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“Do You Know How Good He Is”?

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It’s the biggest game of the season, maybe the biggest game in years for San Diego State…this Saturday afternoon matchup in Laramie, against the Wyoming Cowboys.

The Aztecs are (9-1)…ranked 24th in the nation. They have won 19-of their last 20-games.

At stake is the chance to climb into the College Football Rankings, host the Mountain West Championship game, and beat Boise State.

If all that happens, a win over the Cowboys, then the Broncos in the title game, SDSU could be line for a New Year’s Day Bowl game. Can you say Cotton Bowl? Do you know that is a 7M-payday?

It also provides the national exposure for running back DJ Pumphrey, who stars before empty seats, on late night TV games no-one ever watches.

Pumphrey will go over 1800-yards rushing on his first couple of carries this weekend. He is going to crack the 2,000-yard all purpose yardage barrier this weekend too.

Last night, he was nominated as a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. He is a finalist for the Maxwell Award. One is for being the best running back in the country, the other for being the best college footblal player in the country.

You know what’s missing right now with all this going on? The buzz. Not here on campus. Not in this city. Not nationwide.

I was the Voice of the Aztecs when Marshall Faulk lifted that program on his shoulders, and exploded down the sidelines for 3-fabulous years of big plays.

He never garnered many Heisman votes. His team never won a WAC title in his stay at SDSU. They never go to a big bowl game either, visiting the the Freedom Bowl in Anaheim as their prize.

Yes he had a brilliant NFL career, one that landed him in the Hall of Fame.

But there was buzz around Faulk all 3-years. It might have been because SDSU played big time teams like the 31-31 tie with UCLA…the shootout loss to USC….the wild games with the Miami Hurricanes…and the 51-51 tie with Ty Detmer and BYU.

None of that glitz surrounds the accomplishments of Pumphrey, and it’s hard to understand why.

The town, the alumni, just haven’t wrapped their arms around the Aztecs star, who runs over people, runs away from people, makes people miss, every Saturday he plays.

His NFL career probably sees him as a specialist, a 3rd down back, maybe a kick-punt returner. Nothing wrong with that.

His toughness, at 170-pounds is amazing. Fearless running tackle to tackle. Gifted to make people miss. Athletic with an extra gear once he gets to the second level. Relentless wanting the ball in the backfield, and in the passing game. Tough as nails. Heart bigger than he is.

But in an era where there are so many games on TV, and so much exposure for players like Christian McCaffrey and Leonard Fournette, there just isn’t the following for Pumphrey.

Somehow the marketing of DJ has fallen short. A big banner hangs atop the dormitory tower at the top of the hill at 55th and Montezuma. But that’s the extent of the publicity. ESPN did a feature package on him last weekend, but that was a 1-time shot.

Unless you pay a special fee to get the CBS-Sports Network, most of America won’t know about the Pumphrey-Brian Hill showdown on Saturday in Laramie either.

Saturday will be big in Laramie. 2-weeks from Saturday, at the Heisman Trophy presentation, that should be big too.

For all the thrills this kid has provided, you hope he gets an invite to sit at the podium in New York to enjoy the moment.

You just wish America could see the greatness and the humbleness of a special young college player. You wish this city would understand what the kid wearing #19 has accomplished.

You wish someone had the vision and the resources, to put together a ‘video package’ on Pumphrey, that would wind up at CBS-NBC-ABC-Fox and all the other TV players covering Saturday college football. His highlites need to be on more than just “Go Aztecs.com”.

He should go down as the greatest Aztecs player of all time, or at least stand alongside Faulk, just as he does in the record book.

He’s so good. I know it. The coaches do. His teammates do. Very few others do, and that is a shame, for someone who is so good in this game.

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“Injuries-Injuries-More Injuries”

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It never ends. Even when they don’t play, the Chargers lose players to injuries.

Now they have given up on a 3rd round draft pick, waiving ex-Notre Dame guard Chris Watt, their supposed starting center of the future.

Name an injury, he probably had it, and this from a guy who was a rock of granite, playing in 44-games with the Fighting Irish in South Bend.

He spent most of last year on IR after surgery. He was ailing this year and started the year on PUP. But once we got to week seven of the season, he had to practice, be activated, placed on injured reserve, or cut loose.

The Chargers chose the final move, maybe because he just never got healthy, or maybe because of the NFL salary cap.

