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“AZTECS NEW DAY”

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It felt like a 95-yard touchdown bomb down the sidelines, the San Diego State hiring of Sean Lewis as the new head coach.

He won the press conference and his reputation should win the recruiting battles to get a QB and WR into this program.

He comes with a resume full of offensive records, a big time passing attack, seldom seen here, and a track record of throwing the football, recruiting quarterbacks and skill players.

What he did to turn around a moribund Kent State program was amazing.  As part of the new leadership group at Colorado, what was accomplished early on with Shedeur Sanders throwing the football was phenominal.

There’s alot of ‘noise’ about hiring a coach who had a losing record, or a coach demoted by Deion Sanders at the end of the Buffs season.  It takes time to fix programs, and he did with the Golden Flashes after he got his players in there, was amazing.  And what they did at CU-before injuries wrecked the offense, and scouting reports caught up to them, was still an accomplishment.

So now Lewis takes over a program that needs quarterbacks, receivers and a reset-button on offense.  How long he stays remains to be seen, but anything that will create excitement and put people in the seats is important to the university.

If this works out, then JD Wicker will have hit a home run with the Rocky Long-Brady Hoke hires, the building of the stadium, the success of Aztecs basketball, already on his own AD resume.

Brady Hoke-Rocky Long saved SDSU football, that (121-69) tenure proves that.  Now this coach has to take this to the next level, because of a move to the Pac 2-looms on the horizon, maybe as early as 2026.

Only time will tell.  Sean Lewis got his 1st win as his first press conference.

Time for deposed Chargers fans, Aztecs Alums and the student body, ‘Book your reservations early for a seat on Aztec Air’.
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(JD Wicker)

..This is a great day for the Aztecs nation
..Welcome 19th coach in Aztecs history
..1-thing stood out-this SDSU job is one of top jobs in the country
..We have a path towards great days ahead

..Sean has a proven track record on offense
..He ran the ‘Fast Flash’ offense at Kent State
..School records like 6,000-yards in a single season
..Spent years developing his system
..Very clear-stated goal-get an offensive innovator

..We will continue to play great defense..our benchmark
..His vision and culture-developing players and students
..Focus on educating our people in the building
..Quality student system will drive our football players
..Infectious energy allowed us to embrace him

..Transforms players and students
..Listened to what senior leaders had to say
..We have struggled on offense
..Very defensive minded for 13-years
..This is a very positive thing to hire ‘offense’
..It is a different game right now..we need to score alot of points

..Drilled into each interview how handle other side of ball
..Did 2–Zoom calls and one in person interview with him
..Impressed by balance he brings to game plan
..Coach answered how to handle games..end of games..adversity in games
..Can he change offense to fit clock and end of game situations

..His balance on offense is i mpressive..look at Kent State
..NIL and portal questions-answers very important
..We are in good shape in NIL..he saw that
..He will meet with donors and importance to program
..Snapdragon brings alot of things to a venue
..We can bring energy to Snapdragon like Viejas

..5-year deal with 1.7M base salary
..Who brought Lewis name…I identified him-so did Search Firm.
..Talking point of mine…you are CEO of this program
..Responsible to everyone in athletics
..Talked to alot people from his background..

..Sean Lewis wants to understand our athletes
..He will go to the Portal after he gets to know this team
..Colorado felt very comfortable about him as a coach-recommended him

-0-

Sean Lewis:

..This offense works
..Bowling Green QB threw for 5,000Y-in career
..Syracuse QB-Eric Dungy set records
..Kent State-rewrote recofd book with Dustin Crum
..Our roster will guide us as to what we are on offense

..Colorado experience…still have confidence because of my results
..Learned alot about roster management at Colorado
..Deion knew how to access players
..Deion made choice to change play callers

..Best bang for your buck is thru hi school ranks
..Prove-show high school recruits-grow from within
..We need to tap into portal..but do due diligence on early players
..1st order-meet players..then signing date…then portal
..Players choose SDSU for a reason..boxes to be checked by players
..Tell players ‘let’s rock and roll’
..Tell recruits we will challenge offense to be great..challenge defense to continue

