Miners quarterback Jordan Palmer tossed four interceptions but did just enough to help UTEP earn a 34-27 win over San Diego State. Starting Aztecs quarterback Kevin O'Connell was sidelined with a thumb injury in the third quarter, but San Diego State actually mounted its comeback behind backup Darren Mougey. The Miners need some work but appears strong. San Diego State looks like it still has scary-good talent and a coach who may be able to do a few things with that talent.

Posted by ilimon at 11:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Hal Mumme collected his first win at New Mexico State, with the Aggies earning a 30-15 home win over Southeastern Louisiana. Meanwhile UTEP is up 27-10 over San Diego State late in the third quarter. Aztecs quarterback Kevin O'Connell left with a thumb injury, but it appears San Diego State is mounting a rally.

Getting back to the Aggies. I don't want to be an NMSU hater, but does this really break the Aggies' 13-game losing streak if the win came against a Division I-AA opponent? I say you take what you can get, but I don't think you can feel like the monkey's really off your back until you actually beat a Division I team. What do you think?

Posted by ilimon at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The Mountain will hit the airwaves Friday at 7 p.m. It will kick off with a short introductory video ... "Video Killed the Radio Star" anyone? Probably not. This isn't MTV. But the network is marking this occassion with a video that will introduce the network and anchors Courtney George and Marius Payton. George and Payton then will host their new show, "The Mountain View." It will preview the Mountain West Conference football team's upcoming matchups. The network will then air a replay of Thursday night's UTEP-San Diego State, which originally airs on CSTV. For more details, visit the Mountain's Web site.

I'm looking forward to tracking two games tonight. First, the Miners taking on San Diego State on CSTV. I'm picking UTEP to win, but we'll see what happens. Then we've got New Mexico State playing Southeastern Louisiana State in Las Cruces. The Aggies are hoping to snap a demoralizing 13-game losing streak tonight. You can watch the game streamed live on the Western Athletic Conference. And yea, I might be taking a peak at the Cowboys game.

No injuries to report today, and the Lobos are set to go through their walk-through Friday. Then the travel squad hits the team hotel to separate itself from any possible distractions.

Be sure to check out Friday's Tribune for our first print edition of Lobo Zone. It's loaded with great news and notes, with everything you could possibly need to follow the Lobos. We'll also have lots more audio components on www.lobozone.com.

Posted by ilimon at 06:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I wrote my big UNM football season preview for today's Tribune, including capsules on the Lobos and every team they face this season. My favorite part of the capsules are the quotes from coach Rocky Long, with his quick take on every team.

We've also got a poll on the same page as my season preview asking fans which team they would like to see the Lobos face for their fourth nonconference game next season. There's also a nice comments section that goes with the poll. I plan on voting for Notre Dame because it would cause bedlam in my family. My older sister went to Notre Dame. I went to New Mexico. All we need is a line in the sand, and we're set.

I also took a look at the contracts for the Lobos' four nonconference games. UNM is paying $500,000 to host three nonconference home games, but two of those are a wash because they are the return trip on home-and-home contracts.

Today the Linz takes on UNM's no re-entry policy, tossing in as many one-liners as he can jam into one column. If you'd like to actually read a news story about the policy, you can check out the one I wrote on Aug. 19.

We don't normally post our briefs section, but there were a few more news items there as well. Colorado State running back Kyle Bell tore his ACL in Tuesday night's practice. Bell, a junior, was the Rams' top returning player on offense and the preseason pick for Mountain West Conference offensive player of the year. In my opinion, this does change the forecast a little when the Lobos visit Colorado State. Bell was such a key part of Colorado State's offense, it's comparable to last year's New Mexico team losing DonTrell Moore.

That's all for now. More after practice.

Posted by ilimon at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sorry for the delayed post-practice update, but I've been tied up working on stuff for Thursday and Friday's paper. The print version of Lobo Zone will appear in Friday's Tribune, and I think it's got tons of awesome stuff. We also have great things lined up for the Web Friday. It's wall-to-wall Lobos.

The Mountain West Conference announced the latest cable providers adding the Mountain to their channel lineup. It's good news for fans in Wyoming and Idaho, which now can get the Mountain via digital cable. The luckiest Mountain West Conference fans are in Utah. They get to see the Mountain on basic cable instead of paying up for digital. The Mountain West Conference Web site will be regularly updating cable providers and channel locations. And I'm told more news could come on TV deals by Saturday's kickoff.

As for today's practice report, I thought the team looked a little sloppy. As the cliche goes, this team is tired of tackling each other. So how do I measure sloppiness? Dropped balls, missed tackles, missing holes on running plays, etc. Coach Rocky Long, however, said the team looked fine to him. I asked if they're ready to play, and he said you're guess is as good as mine. I was talking to Matt Quillen's dad, and he said he can tell it's close to game day because Matt is talking less and less. Apparently he is almost mute on game day and all fired up on the field.

That's all I've got for tonight because it's been a mega busy day. Check out Thursday's Trib for ... yea, more Lobo football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 09:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

It's been a busy news day, but that's the way it goes on the countdown to kickoff.

A few news items before I slip out to practice:

The Santa Fe New Mexican is reporting St. Michael's quarterback Kevin Chavez tore his ACL and will be out for the football season. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the story posted on the paper's free Web site. Chavez orally committed to play football and baseball at UNM. The coaches, as usual for the Lobos, are planning to honor their scholarship offer. Chavez hopes to be back by the baseball season.

In addition to our loads of audio, I wrote an update on the push to get the Mountain added to more cable and satellite channel lineups. I was hoping the Mountain West would have updated its Web site with the news Commissioner Craig Thompson promised during the league's weekly teleconference, but it hasn't been updated yet and practice beckons. I did get a call from Bresnan Communications informing me they have good news to report and the news release is on its way. I think it's safe to say that's good news for Wyoming fans, who covered by Bresnan and now should be able to follow the Cowboys on the Mountain. Now they just need the Mountain to agree to broadcast a few more of their games and they'll be set.

No news on the satellite front. I've heard tons of rumors from fans who have been promised by DirecTV folks that it's gonna happen, but nothing official has come down yet. Thompson has DirecTV at home, and he said he may have to go to a friend's house to watch the opening weekend games if no deal is made. Doesn't sound so good to me, but we all could be surprised in the next few days.

The Lobos scored Kansas State transfer Mitch Straub. He was at practice Tuesday and will be available to play defensive end next season. One correction to my story, which I'll try to have fixed on the Web site as soon as possible. Straub is from Waterloo, Neb., not Kansas.

And if you haven't read it, go visit the Linz's blog. I know he doesn't need a plug, but it's good stuff. Or at least good for a laugh.

That's all for now. More after practice ...

Posted by ilimon at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

New Mexico Bowl officials held a press conference today to unveil its Web site, www.newmexicobowl.com, and announce ticket prices.

The New Mexico Bowl, which is slated to get the second, third or fourth pick from the Mountain West Conference and second or third pick from the Western Athletic Conference, will be played Saturday, Dec. 23, at 2:30 p.m. in University Stadium.

