Gus is Back

While you were sleeping and generally wasting time, Gus Johnson has been busy being the best announcer on the planet. Check out a remix of Gus's debut last night:



Do we have a new call to rival GOT IT!? Maybe...HELL YES!

Gus is the man.

WBB Bonanza

It is the start of a new basketball season my friends and Courtside will rise to the challenge! My opponent doesn't have the experience necessary to meet the needs of Joe the Reader my friends, but I do. We must fight, fight for a great season, fight for the fans, fight, fight fight!

OK, so I slipped into my best John McCain right there, and I apologize for my poor attempt at humor. BUT, it is time to get excited about a new basketball season. As we prepare for the upcoming season, I thought I would let you know about the things I have planned for this blog. First, the frequency of blogs will increase as Courtside provides the best analysis of MSU and Big Sky Conference WBB in the BLOGOSPHERE! Well at least the blogosphere as it exists in Helena. Second, as long as he stays awesome (and I have no doubt that he will), Justin Scanson and I will debut our first attempt at a podcast. We will even have a poll question and let YOU choose the name!

As I have noted before on this blog, the MSU WBB team tips off against UM Western on November 8. To celebrate, I will be posting season previews next week. Here is my tentative schedule:

Tuesday: Big Sky Team Previews
Wednesday: MSU Position by Position Breakdown
Thursday: Predicted Finishes and All-Conference Awards
Friday: MSU-UM Western Preview

So tell all your friends, it gonna get wiiiiiiiiild!

Rays-Phils: A Good Start by Fox

The World Series started tonight! I love playoff baseball and the World Series. As avid Courtside readers will note, I am a terrible prognosticator so I won't give any predictions. In case you missed it, here is Fox's opening video from the broadcast. Just a hint, it is awesome.



This video gives me a chance to talk broadcasting strategy a bit. I think the most important parts of a sports broadcast are the beginning and the end. The beginning is your chance to set the mood, so videos like this are great. It gets the crowd emotional about the game and gets them interested immediately. In radio it is more difficult because you obviously don't have the visual component. That's why planning is important, you have to be able to tell the story of why this game matters. The end is just as important because if the game does matter and the result is close or controversial, people will remember your call of the events for a long time. Therefore you need to make the impression a good one.

Can you tell I'm getting ready for a new hoops season? Woo Hoo!

(Monday) Friday Flop

From the LSU-South Carolina game on Saturday night. Tell me, do you think the ref is up to no good? Maybe LSU should sign him up!



Quick Hits:

-The MSU WBB team opened up practice on Friday. I got to catch an hour on Saturday, the team looks very focused and intent on reaching its goals this season. Also, the offseason conditioning program looks like it paid off as the teams looks to be in very good shape coming into camp. I had better practice fast play x play!

-The first game is on November 8 vs UM Western. Of course you can catch all the action on MY 103.5. (A link to online broadcasts will be available soon.)

-The Vikings are terrible. I normally don't advocate this kind off stuff, but with the Vikings I am an irrational fan, so here you go.

Snomecoming

Tomorrow is homecoming for MSU and the Cats will take on Weber State. The Wildcats are coming off of a 47-28 upset of the other Montana school last weekend in Ogden. The Wildcats are 2-0 in conference play and ranked 22nd in the FCS coaches poll. So needless to say, this is a crucial game for MSU.

Being that it is early October and it is homecoming, we should have a beautiful, crisp, autumn day for the game right? NO. Forecasts are calling for a high of 29F with up to 4 inches of snow on the ground at kickoff with another 1-4 inches possible during the game.

Though I have always thought it was a stupid tradition, I feel bad for the homecoming royalty candidates that will have to parade around in tuxes and gowns in 20-degree weather. Luckily, MSU installed FieldTurf during the off season, so field conditions shouldn't be an issue as long as proper snow removal precautions have been undertaken. However, cold weather always contributes to increased injury potential, and MSU can't handle any more injuries. Last week in Pocatello, the sideline looked like a medical unit from the Civil War. Flu and sprains, and bruises. No blood that I saw however.