..Don’t think lift at SDSU is not that hard
..SDSU has standards..we are not that far off
..Colorado-Outside looking in..highs and lows..that is day to day in college football
..My stoic view at Colorado..’Weekly-.it doesn’t matter  you gotta bet better’
..We have to have this growth mindset-we refine our process
..Not be tied to wins and losses..just grow from it
..This style of play defines the ‘finite time’ these kids have
..Our time…invest in it-don’t waste it

..SDSU history-tie explosive plays into this
..Transfer portal will change because of my resume
..Working thru Off-Def Coord job..no decision yet
..Need to meet with staff-no decision on coordinators

..Recriuiting QBs..my experience at Kent with Dustin Crum is an example
..Inherit QBs..not ready to say we are going to take a QB in portal
..Told players..I chose this school and this roster..it is our team..my guys
..Learn from Deion…use non traditional media-tell story
..Some things are sacred to our team..we will allow access to media-fans

..We want to vet out what is important to our players…and ask them to stay
..Want to make sure we get the right players to grow them
..San Diego-California is ‘QB-heaven’..high school coaches know me
..QB-trainers here will help us here too
..My connection to Dino Babers and Rocky Long..authentic people..they genuine
..Exciting day in my career to join this Aztecs family
..The culture here was very evident

..Big influence from ex-Syracuse coach Dino Babers
..What Kent State did for me meant so much
..Told these players ‘it is about them’..players make the coach
..Told Aztecs players ‘see the vision’
..Aztecs family important like my personal family
..Coaches are teachers of football and life
..Tremendous opportunity-task at hand
..This tradition goes back to the Air Coryell era at SDSU
..Light up scoreboard-play fast-bring energy
..Community-University will think Aztecs football
..Dark Side defense..want them to chase excellence too
..Hoke-Long defenses are legendary..culture-toughness-physicality

..Believer in ‘knowing who you are’
..Victory grows thru alignment and unity
..Achieve great things gives us great growth
..We will have true grit going forward
..Players be leaders in community-campus-conference

..Be prepared for ‘Aztecs Fast Football’
..This is best ‘Group of 5-job available’
..Look at it from 30,000′ level..Wisconsin coach-Syracuse coach had big influence on me
..Colorado experience-gave us unfiltered access-showcased school-players
..Deion Sanders speaks belief into existence…learned alot lessons
..Transfer portal-NIL..young coach-young players..different time in game
..I want to be innovative-figure out how to navigate the waters with portal

..How can we do this better…MWC are all on equal footing-need to grow it
..Snapdragon is so vastly different from when I was here with Eastern Illinois
..Chargers fans join us..make this a tough place to play
..Google does not do SDSU justice-how great this place is-can be

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“PAY THE PRICE”
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The price for pitching goes up year by year in baseball.
And this year’s free agent list means mega pay days for the few top free agents.

But the price tag on all these mid-level free agents have rocketed too.

SHOHEI OHTANI  will command 40M a year to be someone’s DH going forward, with possibly opt out clauses that allow for a salary upgrade when he is cleared to pitch in 2025.  Dodgers-Giants-Yankees-Mets bids are in.

 

BLAKE SNELL  brings 2-Cy Young Awards on his resume but also pages and pages of erratic seasons too.  The wildcard there is you have to deal with agent Scott Boras.  Everyone needs a starter like this, but if the agent wants (7Y-200M) are you going to commit to that term and those dollars, knowing the propensity of pitchers breaking down? The Padres-Mets-Dodgers are all interested but not on a seven year deal.  Hometown Seattle might be part of the talks too.  This will be interesting to see who blinks first.  Boras or the ballclubs he is dealing with.

TREVOR BAUER is a proven commodity on the mound and a proven jerk, who keeps making bad choices off the field.  He put together a dominant All Star season in Japan and wants to come back.  He got alot of money not to pitch for the Dodgers after his MLB discipline.  Any team that signs him will face lashback, but who cares, if he goes to the front of the rotation and pitches well?  The Angels are desperate for quality arms.  Baltimore needs a veteran ace.  Boston needs pitching.  So does the Mets.  What do they say to their fans about this guy’s personal decisions?

