“Big Things-Little Packages”

-0-

He shows up this morning with talent and with attitude.

Players, all 330-of them, pour into Indianapolis for the NFL-combine, for short workouts, measuring metrics, short meetings with prospective NFL teams.

It’s all a prelude to Pro Days that are coming up, then of course the NFL draft, where careers start, and futures are plotted.

And he’s there, all 5’9 of him, all 170-pounds of speed, skill, grit, confidence, explosiveness.

They’ll chart alot of things the next couple of days for Aztecs legendary running back DJ Pumphrey. He’s the one walking onto the artificial turf at Lucas Oil Field with the all time NCAA rushing record, over (6,000) yards, all those 100-and-200-yard games, big TD runs.

He’ll also walk into meeting with a 25-pound chip on his shoulder, for all the schools, people, coaches, media, fans, who doubted him.

Pumphrey’s career should not be decided on a (4.34) time in the 40, or his time in the cone drills. It should not be decided on whatever pass routes and balls he catches, his explosiveness when he gets to the second level, or what he does returning kicks..

It should be decided by all the game videos coaches and scouts will watch, when he put up great numbers at San Diego State, against defenses loaded in the box to stop him.

Ask any of the Mountain West Conference defensive coordinators about him, his style, what he does in space, and what he does in practice.

It is odd, with all the success the Aztecs had while he wore Red & Black, his star never shined as brightly as Marshall Faulk’s. Maybe SDSU’s tough-as-cement defense had as much to do with Aztecs success over the last four years, but Pumphrey’s big play ability, anywhere-anytime-any play, helped make SDSU the next Boise State.
Faulk set the table for everything else on offense in his era, with a team that did not play defense.

He’s not a number 1-pick like Faulk, but that does not negate all he did, nor should it spell out whether he will be successful or not.

It’s a loaded draft of running backs.

Say running back and you think Dalvin Cook-Florida State…Leonard Fournette-LSU….Sammy Perine-Oklahoma…Joe Mixon-Oklahoma…Christian McCaffrey-Stanford…D’Onta Freeman-Texas and more.

Maybe Pumphrey won’t be mentioned in the same sentences as those other big time names, who played in big time games and put up big time numbers.

But as a spot runner, as a receiver, as a return man, as a 3rd down guy, he will get things done.

So root for the hometown kid who made good. Give him credit for all these great accomplishments. Respect the work ethic, the attitude, the heart, the toughness.

Oh one other thing. Big things can come in Little Packages.

Think Pumphrey, think Danny Woodhead, Darren Sproles, before that Gary Anderson and before that Joe Washington.

That’s not a bad group to be put in with…in the NFL.

-0-0-0-

“He Speaks Pitchers Language”

-0-

I always liked Bud Black, the pitcher, the person, the manager, the leader.

A smart man, an intellect, and a competitor.

This will be a challenge for him, to manage the Colorado Rockies, especially up there, at Coors Field, where pitchers get plastered. Oh the memories, make your best pitch, and watch it sail into the parking lot.

Fly ball don’t die out there. They just go out in Denver.

No lead is ever safe regardless of what the scoreboard says, especially if the other guy still has an at-bat.

He inherits young, power arms. Throwers who can bring heat, but they also walk batters. Pitchers, with little experience, about to walk thru the gauntlet of pitching 15-times this year in Denver, if they stay in the rotation.

It’s the Colorado version of home run derby.

The Rockies are known for hammering the ball in the thin air up there. Not just home runs, but tons of extra basehits in the expansive power allies.

The standard joke in baseball, was the home-road split of All Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. At one point, in his final season, before the Rockies dealt him to the Blue Jays, he was batting (.280) on the road, and (.631) at home.

He’s not the only one. Nolan Aronado, Carlos Gonzalez, Ian Desmond, and so many more.

And the history is there too, Andres Gallaraga, Larry Walker, Dante Bichette, Todd Helton, and so many more.

But Black speaks a unique language. “Been there-done that”. Do not forget he had good years with the Giants, and he had good outings and got bombed too at Coors.

Listen to Black’s opening camp comments about what he told his pitchers in their first team meeting this weekend.

“My conversation is to develop a mindset to have success there”

“I can help any pitcher there, mentally, physically, emotionally”.

“I’ve been in the same tough spots they’re going to be in”

“There is an inherent unfairness to pitching at Coors Field”

“Coors eats up pitchers egos”

“Ignore the selfishness of your pitching stafs”

“The psychology of pitching in that park-you’re going to get punished”.

The Rockies have bats, lots of them. Lots of young arms too.

He speaks the pitchers language. Will the message get thru to the cadre of young arms in that rotation?

Fascinating baseball season ahead for Bud Black, manager, psychologist-Colorado Rockies.

-0-0-0-0-

“Sunday Stuff-Some Good-Some Bad”

-0-

Chargers…The ‘Price is Not Right’….NFL insiders telling CW-6 that Chargers are having a tough time penetrating the LA market to sell season tickets…..Fans revolting against prices at Home Depot Center.