On paper, this should be one of those games where both teams score in the forties. Both teams have dynamic offenses and playmakers that are capable of running up the score. However, the weather (wind expected in addition to the cold) will be the inhibiting force and should keep the ball on the ground. That will make for interesting football, because Weber features the number one running back in the league, Trevyn Smith, who is averaging 98 yards per game on the ground. MSU's Demetrius Crawford is number two in the league at just under 87 yards per game.

My prediction:
Games that are greatly affected by weather, as this one should be, come down to three factors: turnovers, penalties, and field position. MSU is negative right now in turnover margin (-0.8) and has at times played a bit loose with the football. Avoiding turnovers will be key, because point scoring opportunities will be few and far between. Weber is one of four teams in the league with a positive turnover margin (+0.6). Another factor that affects these "weather games" is penalties. MSU and Weber are number one and number two in the league respectively in fewest penalty yards. Field position is the other key. Weber has the highest punt return and kickoff return averages in the Big Sky Conference. MSU is number four in both categories.

When you look at my three weather factors above, Weber holds a slight advantage, 2 to 1. However, home field and home crowd always affect the outcome of a game. MSU is expecting another sellout-standing room only crowd which will be rabid with excitement over the importance of the game and the fact that it is homecoming. Look for both teams to have big days on the ground, with MSU being propelled by its crowd to a 20-17 win.

But more importantly, should I wear? It will be cold, so please vote in the poll in the upper left margin and help me decide how to dress for homecoming.

Bring your hot chocolate!!! (With or without schnaaps.)

There's Only One October!

My favorite month of the year is October. (March is a close second). Seasons are changing, so we have some beautiful scenery in Montana. Football is in full swing. The MLB playoffs are on. About half of my extended family has birthdays in October. Hunting season starts. Basketball practice heats up. And much, much more.

This year's baseball playoffs aren't nearly as compelling this year (because my Rockies didn't make it), but they are definitely worth paying attention to. In the National League Championship, the Dodgers have a legitimate chance of winning a World Series, which they have not done since 1988. The Phillies are a fun team to watch, though I think the media has them vastly overrated.

In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays have been the story of baseball this season. During the pre-season, most of the baseball experts were saying that the Rays were about a year from being a force in the AL East. Well, they have blossomed early and it has been fun watching their young players mature. I felt like this was the year the Red Sox would bow out in the first round, but they surprised me with their ability to pull games out of no where. I guess it shouldn't surprise me, they've been doing it since 2004. I really don't like the Sox, but you have to give them credit for winning when it matters.

My Predictions? Dodgers/Sox in the World Series, with L.A. winning in seven games in a true fall classic. The only thing I don't like about October? Having to listen to Joe Buck. I can't stand him.

I would like to have a moment of silence due to a very sad moment that will happen tomorrow in Helena. I have an appointment to have my boat winterized, which marks the official end of summer.

Queen of the "Office": Heather

Congrats to Heather for winning the inaugural Courtside Office quote contest. (Honorable mention to Scanson, though he was disqualified for not giving a quote). So in honor of Heather and her uncanny ability to make me laugh while remembering hilarious Office moments, here is a blog post dedicated to Heather.

Things that rhyme with Heather:
Feather
Weather
Tether

My favorite Heather moment:
When she saved me from getting arrested for trying to pump gas in Portland.

Colors that look good on Heather:
Red
Blue
Yellow
All Combinations of the Above

Person That Reminds Me of Pam Beasley:
Heather

Person Most Likley to Get an Invitation to My Birthday Party:
Chuck Norris and Heather

A Poem about Heather:
Good day my dear Heather,
The wind whispers like a feather,
Why did you choose that man to which to tether?

(Sorry, that isn't meant to be a dig at Zeb. Zeb is da bomb)

Congrats again Heather and thanks for going above and beyond with your Office quote.

By the way, for those of you planning a tribute post to someone, there is a fine line between a tribute and sounding like a stalker.