BRANDON WOODRUFF was a workhorse in Milwaukee, was non-tendered, and will miss much of 2024 coming off shoulder capsule surgery.  But you sign him, rehab him in the next year, and hopefully get an ace at an affordable price.  You can see him as a Dodger-Giant-or Cubs for a 2025 starter.

YOSH YOMAMOTO comes off a spectacular 5-year run with the Orix Buffaloes, is 25-years of age, and will likely get a 5-year deal with the chance to go back into free agency again at age 30.  So many good pitchers have come from Japan, there is no longer doubt about their talent to make the transition.  See the career stats of Darvish-Matsuzaka-Nomo-Maeda-Ryu and so many more.  The bidding likely starts at (5Y-75M) for a guy who had a career (1.50-ERA) across the pond.  Bidding will be hot, with the Mets-Yankees, even possibly the Dodgers, definitely the Giants, who have money and want to spend it.

JARED MONTGOMERY reinvented himself.  End result, a World Series ring in Texas.  They want him back, alot of others want him too.  The question is whether he is willing to go somewhere different and be part of a team building towards something special, like Baltimore.  The Red Sox, Toronto and Detroit come to mind, and that price is likely 20M per year..

EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ has had a strange journey, from Fenway Park to Comerica Park.  He’s the one who blocked a trade to Dodgers Stadium at the deadline.  Front of the rotation guy, but not a 20-game winner.  Might he stay close to home and pitch in Miami?  Would they overspend to bring him home?  Stay tuned.

JOSH HADER…Proven commodity but not at a record price in the history of guys who save games.  Maybe a 15M a year guy with the understanding you have to handle him properly so he does not get hurt.  Yankees and Houston come to mind more than anywhere else.

There are a ton of mid-rotation guys but are any of them worth 10-to-15M a year, which is what they all wanted before becoming free agents.

You take a gamble on Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Nick Martinez, Lucas Gialotio, Marcus Stroman, Mike Clevinger, Sean Manaea, James Paxton, plus bullpen guys Jordan Hicks and Aroldis Chapman.

Lots of names out there, some known, some gambles, some injured,
but all with one known factor, it will cost alot to get any of them.

 

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“FANS FORUM…ANSWER MY SPORTS SURVEY”

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FANS SURVEY…Asking questions, would like some answers from you.

MY PODCAST…Sorry could not do ‘Bonus’ podcast on Monday..had technical and travel issues working thru.  Hope to get new one up before end of the week.  If you have never seen it..dial it up on You Tube Channel-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton.

PODCAST UPDATE…Yeah we have followers…over 3100-subscribers on You Tube, better than 13,000-following on instagram among other social media platforms.  YOU A PODCAST LISTENER OF MINE?

WEBSITE..Don’t know how many of you sample my website.  It takes a ton of time to compile and write it daily.  Would be fascinated to know how many sample it.  It was an off shoot of the type of sports-talk shows on 690-1090.  DO YOU READ MY WEBSITE DAILY?

NEWSPAPERS…Don’t know about you but it is a very different sports section the San Diego Union-Tribune offers now with new sports editor.  The Sunday section is expanded with lots of game stories and notes columns.  Sadly the new management of the LA Times has changed its sports section to feature stories, not game stories or notes columns, something alot of us liked.  Don’t care about near full page pictures.  Want more content.  DO YOU READ THE LOCAL PAPERS?

SPORTSTALK RADIO…Something badly missing on San Diego Sports-Talk Radio…diversity of content, big name guests and callers input.  The Fan 97.3-has sold its soul to the Padres at the cost of ignoring a ton of NFL-College Football-NBA-NHL stories.  760-has little talent, and aside from Aztecs sports, gives you little reason to listen.  It’s just not sports-talk radio as we used to deliver.  DO YOU LISTENS MUCH?

LOCAL TV SPORTS ANCHORS…So many choices to watch on Fox 5, NBC 7, CBS 8, KUSI, and ABC 10.  Big issue, News Directors don’t give them much time on the air.  Why not?  Aside from the Prep Pigskin Report on KUSI, there is no longform sports content to speak of.  Stashing a lae ight sports report at 10:45pm on a couple of these stations, makes no sense.  YOU WATCH ANY LOCAL TV SPORTSCASTS?