The tickets will cost $30 for premium seats on either sideline and $23 for seating at the north end zone. The bowl is designating the south end zone as a family section, where people can purchase four tickets for $80. Bowl officials also have sent ticket information to UNM and New Mexico State season-ticket holders. If they buy New Mexico Bowl tickets by Oct. 1, then the bowl will give $5 per ticket back to the fan's athletic program.

More to come on this tomorrow.

Posted by ilimon at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've got a few Lobo Zone audio bonuses, which always can be found under the second heading called LoboZone Smartcasts.

First up is an audio interview with starting cornerback Glover Quinn. He answers an array of questions including:
Why did you decide come from Mississippi to New Mexico?
Who would win in a fight between Robert Turner and Michael Tuohy?
Which Lobo football coach yells the loudest during practice?

We'll be doing audio interviews with Lobo football players every week. If you would like to request a Lobo to be interviewed or suggest questions, simply post them on the comments section.

Next we've got coach Rocky Long's full question and answer session with print, radio and Internet reporters during his weekly media luncheon. The audio starts out with Mike Roberts asking whether Long has a statement, which has become a tradition at every media lunch. Long usually doesn't have one, but this time he sarcastically offered some cliches. It was pretty funny.

We'll post audio from the media lunch every week as well, so keep checking back for more audio extras.

Posted by ilimon at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Coach Rocky Long is nudging his team psychologically.

He ordered Portland State T-shirts and hats for all of the Lobos' equipment managers, and they wore the gear to practice today. The goal? "I wanted to remind everyone that this is game week," Long said. "It's not really for extra motivation, it's just to help everyone stay focused. Sometimes when they've been working out for three weeks after not playing anyone, they can get a little complacent. This is supposed to help snap them out of that." Long said he isn't sure if he will be doing this for every opponent, but he decided during the summer he would be doing it this week for Portland State. "It just sort of came to me, and I planned on it for this game," he said.

The Lobos had a spirited practice, and once again escaped with no major injuries. I still see a few dropped passes by the receivers or catches where they bobble the ball that could have been knocked out of their hands if the defensive back had been in the right spot. Third or fourth string quarterback Bryan Clampitt shined when he led the scout team today, picking apart the Lobos' secondary. As previously mentioned, the scout team seems to pushing the Lobos more than in the past. This either bodes well for the future or will be a problem on game day.

The Lobos still tend to close practice with a series of drills on defense, typically modified version of the championship series drills designed to be entertaining while physically taxing. I trailed the linebackers today led by defensive coordinator Osia Lewis and defensive line coach Lenny Rodriguez. The first drill called for two players to lay down on their stomachs and chase the football, then craddle. For those who don't know, that means tuck the ball in your arms and curl up in the fetal position so that no one can take it away no matter how many bodies pile on top of you. Some players attempted shortcuts like grabbing the ball and running into the end zone or just landing on the ball. Lewis and Rodriguez made them repeat the drill, shouting at the already exhausted players to do it right. Rodriguez may be one of the best trash talkers on the coaching staff. He needled former La Cueva standout Zach Arnett, who had to redo the drill, saying, "Yea and La Cueva should have gotten beat by Los Lunas because they played just like that. Los Lunas!"

I was talking with Mike Roberts today at practice, and he asked me to pick the starting running back. As we all know, the Lobos' three running backs are all in log-jam for the top job and will share the job of replacing all-everything former Lobo DonTrell Moore. I went with Rodney Ferguson, followed closely by Matelius Epps and Paul Baker. I think Rodney could land a slightly bigger slice of the playing time divided among the players if he makes the most of his opportunities. What do you think?

That's all for tonight because I have to polish off some stories for Wednesday's Trib. We're also posting an audio interview with Glover Quin Wednesday morning on Lobo Zone, so be sure and check that out. And don't forget to post your questions on the Ask the Coach section because it's about time for me start posing those questions to the coaches and collecting their answers.

Posted by ilimon at 06:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson has said the biggest deals with cable and satellite providers adding the Mountain could come in the 11th hour. The Mountain is the new network launched by CSTV and Comcast devoted to the Mountain West Conference, but it is on available via Comcast in New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.

We're inching awfully close to the 11th hour with the Mountain launching Friday and games airing Saturday, but Thompson said during a teleconference today at least four more cable providers have made deals to carry the Mountain. He said they will be announced Wednesday at 3 p.m. on the Mountain West Conference Web site and the Mountain's site.

Thompson didn't have a timeline for a possible deal with DirecTV or Dish Network, the country's two largest satellite providers. He did say both companies have offers in front of them, but they have the prices they expect to be paid to add the channel and it may take awhile to reach an agreement.

I'll update the blog as soon as we get more information. Now it's off to football practice ...

Posted by ilimon at 02:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Army officially is the quickest team out of the gate earning a bowl invitation this season. Army and Poinsettia Bowl officials announced the Black Knights will face a Mountain West Conference team in the Poinsettia Bowl based in San Diego if Army earns six wins needed to be bowl eligible. Those six wins may be a major hurdle for Army, which hasn't been bowl eligible since 1996.Here's the Associated Press story on the bowl agreement via espn.com.

The Mountain West Conference has fared well against Navy, dropping both bowl games against the Middies the past two seasons. Will Army be any easier? Is this good for the Mountain West Conference and the Lobos?

Posted by ilimon at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I took a quick break from wall-to-wall football to get an update on the women's basketball. Former Trib writer Bill Naegle penned an interesting piece for Wolf-bytes, so I have to give him credit for tipping me off to more NCAA rule changes impacting the women's basketball team. My story also includes some updates on players and on the staff changes under way.

I think freshman point guard Amy Beggin may have the biggest immediate impact on the court this season, but it seems freshman center Valerie Kast is turning the most heads. Kast, who is hard to miss at 6-foot-6, has impressed a lot of fellow students, athletics department officials and boosters I have talked to during the past two weeks. Beyond her skill and talent, I think it's going to be a tremendous asset for the program that she is so warm, outgoing and comfortable talking with people. She speaks four languages and has a good sense of humor. And coach Don Flanagan also says she's had a good attitude about getting into better condition to play college basketball.

Posted by ilimon at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Today the Trib launched a Web site called Lobozone.com, a really exciting project we've been developing during the summer that is devoted to all things Lobos. We also have a print section, formerly known as Game Day, that runs every Friday before home football games and is packed with new features. It also will be called Lobo Zone.

So what exactly does Lobo Zone offer?

For football, we're providing stories, more frequently blog updates, stats and player profiles. We'll have podcasts twice a week from Richard Stevens and I breaking down games and another podcast featuring a question-and-answer session with a Lobo football player. One of my favorite new features is "Ask the coach," which allows fans to pose questions to any of the UNM football coaches. And it gets even better on game day. We'll have scoring updates, blog updates and postgame stories and, gulp, the Linz's postgame analysis.

The best part about this site is that it isn't limited to Lobo football. We'll have items on all things Lobos and plan to blowout your favorites -- men's and women's basketball -- just as big. Let us know what you think of Lobo Zone. We hope you enjoy this cool new project.