It’s been nothing but ailments since he got here, and it’s too bad, because he seemed like the perfect heir apparent to Nick Hardwick, who replaced Courtney Hall, who replaced Donnie Macek.

The Chargers have had the luxury of three quality centers in just over 30-years, as a tough, very demanding, violently physical position.

Watt came with a game plan, to move from guard to center.

He was smart, street tough, resilient, intelligent and with an inner fire. Talking to him about his career and his philosophies, fired you up.

You’d come away and say I like the kid’s spunk, spark and smarts.

But he could not fire off the ball and make a difference. He couldn’t stay ont he field.

Injuries of all kinds.

A significant ankle injury. A shoulder injury. A scary concussion. A knee.

And it went on and on.

The Chargers have gone thru four centers in the time since Watt arrived, trying to buy time to get him healthy.

Matt Slauson, a veteran warrior is holding down the spot now.

Maybe Watt winds up on the developmental squad, since he has missed so much time.

Or maybe he goes into retirement, saying he gave it his best, and his body gave out.

It’s tough. You cannot blow 3rd round draft picks, though this is not the Chargers fault.

You look at the Chargers injured reserve list and shake your head. You wonder why they have 12-veterans on IR, all key components to the team, and 17-on the list overall.

And you look at the Raiders, who haven’t had a major injury in two years.

No one has an explanation, because San Diego’s woes are not training issues, they are football related-hit issues in a game.

The injury black cloud just won’t go away. Chris Watt, one a promising prospect, is the latest to get his parade rained on by that injury cloud.

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“Topics on the Table-Lots of Them”

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Chargers…Now Brandon Mebane, their heart and soul NT is gone for the yer with a torn tricep…he becomes the 12th veteran to go on injured reserve…and 16th player overall.

Bolts….Mike McCoy is always ready with a cliche after all these losses….Saying and doing are two separate things though…no explanation from him as his team blows a 4th quarter lead, and loses for the 5th time this season…Obvious he cannot coach them up to win.

Aztecs…RB-DJ Pumphrey is rated the #1- “3rd down running back” on the Our Lads NFL Draft Board as of now, looking towards the college draft in April.

San Diego State…Football team is (19-1) since last October, with a wicked defense…Rea litmus test this weekend in Wyoming…cold-altitude etc.

USD…Headed towards 1AA playoffs…but it seems so unfair…Toreros don’t give out scholarships, and will be playing teams that give out 65-scholarships…Wish the Pioneer League would move to true Division III football…would love to see USD play those small college (non-scholarship) powers like Wisconsin-Whitewater and Mt. Union.

Padres…Have almost disappeared off the off-season radar…now saying they may not be very active in off season wheeling and dealing….So far only pickup is Jamie Romak…a journeyman minor league outfielder, who went to Japan last year and hit (.113).

San Diego State…..Basketball team looks loaded, with tremendously athletic young frontline…Year that Malik Pope must step up and be consistent game-by-game as a 3rd year players…No doubt guards Trey Kell and Jeremy Hensley will carry this team till the young kids on the front line grow into the job…Crushing opening loss on road to Gonzaga-frontline has to grow up quickly-especially against killer non conference schedule early.

USD…Coach Lamont Smith went (9-21) last year, and now his big men have gone and they are off to an (0-2) start already this year…Program slipped under ex-Gonzaga assistat coach Bill Grier, who was hired with great accolades at USD, and didn’t get it done….tough place to be bad, the West Coast Conference, with the likes of the Zags and St. Mary’s on the schedule.

Gulls..Best thing about being top affiliate for NHL team, is the load of young draft picks and Euros they send to San Diego to play in the AHL….Worst thing, phone rings and the Anaheim Ducks keep calling up players.

Sports Arena…50th Anniversary of the grand old building this week…the Hahn Family cares…and thanks to their affiliation with AEG, the corporate arena giant, lots of good things are happening just off Midway Drive…but a major league city really needs a major league arena….Maybe AEG becomes that catalyst.

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“Chargers Week Goes from Bad-to-Worse”

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Explanations or Excuses.

It does not matter, because the Chargers are (4-6) and pretty much out of the playoff race.

They lost an ugly game yesterday to the Miami Dolphins.

Their offensive line was mugged by the Miami defense front. Ndomakong Suh, Cam Wake and that gang just smashed the San Diego offensive front, and blasted Philip Rivers.

Yes Rivers threw 4-interceptions, an all time worst day in his career. But it was more than that.