BROADCAST TEAMS ON AIR….The Padres have put together an exceptional Radio-TV broadcast crews with personalities though sometimes too much cheerleading.  San Diego State has TV exposure as part of the MWC-TV contract but you have to search to find it. The Aztecs are on a big signal station, but no one listens since what fans they have see it on TV. The Gulls are televising 5-AHL games, but few and far between.  Sadly they have no radio broadcast partner-I think a critical mistake.  USD has no broadcast partner, not unusual considering small time programs in a major league city.  YOU WATCH GAMES ON TV OR LISTEN ON RADIO?

SATELLITE RADIO…It’s new, it’s different,  It’s popular and it covers everyting, including NFL-MLB-NBA-NHL channels plus Mad Dog Radio.  ANY OF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO SATELLITE CHANNELS?

There you have it, some questions.  I am looking for answers.  Like to hear what you think on my SURVEY.  Reach me thru the EMail address on my website.

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“CHARGERS-EVERYTHING BUT A WIN”
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The difference between an elite NFL team (Baltimore) and a struggling team (Chargers) is like the distance between the North Pole and the Equator.

The Chargers turned in one of their better defensive performances of the season, but lost.

The Chargers got courageous play from QB-Justin Herbert, star-type plays from WR-Keenan Allen, and not much else from anyone else.

They wasted maybe the best game play by Khalil Mack, who had a 2-wicked sacks, 2-tackles for losses, 3-pressures, all for naught.

The Ravens defense choked off the Chargers offense, who tried to control the ball by running early.  Tried to change the tempo by going no huddle alot in the second half.

But no matter what they did, the Ravens street tough defense kept coming back and making plays.

For every big Herbert scramble run, there were sacks.
For every Allen key catch, there were dropped passes.

And the Ravens intense defense was like a homewrecker in the house.  The sacks, the pressures, the blitzes, the big hits on the QBs, and the takeaways, 4-times in all.

It was so lopsided so early, the Bolts were lucky it was not a blowout before halftime.  The Chargers defense kept slowing down Jackson, his receivers and the power run backs.  But there were awful stretches.

The Ravens had run off 53-snaps to the Chargers 29 by the middle of the 3rd quarter.  It was like they were in the Chargers end of the field all night long.  In one segment the Chargers had run 18-plays for 49-yards.  They wasted a 16-play drive, ended on a brutal hit on the QB.

The battering wiped out some impressive things beyond the Keenan Allen 14-catch night.  Herbert had a electric 35-yard run.  Darious Davis hauled a punt back 30-yards.  And the Chargers caused Lamar Jackson alot of heart burn with their pressure.

All for naught.

At least there won’t be complaints about Brandon Staley’s defense.  The offense, it seems like they are running out of players with so many guys banged up.

When it was over, it’s apparent the Chargers playoff hopes are over at (4-7) and half the world seems infront of them in the wildcard race.

Baltimore has arrived, and you can put them up against Kansas City-Buffalo and probably Miami.

Their games are ugly, violent, physical force, almost like a street fight, thanks to their defense and the run game they employ with their quarterback.

The Chargers, just another lost season, in the pile of seasons on a team owned by the failure of the Spanos-led franchise.

The elite are found on top of the world (Ravens).  The bottom of the AFC-barrel (Chargers) located on the equator.

Quite a distance between the good and bad, regardless of how hard the Chargers played Sunday night.

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“NFL-SUNDAY-PREVIEW”
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Weekend 12 upon us and the best in the NFL are pulling away from most everyone else, but there are games to be played and opinions to be expressed.

CHARGERS-RAVENS….It can’t get much worse for Bolts coach Brandon Staley, can it?  Sure it can.  See me on Sunday night after the Chargers get a big boy menu of all things Lamar Jackson and his offense and the Ravens defense can dish out.  Staley got alot of national coverage for his meltdown last week in Green Bay, as he tried to rationalize how bad his 31st ranked defense.  Might get worse before it gets better. Hard to think he could be fired at the end of the season.  Justin Herbert-good luck against the 44-sack Ravens pass rush.