Posted by ilimon at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm taking a quick break from watching Andre Agassi's riveting opening round match at the US Open, which I fear may be the last of his career, to bring you this Lobo football update.

Lots of news from today. It was the first media lunch of the day, which ran slightly different than the account the Linz posted on his blog. Since he addressed the food (and alleged fight), I'll go with news from coach Rocky Long.

Long talked up Portland State big time, as was to be expected. Today I wrote a story about the Vikings, whose roster includes at least 14 Division I transfers and adds a little bit of heft to Long's argument. The Lobos, however, should win this game.

Long talked about just how much he had to tweak his defense this year. In addition to adding a second Lobo, he will be substituting more based on field position and down than on personnel groups. He used to base it heavily on the other team's offensive lineup, but he scrapped that becuase last season the Lobos had at least three bad defensive performances because they were fooled by the opposing team's lineup. He said some teams would use trick formations, while others would illegally let 12 guys linger in the huddle and settle on a lineup moments before the ball was snapped, which did not givve the defense enough time to sub and adjust. The spread offense, which has been used heavily in some form throughout the Mountain West Conference, also seems is based on a lot of trickery that can throw off Long's defense. So, bottom line, Long said he'll settle for sound assignments rather than a physical advantage.

He said he wasn't sure what type of offense Portland State would be running. Coach Tim Walsh, who is an offensive specialist, played for Lobos' offensive coordinator Bob Toledo at U.C.-Riverside and runs Toledo's offense. However, the Vikings just picked up offensive coordinator Jeff Hoover, who runs a completely different style of offense. For what it's worth, Walsh said he was running Toledo's offense and thought his defense would have a pretty good chance of whethering Toledo's attack since it had seen the offense so much before. He's more concerned with Rocky's defensive adjustments, something he is certain his team as never seen before.

And just to get a taste for Walsh's success, here's a look at the assistant coaches who went on to other coaching jobs:
Gary Paterson, TCU head coach, Walsh assistant at Sonoma State
Chris Peterson, Boise State head coach, Portland State assistant
Dan Hawkins, Colorado head coach, Sonoma State assistant
Dan Brown, Fresno State defensive coordinator, Portland State assistant
Nigel Burton, Oregon State cornerbacks coach, Portland State assistant
Jesse Williams, Colorado State defensive line coach, Portland State assistant
Mark Criner, Minnesota linebackers coach, Portland State assistant
Rich Rodgers, Holy Cross defensive line coach, Portland State assistant
Robert Prince, Atlanta Falcons running backs coach, Portland State assistant
Randy Hansen, St. Louis Rams assistant cornerbacks coach, Portland State assistant
Bob Cole, Florida A&M offensive coordinator, Portland State assistant
Brian Harris, Humboldt State offensive coordinator, Portland State assistant
Jaime Hill, BYU secondary coach, Portland State assistant.

Today was a light practice, the kind of brief workout the Lobos would have after a game. It was pretty much a walk-through, with no injuries or other major advances.

I'll do my best to post the audio from the luncheon first thing Tuesday morning at our new Web site, http://www.lobozone.com so that you can listen to what Long had to say. Lots of interesting stuff there, but these were the highlights before I get to work on my story for Tuesday's Trib.

Good night and catch the end of this Agassi match if you can because it's pretty cool.

Posted by ilimon at 09:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

We're starting a new feature in Trib called, "Ask the coach." We're asking readers to pose any questions they have for any of the Lobo football coaches.

Is there something you want to ask Rocky Long, Bob Toledo or any of the other coaches? If so, post it in the comments section of my blog.

We'll publish the answers in our special pregame section of the Trib and online. We'll als o be sure to credit you when asking the coaches your questions. So, fire away.

Posted by ilimon at 01:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Defensive tackle Marcus Parker was cut by the Detroit Lions and offensive lineman Claude Terrell was placed on the injured reserve list by the St. Louis Rams and is expected to miss this season thanks to a wrist injury that won't heal.

Posted by ilimon at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Below you'll find all the rules for attending Lobo football games. The biggest change is the no re-entry rule, which bars fans from entering, leaving and re-entering the stadium. You can read the story I wrote about the new rule back on August 19.

2006 UNIVERSITY STADIUM POLICIES AND INFORMATION

BAG POLICY/SECURITY
Bags of reasonable size (as determined by event staff) will be allowed into the stadium, but all bags will be searched. Fans with bags will be required to enter through a bag check security gate located at each entrance.

Stadium security is located on the concourse level at the north end of the stadium. Security may be contacted by dialing 925-5506.

BANNERS/SIGNS
Banners and signs are allowed inside University Stadium provided they are of reasonable size (as determined by event staff) and contain no advertising, offensive material or language. Signs cannot obstruct the view of other patrons during the game or they will be confiscated.

CAMERAS
Still frame and video cameras are permitted inside the stadium.

CHAIRBACK SEATS
Chairback seats larger than 11" by 18" are not permitted into University Stadium. Fans wishing to bring a chairback seat will be required to have the seat checked at the bag check entrance.

CONCESSIONS
There are five concession stands inside the stadium, four in each corner and one on the north end concourse.

ELEVATORS
There are two elevators on the west side of University Stadium.

FIELD ADMITTANCE
Only team personnel, media and credentialed event management staff are authorized to be on the field before, during or after the game. Anyone going onto the field without proper authorization is subject to expulsion from the stadium and could face prosecution. This also applies to anyone throwing objects onto the field or in the stands.

FIRST AID
Emergency assistance is available on the concourse level at the north end of the stadium or by dialing 925-5506.

FOOD & BEVERAGE
No outside food or drinks - including bottled water - may be brought into the stadium. Fans will be asked to finish, dispose of, or return items to their vehicle. Exceptions will be made for the needs of babies/small children/elderly and fans with medical conditions.

LANGUAGE/SPORTSMANSHIP
Any person using foul or abusive language may be asked to leave the stadium.

LOST AND FOUND
Lost and found is located on the concourse level at the north end of the stadium during games and can be contacted by dialing 925-5506. During the week call the University Police at 277-2241.

LOST CHILDREN
Parents and/or guardians with a lost child should contact the nearest law enforcement officer or event staff member. Lost children will be taken to the police command post at the north end of the stadium.

PARKING
Generally, lots open six hours before kickoff, although some adjustments may be made depending on kickoff time. Lots close 45 minutes after the game. There are more than 4,000 parking spaces surrounding University Stadium, including 117 handicapped spaces. Mobility-impaired parking spaces are located on the west side of the stadium.

PASS GATES
Gate 2 at the southwest corner of the stadium serves as the entry point for all individuals on a pass list.

