My Frappr Map from the Dead

Bears Begin Second Regular Season

The Bears enter the regular season after blowing away the competition in the pre-season. The Bears seem to have procured the players necessary to challenge for the championship of the Rocky Mountain Football League AAA division this their second season in the league. The only two things that could stop the Bears are the Rhino-Raiders and themselves. Keeping the team intact will be a challenge and if done, the Bears should be unstoppable this year. The Rhino-Raiders won’t agree, but after week two they should change their tune and be believers as well.

The Bears currently have what appears to be the best defense in the entire league. Barring any defections, they should stifle almost every offense in the league. With a strong defensive line of Fiefia brothers, some great linebackers, and great talent in the secondary the Bears defense seems ready for the season. The only question mark will be if the team can keep Creighton and Tuitagaloa around for the season to solidify the group of secondary who have been around from the beginning. It is entirely possible if this group can stay together for the entire season, barring any major injuries, the competition might hope their defense scores as that might be the only points they see on the board at the end of the game.

The Bears offense seems to be coming together nicely as well. The offensive line has been shored up and there is a larger pool of running backs and receivers to spread things around. The quarterback position is deeper than last year and the team should come together faster than last year offensively. The biggest competition this season will probably be between the offense and defense and which group scores more points than the other during the season. It might be more interesting to have three positions on the scoreboard to keep things entertaining; Bears Offense, Bears Defense, and Opponent.

The biggest game of the season for the Bears will come in week two against the Rhino-Raiders with the game on June 9 against the Mustangs coming in a distant second. It is entirely possible, excepting the Rhino-Raiders game, that teams this season will be fighting just to score against the Bears in many of the games. It looks like an exciting second season and a potential championship season for the Bears in 2007.

Predictions:
April 14 at Utah Heat – Bears 48, Heat 7
April 21 vs. Rhino-Raiders – Bears 28, Rhino-Raiders 14
April 28 vs. Muddogs – Bears 42, Muddogs 6
May 5 at Utah Wolverines – Bears 21, Wolverines 6
May 12 vs. Seminoles – Bears 54, Seminoles 0
May 19 vs. Predators – Bears 42, Predators 14
June 2 at Boise Speed – Bears 38, Speed 14
June 9 vs. Mustangs – Bears 28, 14
June 16 at Lionz – Bears 21, Lionz 6

Regular season 9-0

BCS Accepts Online Media for Credentials

I wonder when Utah State will use the same type of credential guidelines as organizations like the Bowl Championship Series? This is very different from Utah State's "Just Say No to Non-Traditional Media" campaign.

From their site:

ON-LINE MEDIA
Other than the official web site of each participating institution, the BCS web site, and contractual rights-fee paying media, representatives staffing web sites shall be accredited for BCS bowls on the following guidelines:

One credential may be assigned to a web site that is affiliated with media of another form (i.e., network, newspaper, etc.). A print, radio or television agency will receive only one additional credential than the number provided for elsewhere in this policy.
An on-line entity not associated with another media agency that covers college football on a daily basis may qualify for one credential.
An on-line entity not associated with another media agency that covers one of the participating teams in the BCS bowl may qualify for one credential.
Each participating institution may receive one credential for its official on-line site, in addition to the credentials received under Print, No. 6.

USU Football Times Announced

First three home games to kickoff at 6:05 p.m.

May 22, 2006 -- USU Press Release

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's football team will play its first three home games of 2006 under the lights at Romney Stadium, while the final two home games will take place at 1:05 p.m. it was announced on Monday.

USU's home games against Utah on Sept. 16, Idaho on Sept. 30 and Fresno State on Oct. 7, will all kickoff at 6:05 p.m. The Aggies will kickoff at 1:05 p.m. for the final two home contests against Hawai'i on Nov. 4 and New Mexico State on Nov. 25.

Meanwhile all of USU's road games will begin no later than 5 p.m. mountain time.