49ers-SEATTLE…Some turkey of an outing by the Seahawks, at home, infront of what looked like an extraordinary number of Niners fans.  So bad at one point, San Francisco had a (215-15) edge in yardage just before halftime.  You tell me, who is going to beat San Francisco if they have all their stars on the field at the same time. Equally stunning, Pete Carroll’s Legion of Doom defense looks like Legion of Gloom.  But then they flipped the switch in a wild second half comeback.  Not sure how really good the Seahawks can be.

DALLAS-WASHINGTON..Dak Prescott’s 4-TD day might have put the nail in the coffin of Commanders coach Ron Rivera.  Washington, not much offense for QB-Sam Howell, and virtually no defense either.  Dallas could be a handful come playoff time.

GREEN BAY-DETROIT…Some outing for Jordan Love and his collection of young wide receivers.  Detroit looks like a ‘spent’ football team, and Jared Goff now is playing like the turnover plagued Jared Goff-Rams edition.  Maybe we crowned the Lions for greatness too early.

MIAMI-JETS…This could be awful, the Dolphins hi octane offense (436YPG) vs a Jets offense that needs the ‘last rights’.  The Jets have 11-TDs in 10-games this year, an impossible stat of incompetence in the modern day NFL-where everyone has offense.

SAINTS-FALCONS..Derek Carr is cleared to play in what has become an up and down New Orleans injury plagued season.  Atlanta has given the ball back to young QB-Desmond Ridder (6TD-12 Toves-25 Sacks).

STEELERS-BENGALS…Life after Joe Burrow will be miserable in the Queen City for the rest of the year.  What will life be like after the Pittsburgh firing of their Off Coor-Matt Canada.  People are starting to question how Mike Tomlin still has the confidence of people with just 3-playoff wins in 13-years as a head coach.

CAROLINA-TITANS…Long rebuild for Panthers QB-Bryce Young and it appears a longer road back for an aging-injured Titans roster, a big disappointment this year.

TAMPA BAY-COLTS…Guess Baker Mayfield is auditioning for his next job.  Maybe Todd Bowles should update his resume.    The Colts are a mess, much like their owner Jim Irsay’s public rantings.

GIANTS-PATRIOTS…Death watch for both Bill Belichick and Brian Daboll.  What would you expect from all the bad Patriots drafts and a Giants team that has allowed 62-sacks and lost both their quarterbacks.  Interesting to see who screams louder, Giants or Pats fans.

HOUSTON-JACKSONVILLE..Trevor Lawrence has arrived as a solid QB, CJ Stroud is serving notice he intends to be a star QB too.  What a job done by DeMeco Ryans putting together a roster of no-names with the rookie Ohio State QB.

CLEVELAND-DENVER…Russell Wilson having a bounce back year, and a Broncos team that has reeled off 4-wins in a row with a fierce defense helping out.  Cleveland’s defensive metrics are superb, but without Deshaun Watson and Nick Chubb, not sure the Browns can make it to the finish line.

RAMS-ARIZONA…Matthew Stafford wears his heart on his sleeve and is getting pounded in the process.  They just don’t have enough players.  Arizona’s Kyler Murray is finally back at QB, but there’s not much talent around him either.  The Cardinals will get a very high first round pick, so the QB debate may be a big topic in Phoenix.

CHIEFS-RAIDERS….Antonio Pearce has 2-wins and a gritty loss so far, and now they face Andy Reid and a Chiefs team that is not what it used to be.  Hard to believe KC has 26-dropped passes and 19-turnovers this year.  Raiders rookie QB-Aiden O’Connell-awful lot of turnovers.

BILLS-EAGLES…Jalen Hurts is doing it all, and what he does not do, the defense does.  That is why they are (9-1).  The Bills can be so dangerous and yet they have become so erratic.  Sure looks like they are missing the window to be a Super Bowl team.

VIKINGS-BEARS…Some storyline with Josh Dobbs, career journeyman QB, trying to save the Minnesota season for Kevin O’Connell.  Amazing hot streak considering their defense isn’t that great.  The Bears, who knows, Justin Fields can be so dynamic, then he gets hurt, and he sure does not have much talent on that roster.

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