PROHIBITED ITEMS
The following items will not be allowed into University Stadium:

food, water or beverages of any kind
cans
bottles
alcohol
baby seats
balloons
beach balls
coolers
explosives
fireworks
folding chairs
illegal drugs
laser pointers
artificial noisemaker such as horns, drums, bells, whistles, etc. per Mountain West Conference rules
pets (except service animals assisting those with disabilities)
weapons of any kind
any other item that in the judgement of game management staff poses a safety hazard or detracts from the ability of others to enjoy the event

Prohibited items must be returned to the owner’s vehicle or discarded. Any unlawful items are subject to confiscation, and the person in possession of such items is subject to ejection from the stadium and/or arrest.

RE-ENTRY
Re-entry is not permitted at University Stadium.

PUBLIC ADDRESS
No appeals will be made over the public address system unless exceptional circumstances prevail. Contact security at 925-5506 for more information.

RESTROOMS
There are eight restrooms located throughout the stadium. Men's and women's facilities are located on the southwest, southeast, northwest and northeast corners of the stadium, as well as on the upper concourse level on the west side between the concession stands.

SMOKING
Smoking is allowed only in designated areas inside the stadium.

STUDENT ENTRANCE
Entrance for UNM students and student guests is Gate 9 located at the southeast corner of the stadium. The student ticket entrance closes 5 minutes before the end of the first half.

TICKETS
Season tickets are available through Sept. 15 at the UNM Ticket Office at The Pit and online at www.unmtickets.com. Ticket office hours at The Pit are 8:30-5 Monday through Friday.

Individual game tickets are available:
online at unmtickets.com
by calling 925-5858 or toll-free at 1-877-664-8661
at all Raley's locations in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho
at the ticket office at The Pit
at the UNM Bookstore

For more information call the ticket office at (505) 925-5626. Call (505) 925-5014 about group tickets. For Saturday games, the box office opens at 11 a.m. for 6 p.m. games and 9 a.m. for all games that start at 4 or earlier. Call (505) 925-5626 for more information.

UNM students get in for free, however, there is no advance distribution of tickets. On game day, students must present their ID upon entering the southeast corner of the stadium. Students will receive a general admission ticket at this time.

STROLLERS
Strollers are permitted but must be collapsible and fit under your seat.

WHEELCHAIR SEATING
There are nearly 200 wheelchair spaces in University Stadium. They are located on the upper west concourse level, the east mid-concourse level and at the north end. Wheelchair spaces on the west side of the stadium can be reached by the elevator just west of the press box. Spaces on the north side are on ground level. Tickets are available by contacting the ticket office at 925-5626.

WILL CALL
Located at the northeast corner of the stadium for the general public, player guests, high school coaches and visiting teams.

University Stadium Parking Lot Policies - Football Game Day

All rules and regulations are subject to change. UNM Police and officials reserve the right to enforce these policies at their discretion.

The UNM Athletics Department attempts to accentuate the pageantry of college football by providing a wholesome atmosphere for fans of all ages. We appreciate your cooperation and adherence to these policies. Please contact the UNM Athletics Department at 925-5014 for additional information and approvals.

ADVERTISING
No advertising vehicles or signs will be allowed unless approved in advance by the UNM Athletics Department. UNM athletics officials and security have the right to remove any signage from the parking lots.

ALCOHOL
Individuals of legal drinking age - 21 or older - who have a ticket to the game that day may consume alcoholic beverages in the parking lots in accordance with University policy. Consumption of alcohol by minors is illegal. In addition, it is illegal to provide alcohol to minors.

CONTAINERS
No glass containers, party balls, kegs, beer bongs, funnels or other mass-consumption devices are permitted on University property. No alcohol, outside food or drink may be brought into the stadium.

DRINKING AND DRIVING
The University of New Mexico Athletics Department reminds all fans to not drink and drive. Please choose a designated driver before you consume any alcoholic beverage.

HANDICAPPED PARKING
Handicapped parking is located in many lots around the stadium. Overflow spots are located on the south end of the Kachina Lot on the west side of the stadium.

HOURS
The parking lots open six hours prior to kickoff and must be cleared starting 45 minutes after the game.

NOISE
No live bands, public address systems or excessively loud stereo systems are permitted unless contracted through the UNM Athletics Department.

NOVELTY STANDS
No apparel, souvenirs, food or beverage are to be sold in the parking lots unless contracted through the UNM Athletics Department.

PARKING
Vehicles must park consistent with lane markings.

RV PARKING
RV parking is available in any open lot except for the Tailgate 2 Lot. Open lots are Manzano, Vista, Pueblo, Mesa, Rio Grande and the east lot at Isotopes Stadium when there are no baseball conflicts.

TAILGATING HOURS
Fans are asked to begin entering the stadium at least 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited inside the stadium. All tailgating activities must be concluded by the start of the game and are not allowed to resume at halftime or post-game. Any loitering or consumption of alcohol in the parking lots after the start of the game is a violation of University policy.

Posted by ilimon at 01:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lobos vs. Vikings starts Saturday September 2, 2006 6:30 p.m.

Check back here for Game Day coverage.

Posted by pmastio at 06:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's finally game week and a good time to start talking about Portland State.

The Vikings are a Division I-AA school that actually has a larger student population than Oregon and Oregon State. Coach Tim Walsh has been a strong recruiter and pushed the school to make the leap from Division II to Division I-AA back in 1996 without the benefit of any scholarships.

This season Portland State could be dubbed Transfer U, with 14 Division I transfers on the roster. At least seven of those, who come from big-name schools such as Miami, Oregon, Oregon State and Washington, are projected starters. Four of the transfers have played the Lobos before -- Tremayne Kirkland, a wide receiver who left UNLV; Adam Hayward, a linebacker who left Colorado State; Mu'Ammar Ali, a running back who left New Mexico State; and Todd Walker, a kicker who also left New Mexico State.

I talked to Kirkland, Hayward and Ali about the game. They all said they were telling teammates to be prepared for the Lobos to be tough and never give up on plays. The players also tried to warn their teammates to expect a large, hostile crowd.

In in a bit of trivia, Long isn't completely unfamiliar with Portland State. One of his daughters, Hannah, played basketball and volleyball at Portland State. She is now the head women's volleyball coach at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.

Check out Monday's Trib for more Lobo football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 05:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Former Lobo Hank Baskett, who has been a star at the Philadelphia Eagles training camp, survived the team's latest cut. The Eagles cut 11 players Saturday, including three wide receivers. Philadelphia was loaded at wide out, but Baskett's affable personality, work ethic, bond with starting quarterback Donovan McNabb and his ability to leap for some breathtaking catches have helped stay on the Eagles' roster. Philadelphia has to cut four more players before the season kicks off, but Baskett appears set to make it to his NFL rookie season the hard way. Baskett was not selected in the 2006 NFL Draft, but he signed an unrestricted free-agent contract with the Minnesota Vikings. The Eagles traded a veteran player for Baskett, and he has been turning heads ever since.

Posted by ilimon at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As I mentioned yesterday, the Lobos went through a scripted two-hour practice Saturday designed to simulate a game. What I didn't realize was that the coaches planned to put a heavy burden on the scout team, making the true freshmen and scrubs go up against the travel squad. Coach Rocky Long was prepared for a kind of ugly mismatch that would have only emphasized proper position and assignment work. Turns out you shouldn't underestimate the Lobos' scout team. It's pretty rare for the scout team to see this much action in a scrimmage, and the players were pumped.