He took 10-hits..was pressured 14-times, had to move the pocket, throw off his back foot, and take all types of shots.

Yes Rivers hit a few pass plays down the field, but the longer it went, the worse it got for the Bolts quarterback.

The reality, who aside from that quarterback, and the stud running back, Melvin Gordon, scares any defense? No one I know.

Antonio Gates caught 4-balls early then disappeared. Rookie Hunter Henry has not been the same since a minor concussion issue and a knee injury.

On defense, for the second week in a row, the pass rush never got to the quarterback either. The end result was 13-plays of plus 10-yards…and 6-critical plays of plus-20 yards.

The Dolphins nearly gave it away, with 7-critical penalties that gave San Diego first downs, but the Chargers turnovers kept negating everything Miami gave them.

A beaten down Mike McCoy and an overwhelmed Philip Rivers were downtrodden after game.

6-minute press briefings filled with cliches told the story.

McCoy had to look at the video, yeah, like watching it will make things better.

Better if he was just honest, and told the truth, the team doesn’t have enough play makers on either side of the ball, so many are hurt.

The day started badly and got worse. Kansas City and Denver appeared on their way to losses, but rallied to win, thanks to their defenses, in critical road games.

3-teams in the AFC-West now have 7-wins, San Diego is (4-6), and facing a road game in Carolina, one in Tampa, and homefield matchups with the Chiefs and Raiders.

What a terrible week. Losing at the ballot box, then losing on the field.

A shame, that the stadium had so many empty seats, and there were so many Miami fans in the yard.

Worse, 6-more weeks of futility ahead with half a roster.

Solution, wait till next year, hope for more players, return to health of others.

From bad to worse, you wonder if it every will end.

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“This-That-Some of the Other”

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Chargers…If the Bolts are an underperforming team, so is Miami, in which the arrow was supposed to be pointed up with young QB-Ryan Tannehill. At least the Bolts have an explanation-excuse..injury after injury…Tannehill just seems to have regressed…The only big plays Ndomakong Suh makes are when he stomps on someone, kicks them, or goes to the bank to cash a paycheck…Why do I think Albert Haynesworth when I see Suh play?

Dean Spanos..Hard to believe Bolts owner has to “evaluate” what just happened on election day, his Measure C-Stadium proposal, rejected at the ballot box. The man lives in a fantasy world, acting as if he has leverage still. He has never had leverage, since NFL owners voted the Rams to LA and sent him back to San Diego. He blinked when Mayor Kevin Faulconer refused to approve his Measure for nearly 6-months.

Padres…Ever heard the name Frank “Trader” Lane, former GM back in the 50s and 60s, Cardinals, Indians and White Sox. Made his career by dealing away the likes of stars of those days, Minnie Minoso, Rocky Colavito and more. Now I hear AJ Preller is shopping 3rd baseman Yanger Solarte amongst others. Think AJ, think Frank Lane. AJ cannot stop making deals.

Aztecs Football..No one, and I mean no one is paying attention to San Diego State football, not running back DJ Pumphrey, who could go over (2,000) all purpose yards tomorrow night at Nevada..no a defense that has given up just 2-touchdowns in the last five games. Not one sentence nationally about either.

USD Football…Ditto for the Toreros, who play in the shadows of Division 1-AA football, the top defense in the nation at that level…they’ve allowed just 3-TDs in their last 5-games and will be headed back the playoffs later this month.

Aztecs Hoops…SDSU begins the season tonite with a walkover game against lowly USD. The Aztecs unveil lots of new pieces. They look so athletic and are led by two great veteran guards. They win tonite, but the real test if what happens Monday in Spokane when they face West Coast Conference power Gonzaga, which is also loaded.

USD Hoops..This will be painful for 2nd year coach Lamont Smith. He went (9-21) last year, his top big man graduated along with a shooter. He starts 3-freshmen tonite, has little size, and not much experience. A year from tonight they will be better, but this will be another awful season. The program has never been the same since Brad Holland left.

Gulls…Working agreements are great, if the NHL parent club drafts well, and signs international players. The Anaheim Ducks have. But working agreements are awful if that same parent club keeps calling up players. The Gulls have lost 5-in a row, and can never put the same lineup on the ice from one game to the next. The Ducks have called up their top 3-goal scorers and top defenseman 3-different times in the first 4-weeks of the AHL season.