Fair-weather fans of the world unite! A note your way cometh.
…
Someone please send out a memo to our dear friend and colleague,
Joe Scott. It appears he has yet to grasp the fact that a team with
no history, no height and no visible talent can start to put
together an 11-game winning streak against quality teams and start
the season 4-0 in conference play. We would call this resurgence in
Air Force hoops, but shouldn’t there be a surgence before there is
a resurgence? We’re not blowing smoke here ladies and gents, since
becoming part of the now defunct Western Athletic Conference in the
1980-81 college hoops season, the Falcons have never had a winning
conference record. In fact, the best our neighbors to the south
have ever finished in conference play (Mountain West included) was
6-10 in 1988-89. That was also the last season Air Force finished
with a non-losing record (14-14). Their secret? Try an offense so
slow and deliberate that it puts opposing players and fans to
sleep, a group of smart players who can execute such an offense and
a team-first attitude. The team now sits at 13-2 and is two
conference wins shy of matching their school-record six conference
wins, but before we start up the band at Clune Arena, let’s keep in
mind this is Air Force. They may be off to a good start now, but as
soon as those 3s stop dropping and opposing teams start taking Jolt
in place of their Gatorade, things will change. They have to, don’t
they? …
Staying in the MWC our focus now turns to Moby Arena and the
impending Border War with the ‘Pokes of Wyoming. Watching Matt
Nelson limp to the training room Thursday night was painful, yet
our confidence is with the Rams even if the 7-foot junior won’t be.
The reason is simple: for to long the Rams have fallen just short
of defeating the ‘Pokes in the regular season. Last season it was
poor free throw shooting that caused a nail-biting 77-79 loss at
home and a late-game collapse that led to a 60-62 loss in Laramie.
Most of the roster remembers those losses and head coach Dale Layer
and his boys will not let it happen again. Count on J-Rack (Jon
Rackieki), D-Boat (Dwight Boatner), the leaping legend (Micheal
Morris) and the Big Sho (Shelton Johnson) taking Wyoming guard Jay
Straight and company out of their game and coming up with a big
win. … Speaking of Nelson it’s unfortunate he goes through what
he does. When asked how his knee felt the center responded: “It
hurts like hell.” Wincing and wobbling in and out of the training
room is not the way Nelly should be remembered after his tenure
here is done. Here’s hoping a happy, healthy end looms for No. 54.
…
Beyonc� Knowles singing the National Anthem; Janet
Jackson, P-Diddy, Kid Rock and Nelly lip singing at halftime; the
Budweiser twins and the Cat Fight girls; $2.25 million commercials
and a $20 pay-per-view Lingerie Bowl; oh yeah, there might be a
game this week in Houston as well. … The biggest difference
between Super Bowl I and Super Bowl XXXVIII? The outcome of the
game actually mattered.