"I was pleasantly surprised," Long said. "The scout team was really flying around out there and really making some tackles. It was a really good practice for us." It was especially beneficial with the scout team running what the Lobos hope are Portland State's schemes. So is this scout teams stronger than previous groups? "I don't think it has anything to do with strength or talent, it's all heart," Long said. "All today proves is that football players really want to play, and they don't care whose plays they are running."

Two true freshmen have landed coveted spots on the travel squad and are slated to play this season. Kendall Briscoe, who is 6-foot-2 and 275 pounds, switched from nose tackle to right end and vaulted onto the travel squad when Kevin Balogun tore his Achilles tendon. Frankie Solomon, who is 5-foot-9 and weighs 166 pounds, will be the backup right safety behind Othellus "O.J." Swift. Solomon has impressed coaches all through fall practices. He's fast and has more than compensated for his size. Voice of the Lobos Mike Roberts questions whether Solomon really is 5-9. I'm not sure myself, but he seems to be holding his own just fine out on the practice fields. Both Briscoe and Solomon, coincidentally, hail from Dallas.

The final depth chart appears to be set barring any indiscretions or injuries during the week leading up to Portland State. The most interesting adjustment beyond the addition of the two true freshmen is redshirt freshman Daryl Jones stepping up as a backup wide receiver. Jones has had a strong fall camp, made the travel squad and should see some action on game day.

Here's the latest, and most likely final, version of the Lobos' depth chart. In several cases the coaches just listed "or" in spots where the competition was too close to call. In those instances, expect the starter and backup (or backups in the case of the running backs) to split playing time fairly evenly.

OFFENSE
WR 81 Travis Brown 6-3 189 Jr-2L
89 Thomas Wilson 6-1 180 Sr-1L
3 Jason Caprioli 6-0 174 So-1L

WR 4 Marcus Smith 6-2 212 Jr-2L
88 Daryl Jones 6-4 200 Fr-RS

TE 83 John Mulchrone 6-4 238 Sr-1L
87 Clayton Cardenas 6-3 250 Jr-Tr
85 Chris Mark 6-5 256 So-HS
98 Luke Walters 6-3 227 Fr-RS

LT 75 Anthony Kilby 6-4 331 Jr-1L
70 Devin Clark 6-4 320 Jr-Tr

LG 64 Bo Greer 6-3 322 Sr-1L
63 Matt Streid 6-3 304 Jr-Tr
C 66 Vince Natali 6-2 301 Jr-2L
69 Erik Cook 6-5 307 Fr-RS

RG 74 Patrick Hodges 6-4 287 Sr-3L
77 Bart Miller 6-4 296 Jr-HS

RT 59 Robert Turner 6-4 308 Sr-3L
71 Brian Ramsay 6-8 295 Jr-RS

QB 12 Kole McKamey 6-2 207 Sr-3L
5 Chris Nelson 6-4 220 Sr-1L

FB 31 Matt Quillen 6-0 261 So-1L
40 Yimin Bauman 6-0 235 Sr-HS

TB 8 Martelius Epps 5-10 186 Jr-2L
or 32 Paul Baker 5-8 187 So-HS
or 21 Rodney Ferguson 6-0 226 So-1L

DEFENSE
LE 41 Michael Tuohy 6-2 249 Jr-2L
62 Phillip Harrison 6-4 260 Fr-RS

NT 55 Tyler Donaldson 6-4 237 Jr-RS
60 Billy Brittain 6-1 248 Sr-3L

RE 57 Stephen Hutchison 6-3 245 Jr-2L
73 Jeremiah Lovato 6-2 251 So-HS
53 Kendall Briscoe 6-2 275 Fr-HS

LLB 47 Cody Kase 6-2 212 Jr-2L
50 Herbert Felder 6-1 230 So-1L

RLB 46 George Carter 6-3 228 Jr-2L
or 49 Zach Arnett 5-11 200 So-1L

L - Lobo 84 Major Mosley 6-3 220 Jr-2L
35 Jake Bowe 6-1 200 So-1L

R - Lobo 11 Quincy Black 6-3 227 Sr-2L
52 Matthew Campbell 5-11 216 Sr-Tr

LS 9 Tyson Ditmore 6-1 201 Jr-2L
29 Blake Ligon 6-1 179 So-1L

RS 34 OJ Swift 5-9 183 Jr-1L
96 Frankie Solomon 5-9 166 Fr-HS

LCB 19 Glover Quin 5-11 194 So-Tr
26 Frankie Baca 5-11 187 Fr-RS

RCB 2 DeAndre Wright 6-0 183 So-1L
or 30 Ian Clark 6-0 198 Fr-RS

SPECIALISTS
Punter
39 Jordan Scott 6-0 183 Jr-HS
Adam Miller 6-2 212 Fr-RS

FG/PAT/Kickoffs
80 Kenny Byrd 6-0 171 Sr-3L
Eric Garrison 6-1 192 Jr-HS

Deep Snapper
54 Jon O'Brien 6-2 227 Jr-2L

Holder
14 Bryan Clampitt 6-4 225 Jr-1L
97 Curtis Pino 6-3 242 Sr-2L

Kick Return
2 DeAndre Wright 6-0 183 So-1L
4 Marcus Smith 6-2 212 Jr-2L
32 Paul Baker 5-8 187 So-HS

Punt Return
89 Thomas Wilson 6-1 180 Sr-1L
32 Paul Baker 5-8 187 So-HS

I also had an article in today's Trib about the field conditions at University Stadium. The UNM grounds crew has been babying the field, but summer rains have made it a really soft surface. That should mean a slower game against Portland State as players try to get their footing.

OK, that's all for now. The players have Sunday off, but I'll still post an afternoon update with a few items from my notebook. Why? Cause I'm sooo dedicated. I bumped this entry to the top for today but don't forget to share your thoughts on my "Ask the coach" poll. It's your chance to pose any question you want to Lobo coaches.

Posted by ilimon at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're about to hit one week for the Lobos' season-opener against Portland State, and football coach Rocky Long is making sure his team is ready.

The travel squad is spending tonight in a hotel, just as it would during game week. "We want to remind them that they need to get focused because we're just a week away from the start of the season," Long said.

On Saturday, the Lobos will go through a fully scripted practice designed to similate a game. The team will go through kickoffs, punts and change of possesion. "The goal is to simulate all the game situations we can in a two-hour practice to make sure we're ready for just about anything," Long said.

For the first time in about a week, the Lobos went through practice without any players nursing significant or minor injuries.

I reported a few weeks ago the KRQE-News 13 will be carrying the Lobos game at NMSU, according to KRQE officials. The Aggies hold the TV rights and it should of been easy, but the station now has gotten official approval from NMSU, Western Athletic Conference, Mountain West Conference, CSTV and Comcast officials. So Mike Powers will be handling play-by-play and Van Tate will be doing color commentary for the only Lobo game available on basic television.

