That's a tournament?) by 8. And having to endure the ridicule of Utahns of the more angry type. Key Wins: Utah, Sacramento State

Portland State 1-0 (5-7) Losing Streak at 3

Stuff: Portland State, the reigning Champion of the Big Sky Trophy God Tournament and current holder of two awe-inspiring Wooden Trophies, is hoping to snap a 3-game losing streak. The Vikings are dealing with the loss of Ken Bone *swoon* and are coping better than many thought, with wins over Pepperdine and Eastern Washington. They did, however, suffer a pancing by U-DUB!!!, 111-55 (ouch). The Vikings look to enter January on a positive note and hope to continue their quest for a three-peat (although that is unlikely to happen).

Northern Colorado 1-1 (10-3) Win Streak at 1

Stuff: The surprise team and technically the best team in the conference right now, the Bears are on a roll. After enduring a few down years after transitioning into the Big Sky Conference, the Bears are looking to capitalize on a 10-3 season (thus far). Northern Colorado is hoping to finish the OOC schedule strong, and it is likely they will enter January with a 12-3 record. Out of all the teams, the Bears are looking the most legit after taking Oklahoma (yes, the Sooners) all the way to the final seconds, losing 80-79 (you read that right...not even kidding you). The only blemish is a loss to Montana State, a loss UNC will be sure to avenge in their January 31st matchup in Greeley. Look for the Bears to assert domination early and often starting the January. Key Wins: Impressive resume at the moment for the Bears, so this isn't really necessary.

Montana 1-1 (10-4) Win Streak at 4

Stuff: The Grizzlies, by merit of their 10-4 OOC record (second only to Northern Colorado), rank as second best overall. They are on a hot streak right now with a 4-game win streak. The Grizzlies are looking to roll right on into January with an 11-3 record complete with another conference win over Idaho State on New Year's Eve Day. Montana has also beaten Oregon convincingly, the same Ducks team that beat Idaho State a few nights ago. The Griz, in fact, have played a few good teams in Oregon, Boise State, and Fresno State...and have won all those matchups. Montana has not lost by disgusting margins and was a point away from beating Colorado State in Fort Collins. A very dangerous team that will enter January demanding the same respect/hate/adoration/we-hate-your-damn-guts-leave-now that the football team garners on a weekly/yearly basis. Montana must watch out for Idaho State, even if that seems silly because ISU has had Montana's number for the past 2 seasons, in Pocatello AND in Missoula. Like the ISU-Montana football game, never count it as an automatic win for the Boys in Maroon and Silver. Key Wins: Boise State, Fresno State, Oregon (2 of those teams have beaten ISU; BSU and Fresno State)

Sacramento State 1-1 (6-8) Losing Streak at 1

Stuff: The Hornets are 6-8 overall and it looks like it will be another disappointing but fun-filled, parodied season with Brian Katz in Sacramento, while they adjust to all his playcalling penchants (such as writing them on in big black letters on white glossy paperboard...the tool of champions). The Hornets have one conference win, and it was against *dramatic pause*...Idaho State! (64-63). The Hornets may or may not improve, but outside of Sacramento, Cheney and Pocatello, nobody's watching. Key Wins: Idaho State, Oregon State

Eastern Washington 0-1 (4-9) Losing Streak at 4

Stuff: The Eagles are struggling and are hoping to snap a 4-game skid before the month ends, and Sacramento State is their only chance. The Eags have lost to just about every big team they have played; however it is only Coach Kirk Earlywine's third year (barely) so more time will be needed. The Eagles will probably be confined to a Snuggie at season's end. Key Wins: Whitman, Walla Walla (giggle)

Northern Arizona 0-2 (4-7) Losing Streak at 1

Stuff: NAU is entering what appears to be a depressing season with our good friend Mike Adras once more. What was once a mighty physical, imposing team is now...well, not Lumberjacks, that's for sure. NAU has two conference losses and hopes to rebound in January when conference starts up fo' reals. Don't expect much from the boys over in Flagstaff this year, except a navy blue and yellow Snuggie. Key Wins: UC-Riverside, Air Force (really?!)

Idaho State 0-1 (2-10) Losing Streak at 6

Stuff: For a team with 7 seniors and gobs of expectations and a slightly lighter schedule, ISU figured to be where Northern Colorado and the Montanas are right now: exercising dominance over the Big Sky. Instead, the Bengals are on a 6-game losing streak and lost to Sacramento State on the road where they were heavily favored to win (again). ISU MUST win against Montana Tech, a team that took Weber State to the brink and lost by 3. Then after that it's the Griz coming to Pocatello. ISU has history and O'Brien on their side, as the Bengals have remained that one team that has more or less owned the Grizzlies the past 3 seasons. ISU can hopefully rebound from this offseason and make a run for, dare I say, hosting the tournament (only 1 conference loss thus far). And if not, this will be the de facto anthem of Idaho State University for the year:
Key Wins: The only wins they have on the schedule. Hahaha

So this is what the season is at so far, updates to come later before the school year starts. Let the quest for Wooden Trophy Glory continue in earnest!

And READY THE SNUGGIES FOR THE LOSERS!!!

The Journey Begins Anew!

WHERE'S YOUR GOD NOW?!

The Journey for Wooden Trophy Glory begins anew with the rise of a new basketball season! Portland State earned the blessings of the Big Sky Trophy God last year with a victory over a shocking Montana State basketball team that somehow beat Tournament favorite Weber State. For the rest of the the Sky, the offseason was spent planning and recruiting while wearing the Cursed Snuggies, a punishment from the BSTG for their exemplary showings of Fail during the tournament.

But this year everything begins anew! The Trophy God, though cruel at times and always bizarre, is fair and unbiased. Let the fun, games and mayhem commence!

Retraction

In my post, "ISU Football, Adagio for Strings," I said that this football team was on the brink of collapse and was turning in, that they were not playing with any pride and that they were sick of the season, and had a severe lack of heart.

I retract that, and admit that post was written during the darkest period of the season.

The Bengals played #2 Montana last Saturday. The final score ended in an ISU win, Montana 12, ISU 10. The score is meaningless, because Montana in reality did not win. They lost. They lost in a humiliating fashion. Their vaunted receivers and runningbacks were stuffed time and time again, and our defense played out of their minds. They were absolutely insane. Running on pure heart, they dug deep inside their hearts and their souls and managed to pull out the greatest victory in years. Montana, a team supposed to win by 60 points and a team some say will win the National Championship, had no answer. ISU kept coming in waves, each wave stronger than the last. Montana only got the winning field goal on sheer luck. Micheal Wright and AJ Storms got a hand on the ball but it barely squeaked inside the goal post and Montana celebrated a win they did not actually get. Normally I do not claim moral victories because 99% of the time they are bullshit. I will make an exception for this.

This is ISU football. This is how ISU football is supposed to be, with players playing on heart and grit and not taking shit from anyone. This is the ISU football team we have seen slight glimpses of all season, with the goal line stand vs Oklahoma and the powerful defensive showing against ASU until the 4th Quarter.

Let's go and beat Portland State this Saturday and finish a bad season with 2 fun weeks of football.