Month: February 2018

Game Recap: Pope returns, Aztecs beat Boise State

The lifting of Malik Pope’s quasi-suspension on Tuesday probably did not change a lot in the grand scheme of things. The San Diego State men’s basketball team is still a long shot to win the Mountain West Conference Tournament (though certainly not as hopeless a long shot as before). It remains out of NCAA at-large contention. It probably isn’t going to make the NIT field, either.

But Brian Dutcher’s decision to reinstate Pope after the conclusion of the program’s internal investigation into the star senior’s borrowing habits did this much: It breathed needed life into Viejas Arena and created a fun, memorable Tuesday night in late February.

And you know, what? I’ll take that.

Continue reading “Game Recap: Pope returns, Aztecs beat Boise State”

Malik Pope reinstated, will play tonight against Boise State

Ecstatic throngs gathered on Campanile Walkway in celebration.

A raucous cheer went up among devout partisans today as a plume of white smoke rose from Hardy tower, signaling that San Diego State’s internal investigation conclave had reached a decision on provisionally-suspended senior forward Malik Pope. Praise the powers that be, for he is risen reinstated!

Continue reading “Malik Pope reinstated, will play tonight against Boise State”

Game Recap: Aztecs, minus Malik, beat San Jose State

Winners_Dont_Use_Drugs

San Diego State men’s basketball took a wobbly first step into the post Malone post-Malik era on Saturday night — an era the program has ushered in by choice.

Tonight, up in Eugene, Ore., a player mentioned by his coach on a dang FBI wiretap as the recipient of a hundred grand was cleared to play by the University of Arizona.

Tonight, at Event Center at San José State University, a player whose name appeared next to a $1,400 loan on a sports agency’s balance sheet wasn’t even allowed to make the trip.

What a world.

Yeah. We hear you, Max. We hear you.

Continue reading “Game Recap: Aztecs, minus Malik, beat San Jose State”

Malik Pope’s name just showed up on a sports agency’s ledger sheet wheeeeeeeeeee!

On Friday morning, Yahoo Sports dropped the latest in its series of explosive reports on the big-time college basketball dumpsterfire. The report showed a ledger sheet from the sports agency ASM, dated Dec. 31, 2015, showing a list of loans made to student athletes and …

Hey I know that name!

Huh. Well would you look at that.

Continue reading “Malik Pope’s name just showed up on a sports agency’s ledger sheet wheeeeeeeeeee!”

Game Recap: Aztecs cruise past Air Force and everything is great

Traveling Blood Jersey is always ready.

Self-help guru Tony Robbins said — in an ad I saw during the Olympics — “Progress is happiness.” That’s really the key to the three-game win streak the San Diego State men’s basketball team is riding. After a sloppy first half the Aztecs tuned in, turned on and dropped a 67-56 defeat on Air Force in Colorado Springs. Dwell in bliss.

SDSU is healthy, playing with energy, defending hard, throwing alley-oop lobs and generally bossing their mediocre conference opponents as the gods intended. From their recent depths of despair it’s real progress, a promising path to happiness. Robbins, Ram Dass and James Naismith himself would be proud. I’m ready to walk across hot coals for these guys.

Continue reading “Game Recap: Aztecs cruise past Air Force and everything is great”