Ruben asked for more details on the indoor practice facility. We won't get to see any of the designs until the architecht is selected, but the UNM officials were initially thinking of building it on the fourth practice field closest to the soccer fields southeast of University Stadium. Now they are leaning more toward building it on the first field directly south of the Tow Diehm Complex and University Stadium. The closer it is to the training and locker rooms, the fewer items will need to be stored in the practice facility, cutting down the cost.

That's all for today. Check out Saturday's Trib for more Lobo football news.

Posted by ilimon at 07:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Moving right along, I've got an update from today's practice.

Although it's bright and sunny out right now, the Lobos were forced inside 25 minutes early due to lightening, a quick but heavy dose of rain and hail. Coach Rocky Long didn't bother trying to do a walk-through the Tow Diehm patio or in the locker room, giving the guys a break. This is the third time practice has been shortened due to rain, which is surprising considering how much the city has been doused during the summer. "But some people still don't think we need an indoor practice facility, right," Long asked while grinning. The school has received all the proposals for the indoor practice facility and is about to take the next step, selecting an architect.

It could be hard squeezing in practice through the weekend. The National Weather Service is predicting Hurricane Ileana on the Pacific Coast will lead to heavy rain in New Mexico during the weekend. I will be contacting weather service officials later and informing them they have mispelled the name of the hurricane, which obviously should be spelled I-L-I-A-N-A. This rainy coincidence could further fuel rumors I am out to get the Lobos, but I assure all blog readers I cannot control mispelled Ileanas.

The Lobos' depth chart is mostly set, but some interesting things are happening at quarterback. Kole McKamey is still the starter and will be backed up by Chris Nelson. However, Bryan Clampitt and Donovan Porterie are locked in a tie for the third spot, so they will alternate as the scout team quarterback. And for the first time during Long's tenure, four quarterbacks will be on the travel squad. Clampitt is the holder, so he was set to go, and I think the coaches want to keep athletic Porterie available as an option on the road.

There's also good news for Curtis Pino, a St. Pius X grad who had fallen off the depth chart with four talented tight ends stepping up ahead of him. He will be on the travel squad as a backup deep snapper, another first under Long. Of course you want to play in your senior year, but it's a nice reward to at least stay on the travel squad.

And finally, had a story in today's Trib that should make a lot of out-of-towners happy. Thanks to the CSTV deal, KKOB-AM (770) and UNM will be able to provide more coverage of the Lobos via the Internet than ever before.

That's all for now. As always, check out Friday's Trib for more football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

It was a flat out bad day for the UNM offense. During scrimmages in the final hour of practice, the offense turned the ball over seven times,with four of those returned for touchdowns. Six of those turnovers were interceptions tossed by starter Kole McKamey and backups Chris Nelson, Bryan Clampitt and Donovan Porterie. McKamey was so frustrated by the turnovers, he chased the guys who intercepted the ball. He dived at one but failed to save a touchdown. He knocked another out of bounds before he scored. Kole also talked up a storm and started two fights. His teammates were quick to defend him and shouted at the defense "you're not supposed to hit the (expletive) quarterback." Ahh, harmony.

Wide receiver Marcus Smith said the skermishes are normal. "Some days the offense gets the upper hand and sometimes the defense has their day. Kole shows everyone you have to go hard all the time," Smith said. "He's supposed to be a no-contact guy, but if you don't hit in practice, how are you going to hit in a game."

Offensive coordinator Bob Toledo met with the offense after practice and opted for encouraging but stern words instead of yelling. That has been his style so far in workouts. He rarely raises his voice, and when he does, he has players' attention. And his tone is usually more shocked or incredulous rather than angry or combative.

Jared Stanford, a sophomore offensive tackle who was supposed to be backing up Anthony Kilby, quit the team this week. Coach Rocky Long said Stanford told him he did the best he could but didn't think he would be able to earn playing time. Junior transfer Devin Clark now takes over as Kilby's backup on the offensive line. Long said Stanford, a walk on from St. Pius X, would stay enrolled at UNM and finish school in his hometown rather than transferring to another school to play football.

I had some interviews early, so I missed the first 40 minutes of practice but I saw no sign of the Red Menace crew. There has been considerable scrutiny of the fan Web site after coaches noticed some detailed formations were shown on videos posted on the site. Several people chose not to write about the Red Menace when I heard about it two days ago. I figured the Internet is hard to wipe clean and cached versions of those formations are still floating around out there for other teams to see if they hadn't stumbled onto them already. I do give Greg Archuleta credit for chasing down a good story. Some people around practice question the site's right to charge for videos taped at practice. Perhaps it can be chalked up to a generation gap, but I never thought much the Red Menace and other Web sites charging for audio and video. It's the type of thing I've seen for years and never thought much of it.

It is a little sad to see the way fan sites have lashed out at Greg and I every chance they get. I work hard, I do the best job I can and I welcome everyone who adds to the discussion. Greg pushes me to be a better reporter and so do all the fan sites. That's good and healthy. I read the Journal and posts on all the message boards because that's my job, and I try not to take the negative things said about me personally. At the same time, you can't expect to trash reporters then demand they fawn over you.

I'm very limited on space this week, so I'll ignore the fact that I've been bashed on the Red Menace boards to remind people they only have a little bit of time left to make donations that will pay for YAFL kids to attend Lobo football games. The Red Menace is trying to send two teams to every home game. It costs $42.00 to pay for a youth single season ticket. To make a donation, e-mail admin@theredmenace.com, call 505-239-4584 or visit www.theredmenace.com. The Red Menace also plans on doing a comparable sale for men's basketball season since UNM is now offering youth tickets.

That's all for today. You can check out Thursday's Tribune for more Lobo football news. We also have some exciting things brewing for our Lobo football game day coverage, so stay tuned.

Posted by ilimon at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (33)

I wrote a story for today's paper about some of the walk ons who where invited to participate in the Lobos fall camp, which is limited to 105 total players. Lobo fans have to love Sina Shabazz's story and his decision to spurn the Aggies in favor of UNM. This week the Lobos are allowed to expand to as many players as it wants to have around. In addition to the eight or nine players at camp, the Lobos have a total of 30 walk ons joining the team this year. The new guys will go through physicals and spend a week with strength and conditioning coaches to make sure they can handle scout team contact. It will take about two weeks for us to get our first glimpse of the new Rudys.

The Lobos had a so-so day, with the defense getting yelled out early for its miscues. The team stepped it up at the end up practice, with Herbert Felder and Frankie Baca collecting interceptions in red zone coverage. The receivers dropped numerous passes, while starting quarterback Kole McKamey and backup Chris Nelson had some errant throws. Overall, it seems the team is progressing but it can be very hard to tell when players have an off day or already have adjusted to their teammates as competition.

Check out Wednesday's Tribune for more on the Lobos.

Posted by ilimon at 07:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was a light practice Monday tonight in every sense.

UNM coach Rocky Long imposed new restrictions barring visitors who were not on a media relations pass list from attending practice and restricted video and photo equipment to the first 15 minutes of workouts. Long said he wants to keep the Lobos' strategy under wraps for the first few games.