Draft Winds…..The Coaches head to the NFL combine…they really need to think about drafting a left tackle with the 7th pick…but they also need pass rush help, more linebacker help and safety help.

Aztecs..’Help Wanted’….they open spring football workouts looking to replace four starters in the offensive front…Won’t have QB-Christian Chapman-out all wor workouts coming off thumb surgery…4-backup quarterbacks on the roster have left the program…JUCO star Jimmy Walker transferred to Robert Morris University-will play immediately-and has two years eligibility left….Newest QB is Chris Laviano-former starter Rutgers-comes in as grad student with a year eligibility left…took fierce beating while with Scarlet Knights.

Padres…To quote Dick Enberg ‘Oh My’…Luckily these exhibition games don’t count, but when your pitching staff gives up 26-runs in two games to Seattle-I’d be worried.

Friars..New voices-old friends…Good to see Fox Sports San Diego import Bob Scanlan to be their sideline reporter for all TV games…Knows the game but a fun guy too…And Anthony Gwynne trades in Dodgers Blue for Padres Brown-will work both radio and television games this year.

Stage-fright…Only way to describe rookie pitchers Mike Kelly and Denilson Lamet…between the two yesterday, they faced 10-batters…retired no one..walked 8 and gave up 2-hits…a horrid performance against the Seattle Mariners

Seeking a shortstop….Yes the Padres have Luis Sardinas and Eric Aybar to play shortstop but they have talked to the Tigers about a deal for Jose Iglesias..so what do you make of the stability at that position?

Aztecs Hoops….Another road game..another double digit lead..another loss..this at Colorado State….SDSU is now (8-8) in the conference..headed towards their worst league record since the early days of the Steve Fisher era….Prosperity is a problem…they have now blown 7-double digit leads that turned into losses this season.

Gulls…Superb late winter run….now (19-3-1) since Christmas week….and 6-crowds of 10,000 or more….Gulls are third in AHL in attendance behind small market monster Hershey and Cleveland…the Gulls are not in first place only because the enemy, San Jose Barracuda, have ripped off 15-wins in a row.

Trading deadline derby…Some weekend with the NHL trade deadline just around the corner…the Ducks give up a 2nd round pick to get Dallas Stars 20-goal scorer Patrick Eaves…then the LA Kings make a surprise deal importing 6’7-Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop-without giving up any of their veteran skaters,

NASCAR….Daytona became a demolition derby…..3-major wrecks knocked out 15-cars including lots of the big names…Jimmie Johnson got tagged by 3-different cars spinning down the track….Sunday’s race though did not outdo the Friday truck race where there was carnage everywhere…then Saturday in the Xfiniity races, two red flags, and 30-cars damaged…Welcome to the 2017 season.

“NBA Trade Deadline-Good Deals-Bad Deals-No Deals”

-0-

The NBA trade deadline came crashing upon us on Thursday.

When it was done, some 11-trades, a couple of blockbusters, some of no consequence, others just dealing bad contracts.

There’s no doubt what the New Orleans Pelicans did hours after the All Star game on Sunday night, shook the world.

The blockbuster acquisition of controversial Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, a great talent, and a great headache. He forms quite a combo front line with Anthony Davis, the Pelicans all-star forward.

But can you imagine Cousins on Bourbon Street? Can you imagine giving him a 5-year max contract worth 179M-and hoping he stays out of trouble?

This guy had problems in every corner of Sacramento, locker-room, coaches, teammates, media and in the bars. Nightlife in New Orleans will be something to watch.

Dallas, not wanting to have the great career of Dirk Nowitzke end the way it seems headed, did a good deal to go get a shot-blocker with great upside, in the trade with the 76ers. In comes the young pup Nerlens Noel, finally healthy after three years of injuries. Maybe it extends Dirk’s carrer. Maybe they finally recapture some success for owner Mark Cuban.

Oklahoma City may have lost Kevin Durant in free agency, but they they did re-sign Russell Westbrook, and then showed how much tey want to win, by trading for Chicago Bulls shooting forward Doug McDermott and feisty grinder forward Taj Gibson. Yes they gave up a great young guard in Cam Payne, but the Thunder showed they were going to try and help Westbrook win.

The Lakers just moved pieces, Lou Washington to Houston for a number 1-pick. The key going forward for Magic Johnson, make sure you hit the jackpot on the two number one picks you now have in your pocket next June.

The other big deals never came down.

Paul George remains sentenced to mediocrity in Indiana. The Pacers shopped him, but the asking price was too high.

The drama that is NY Knicks basketball continues. Owner James Dolan is still vilified, failing Team President Phil Jackson is still failing, and Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose are stuck there. Melo’s market value is strictly in his own eyes. Self-centered scorer, who has never really won anything. Rose looks like he has 100,000 miles on his body suddenly, and does not have much market value.

Chicago still has Jimmy Butler, and his rumored trade only happens if the Bulls get a bundle in a deal. That did not happen on Thursday. He has to feel left behind. In a 6-month span, Pao Gasol left as a free agent, now Gibson and McDermott have been dealt.