Two Utah State road games will be televised on mtn. television, including the season opener at Wyoming on Sept. 2. USU's other known road t.v. game is at BYU on Sept. 23 on mtn. television as well. Additional games that will be televised will be announced in June.

Season tickets are available through the USU ticket office at 1-888-USTATE1 or (435) 797-0305, via the internet at www.UtahStateAggies.com, or in person at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

Schedule

Da Bears

There is a new football team in the Cache Valley area -- Da Bears. Da Bears have now opened thier home season and are number 1 in the AAA division of the Rocky Mountain Football League. Da Bears were picked to be number one in the preseason as well. So far, they are undefeated and had a great showing for their first ever home game.

Home games are played at Logan High School on the new turf installed last year. Many of the players on the team are former Ogden Rhino-Raiders. Obviously the Rhino-Raiders were not completely happy with the split. Several recently graduated Utah State players found their way to the team as well.

It is apparent that there is a good following in Cache Valley for the team. The cost is relatively inexpensive to attend the games, for those who decide to actually pay. Half-time is comprised of many different events and challenges to get the fans involved in the game. Overall the experience was very nice and Da Bears have a very decent product to offer folks in Cache Valley who are in need of some high quality sports this time of the year. I would recommend making it to one or more future home games if you want to see some good football in the coming weeks.

Da Bears Schedule for 2006
GAME 1. APRIL 15 CACHE VALLEY BEARS @ BOISE ROUGHRIDERS BEARS 26-14
GAME 2. APRIL 22 UTAH WOLVERINES AT CACHE VALLEY BEARS BEARS 28-12
GAME 3. APRIL 29 CACHE VALLEY BEARS @ UTAH HEAT (TOOELE) 3PM
GAME 4. MAY 6 CACHE VALLEY BEARS @ RHINO RAIDERS (OGDEN) 6PM
GAME 5. MAY 13 SALT LAKE NEMESIS AT CACHE VALLEY BEARS 5PM
GAME 6. MAY 20 IDAHO FALLS MUSTANGS AT CACHE VALLEY BEARS 5PM
GAME 7. JUNE 3 UTAH HEAT AT CACHE VALLEY BEARS 5PM
GAME 8. JUNE 10 CACHE VALLEY BEARS @ SALT LAKE NEMESIS (OREM) 3PM
GAME 9. JUNE 17 CACHE VALLEY BEARS @ UTAH WOLVERINES (DRAPER) 6PM

Any Press Good Press?

I have heard it said before, "Any press is good press." I am not sure I believe it in this case. Utah State University's football program has hit the big time when it comes to press. Everyone is starting to pick up the story. No matter what the eventual outcome of the allegations, the story has hit the presses.

Obviously we will have to wait to find out what really occured, but the fact of the situation is that most news organizations were very willing to carry the story. Many national and local news organizations carried the story on the front page or on the college football front page. I clipped some of the online samples (shown below). These are a few days removed, so some of them list the story lower than it was originally carried.

Utah State really hasn't had this kind of national attention since the Athletic Director news of a few years ago. I guess time will tell if this press is good press overall for Utah State. I have my doubts.

Two USU Football Players Dismissed From Team

Jerod Walker and Dionte' Holloway released for violating team policy on Wednesday

April 19, 2006 -- USU Press Release

LOGAN, Utah - Two Utah State football players have been dismissed from the team for violating team policy it was announced by Aggie head coach Brent Guy on Wednesday.

Backup quarterback Jerod (pronounced juh-rod) Walker and backup wide receiver Dionte' (pronounced Dee-On-tay) Holloway were released from the team for the undisclosed violations. Both played just one season at USU.

Walker, a freshman from Houston, Texas, played in nine games last season, starting the final two contests. On the year Walker completed 53 of 76 passes for 653 yards and six touchdowns, while also rushing 96 times for 328 yards and another score.

Holloway, a sophomore from Cerritos, Calif., transferred to USU from Fresno City Junior College and walked on to the team ahead of the 2005 campaign. He played in six games and caught 10 passes for 194 yards.