New Mexico isn't the only school restricting access to workouts. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier closed all practices last week, blaming representatives from Internet fan sites for posting too much detailed information about his team's strategies.

UNM enforced the rule changes by closing the gates to the practice fields and turning away a few visitors who were not on the pass list. The Trib, Journal and Mike Roberts of 770-KKOB were the only visitors at practice, considerably fewer visitors who normally attend practice.

Monday night's workout was limited to light drills, which will be comparable to their first post-game workouts of the week to be held on Mondays.

Check out Tuesday's Tribune for more football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The Lobos are going all Steve Spurrier on us. Well, not quite, but there are some new restrictions for attending UNM football practice. Here's the news release just issued by Greg Remington, associate athletics director for media relations:

Beginning today (Aug. 21), photographers (print and electronic) will be limited to shooting the first 15 minutes of practice. All photographers must first check in with Greg, Alfredo or Brook on the practice field before shooting. Interviews can still be conducted before or after practice.

Additionally, practice will be open only to accredited media who have been cleared through the UNM Media Relations office and to patrons of the program who are on a pass list.

"We really appreciate the fans that support us and want to attend practice, and the media that covers the team," said head coach Rocky Long. "We just want to know who is attending our practices especially as the start of the season gets closer."

So what do you think? Good idea to protect those trick plays or does it hurt the Lobos' we're-friendly-to-everyone-so-come-watch-practice image?

Posted by ilimon at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Richard Stevens wrote a column for today's Trib about the marked improvement of Rodney Ferguson, who is one of three guys fighting to replace DonTrell Moore. At this point, I think it's safe to say the Lobos will be using a three-back rotation of Ferguson, Martelius Epps and Paul Baker.

But, who will actually get to start?

My guess is it will go like this: 1) Ferguson, 2) Epps and 3) Baker.

What do you think, and what order would you put them in if you were running the team? Does it matter which order they go in, and do you think one will emerge with more playing time by the start of Mountain West Conference play?

Posted by ilimon at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I wrote a story for Saturday's Trib about UNM's new no re-entry rule for Lobo football games. Once you're in the stadium, you can't leave and go back in again. The school says it's to enhance security.

I think it's pretty hard to screen people lots of times coming in and out of the stadium. I also think they had some problems with people popping back out to the tailgating lots, enjoying a little more alcohol than they should and behaving not so nicely to other fans and people who live near the tailgate lots.

What do you think of the rule change? Were you used to taking a stroll back to the tailgate lots during halftime or when the Lobos weren't faring so well? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Posted by ilimon at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Some coaches never swear, but oh so many indulge in some of the most colorful language this side of HBO's Deadwood. As a female sports reporter, I know I've been accepted by male coaches when they're williing to drop a few f-bombs around me. It's nice to know they aren't censoring themselves anymore. Some people hate this side of sports, but it's undeniably the type of juicy fun that totally belongs on blogs.

So, at the suggestion of ex-Trib reporter Jeff Carlton, I offer nominees for the King of Cursing. Why no queen title? Cause I couldn't think of any female nominees, a sad oversight I hope my readers can correct. Vote in the comments section with all the write-in candidates you can imagine. I do love my blog, so PLEASE do not get me in trouble by offering examples of the best tirades. No cursing. No curse words. Don't ruin it for the rest of us and make me delete this blog entry.

The nominees:

Fran Fraschilla, former Lobo men's basketball coach: Fraschilla lived up to his New York resume with some truly impressive adjectives. Some coaches use their command of foul language for good, while for others it's simply a sign of the wheels coming off. Too bad for the Lobos and Fraschilla, by his second year it was the later. He was quite the spectacle but once wrote in column for ESPN.com he lost his job at UNM due to illness -- "they were sick of me, and I was sick of them."

Rudy Davalos, former UNM AD: Rudy's most famous line among Trib reporters was "What the hell are you calling me for?" Amusing considering we only called him about things actually related to the Lobos. He had some colorful tirades, but there's no denying he helped UNM athletics grow. We just won't mention Lobo men's basketball ticket prices, which is guaranteed to make Rudy unload again.

Dean Treanor, Isotopes manager: Carlton and recently departed intern Justin Coons nominated Treanor, and I couldn't agree more. He does have an amazing ability to combine the word monkey and curse words to describe mistakes. Sadly for Treanor, he's been forced to call on his arsenal a lot this season when discussing the last-place 'Topes.

Rocky Long, UNM head football coach: I tread lightly here, since this is one of my beats, but Rocky has been known to lay into his players when their effort is subpar. He told me would really like to shout things that might be helpful in correcting problems, but sometimes he gets so darn mad he reverts to the same five words. None can be repeated. His players respect him immensely and respond well.

Neil McCarthy, former NMSU coach: McCarthy was known for many things during the extreme highs and lows of his tenure, but one of the more amusing was his ability to deliver some truly unrepeatable language while his face turned a special shade of Aggie crimson.

Hal Mumme, NMSU head football coach I don't think too many people can blame Mumme for dropping a few choice words after becoming a national punchline as coach of the only the team to go 0-12 in college football last season. Some, however, take issue with his brash nature and penchant for passing the buck while doing all that cursing.

I'm sure there are tons more, but I'm done typing. It's your turn to vote or offer your write-in candidate. I'd like to keep this regional or with some sort of tie to New Mexico, but you can throw any names out there you want. Just don't curse.

Posted by ilimon at 08:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I just got back from University Stadium, where the UNM Yard Sale was absolutely insane. The first person in line arrived at the gate at 9 a.m. and the line snaked through the parking lot, reaching nearly the end of the stadium when the gates were about to open at noon. When the gates did open, fans sprinted toward the northeast corner of the stadium, pausing to collect free cameras from 770-AM (KKOB). Mike Roberts said they went through 200 cameras in five minutes.

No one touched the hot dogs until they were done shopping. It was craazy, jammed packed version of a swap meet inside the merchandise area. I don't think UNM officials were expecting so many people -- I certainly wasn't. A good friend of mine came up empty handed and said he should have come earlier. "I should have known better because everyone is cheap in New Mexico, just like me," he said.

More like bargain hunters. One of the first people through the gates got all the letterman's jackets. People grabbed what they could and sorted it out later. Mini-outlet stores popped up on the north concourse and outside the gate, with people selling and trading wares.

The sale got the job done, attracting fans to the season-ticket booth, regular-price merchadise stand and even across the street to the Lobo Store at The Pit. All that was left by 12:45 p.m. were football cleats and a handful of other small items. I bailed out to file this report, grab some ice water and hang out somewhere cool before practice. On days like this, I'm soooo glad I live close to the stadium.

Posted by ilimon at 01:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos got in about 10 minutes of practice before a thunderstorm rolled in and forced coaches to cancel practice. It as supposed to be a "fun day," which means light drills and games. The team had a chippy morning practice, so they didn't end up missing too much. They lined up to collect their per diem and head out into the rain, which was pretty heavy for about 20 minutes before slowing down to a steady drizzle in the Downtown and university area.