Boston, which has gotten good, didn’t add, but still has all those draft picks stockpiled.

Detroit retained Andre Drummond, who looks at times like he can take over the league, but other times not.

Cleveland will go to the playoff wars with the last key acquisition, 3-point bomber Kyle Korver, a big component if they are going back to the finals.

And that brings us to the Clippers. They’re good, but they are not Golden State-nor-San Antonio good. They have their big three, Blake Griffin-Chris Paul-DeAndre Jordan, and those three have their contracts. But there’s nothing else there.

And for another post season coming up, they won’t likely get out of the Western Conference playoffs. New ownership has stabilized everything, and they are better than the Lakers, but they are not elite.

It makes you wonder if ownership is capped-tapped out. Or if Doc Rivers may not be the bold GM-Coach they really need to get the job done.

Till they can do something bold, to add to what they have, they will never see the month of June in the postseason

-0-0-0-0

Click here

“Thursday Thought”

-0-

Chargers….They can talk about NFL free agency all they want…but they don’t have much cap space once the bidding opens up on March 9th right after the NFL combines in Indianapolis. The Chargers have 19-veteran free agents to deal with and have just 23M-cap space looking towards 2017.

Chargers…How do you spend your money? Melvin Ingram is not a franchise tagged linebacker, not with the tag worth (14M). The Bolts must also re-sign Jahleel Addae, Danny Woodhead, Manti Te’o amongst others. And if you take care of your own, how do you go out and get players from other clubs. Hard to believe, as wretched as the Chargers have been, they hardly have any cap space to improve the roster.

Chargers..Who stays-who goes….They have a ton of money tied up in the offensive line, the group that is always hurt. King Dunlap is due nearly 6M next year. Ditto for Orlando Franklin. DJ Fluker has an 8.8M- cap figure. Maybe you restructure some of those deals, but that’s an awful lot of money for a group that got its quarterback pounded last year.

Chargers…A choked up Philip Rivers, speaking from the hear he always wears on his sleeve, saying “I’ll always be a San Diego Charger” brought him a standing ovation. Most honest player-person we have had here representing a team, this side of Tony Gwynn. Sure is beloved, unlike the coward owner Dean Spanos.

Charges…The coach says he feels so good about the experience his staff has….Gus Bradley and Ken Whisenhunt bring 11-combined years of head coaching eperience to Anthony Lynn’s staff…all well and good till you release Bradley was (14-48) in Jacksonville…and Whisenhunt got dumped after his Titans went (3-23)….that’s not much of a calling card for success is it?

Padres…What a traffic jam, fighting for spots in the starting rotation. Don’t understand the statement that if Luis Perdomo is not in the rotation on opening day, he goes to El Paso. How could he not be in the opening day rotation?

Padres..No traffic jam.in the bullpen, just waiting for them to define roles. Carter Capps could be the steal of the year, if he can recapture his his health. That was nasty101mph gas he was throwing out of the bullpen with Washington before he had elbow surgery. He, Brad Hand, Brandon Mauer, that’s a pretty good start to a back end of the pitching staff. Now about those starters.

Aztecs…Hard to believe what has happened to former SDSU football coaches. Brady Hoke heads to Tennessee as Defensive line coach, this after one horrid year as defensive coordinator at Oregon. He was hired by the Ducks after getting fired as Michigan head coach. Tough news out of Tennessee also, where former Aztecs defensive line coach Osia Lewis has left the Vanderbilt staff for treatment of liver cancer. And Kevin O’Connell, who wanted into coaching, is now on his 3rd job in three years, going to the 49ers, Browns and now as QB-coach with the Redskins.

USD…Interesting basketball matchup tonight when the Torerors hosts #1-ranked Gonzaga, the ones with a (28-0) record atop the college polls. I know USD’s new incoming AD, Bill McGillis, said his goal was to build Toreros basketball into a West Coast Conference power, but the 3-worst losses in USD history have come the last couple of years against the Zags, St-Mary’s and BYU. Lots of work to be done at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.

Aztecs…They were playing complete basketball right now after an awful start, till last night, then another setback loss at home to Frenso State…Ice cold from the floor, and it wipes out some of the good feelings you have heading towards the conference tourney….The struggles this year, it has more to do with health than anything else. Getting shooting forward Malik Pope back on the floor healthy is huge. The same for getting Zy Cheatem back at forward for valuable mnutes. Not much of a contirbution from Teke Caesar-Gill. Of course the challenge will be to put together strong outings on the road in the MWC-tourney in two weeks. But at least they have some firepower now, and they are playing much better team defense.

Gulls…Roaring from 7th place to 2nd place has been impressive. More impressive, the Gulls of Dallas Eakins have done this with a turnstile at the dressing room door. They have now gone thru 42-players this season so far. That’s alot of turnover, and yet, new faces most every night, they are (17-3-1) since Christmas week. Of course they are trying to chase down the San Jose Barracudas, who had an 11-game win streak while the Gulls were rolling. The 2-NHL goalies, Dustin Tokarski and Jhonas Enroth have carried a strong workload.