There were no injuries during the morning workout, which was one of the warmes of camp, or the brief evening practice.

The Lobos will be back in action for Fan Photo Day Saturday. Here's the schedule:

Lobo Garage Sale from noon to 2 p.m. Lobo fans can purchase new and used Lobo apparel, including 450 shoes, 40 jackets, 100 pants, 320 T-shirts, 120 shorts, 280 jerseys, 58 duffle bags, polo shirts, hats and much more will be available for purchase on a cash-only basis. Most items will be priced at $5 or less. The proceeds of the sale will benefit the UNM Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Computer Lab.

The first 3,000 fans will get free hot dogs and the first 200 will get disposable cameras and coupons for free film proccessing at Walgreens. These items will be given away when gates open at noon. UNM officials don't expect them to last very long.

At 2 p.m., the Lobos take the field for practice. They will work on special teams for about half an hour, drills such as seven-on-seven skill work for half an hour and scrimmaging for about half an hour to 45 minutes. Around 3:45 or 4 p.m., practice will end and the Lobos will be available for autographs and photos.

If you want items at the garage sale, I'd get there early. It's been heavily promoted on the radio today and seems like a steal. My mom, an expert yard sale buyer visiting from El Paso, will be digging through the piles. She's stealthy and swift. Tribune editor Phill Casaus and Richard Stevens also will be jockeying in line for items. I wouldn't get in their way. It won't be pretty.

Posted by ilimon at 08:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sophomore defensive end Kevin Balogun can't catch a break. During the second-to-the-last play of Wednesday night practice, he jumped over another player and tore his left achilles tendon. He will undergo an MRI Friday and should have surgery on Monday. UNM head trainer Dave Binder said Balogun should be back by spring football, but the training staff and team doctors will just have to wait and see how quickly he heals.

The injury is painful enough, but Kevin has already had a rough run as a Lobo. He's already used up his redshirt season, so he just loses a year of eligiibility unless UNM can petition the NCAA for a medical exemption. He suffered an injury his freshman year and was finally coming back to full strength and understanding of the defense. He was Michael Tuohy's backup and had a strong fall camp. It was clear he was going to get significant playing time.

The defense also had a rough day and was on the bad end of a colorful, long rant from coach Rocky Long. The only words I could hear from the sidelines are the ones that can't be repeated in a family newspaper or on a family newspaper's Web site. His voice crackled a little after practice, but it wasn't nearly as bad as his first practice tirade.

So why the yelling? My best guess is some nice plays by the offense, including Kole McKamey's long pass to Marcus Smith for a touchdown set up by strong blocking by running back Rodney Ferguson and the offensive line. Kole, by the way, seems to have recover from whatever stomach illness was dogging him Wednesday. He was back in action and firing up the offense, better known as "Red" thanks to its jerseys.

As always, check Friday's Trib for more Lobo football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

St. Michael's senior quarterback Kevin Chavez orally commited to play for the football and baseball for Lobos during the weekend, according to Horsemen football coach Joey Fernandez. Chavez suffered a hernia during the offseason and will soon undergo surgery, but he is only expected to miss two weeks of practice. Chavez, who is 6-foot-2 and weighs 180 pounds, went 115-for-236 for 2,051 yards, 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions during his junior season.

Check out Friday's Tribune for more on Chavez.

Posted by ilimon at 04:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

There's more controversy surrounding the Air Force Academy football team. Coach Fisher DeBerry suspended assistant coach Pete Hurt indefinitely pending an investigation by the school into allegations he struck a player during an Aug. 9 practice. To learn more about the incident, you can check out this story from The Rocky Mountain News.

Posted by ilimon at 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kelsey Ansley, a 6-foot-2 forward who attended the Lobos position camp during the summer, orally committed to play for the Lobos, according to her AAU coach. Ansley hails from the Lubbock Lady Hawks, which has produced at least five Lobos during the past six years. Some of the team's decorated alumni include Abbie Letz, Jana Francis, Mandi Moore, Lindsey Arndt and Melissa Forest.

Lady Hawks coach Ricky Romero said the coaching staff, her chance to play in The Pit during camp and strong Lobos fan base sold Ansely on New Mexico. She had offers from Texas Tech, TCU, SMU, Colorado State, Kansas and Colorado.

She averaged 12 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three assists during her junior season at Class 4A Marble Falls High in Marble Falls, Texas. She was named the No. 4 junior in Texas by Texashoops.com. Romero said Ainsley had a strong summer, averaging about 19 points and 13 rebounds per game with the Lady Hawks.

Her strenghts include knowledge of the game, post defense, rebounding and scoring. She needs to work on her speed and quickness in the transition game.

"She's definitely the best player I've got," Romero said.

I have a full story on Ansely in the evening of the edition of the Tribune, which will be posted on the Web within two hours.

Posted by ilimon at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Senior quarterback Kole McKamey sat out much of Wednesday night's practice because he was suffering from a naseau. Trainer Dave Binder said Kole reported feeling sick Tuesday night, felt fine after a full breakfast and morning practice. Then he felt nauseous after dinner and threw up a few times during practice. Binder told Kole to only participate in light drills. He suspects Kole is suffering from a stomach flu and expects it to pass soon.

With Kole out, the remaining quarterbacks got a few more snaps. Backup Chris Nelson continues to improve steadily after appearing stiff the first week of fall camp. He said the shoulder he injured at the end of last season isn't bothering him, but his delivery seemed a little off. Now it looks fine and it's just a matter of adapting to the offense and receivers.

Check Thursday's Trib for more Lobo football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kansas State quarterback Allen Everidge whipped up a mini-frenzy when he announced he was leaving the Wildcats and went school shopping last week. The Lobos courted Everidge, but he opted for a bigger school closer to his Nebraska home. Everidge is transferring to Wisconsin, according to ESPN.com, the Omaha World-Herald and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Everidge is slated to walk on this year because the Badgers don't have any scholarships available, then he will be offered one next season.

Posted by ilimon at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Lobos offense had a tough day, struggling scrimmages and drills Tuesday night. The quarterbacks and wide receivers ended practice with extra sprints to compensate for errant passes and dropped balls. The players didn't respond well when receivers coach Dan Dodd added more pressure by shouting a count down of the play clock. Offensive coordinator Bob Toledo handled his troops more quietly than most coaches, using more of a shocked or incredulous tone than a colorful barrage of insults when talking with players about missed assignments.

The bright spots were spectacular touchdown runs Rodney Ferguson and Martelius "Tay" Epps. Ferguson slowed down and did a somersault to find the end zone and fire up the lackluster offense. Epps found a seam and broke off a long run in the blink of an eye.

Head coach Rocky Long said he found out when he became a head coach it is much easier to correct the offense than the defense. The offense can run through its scheme with a few players simply standing in on defense. The defense, however, has to have players running an offense against them to test how it responds.

Check out Wednesday's Tribune for more Lobo football news.

Posted by ilimon at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lobo kicker Kenny Byrd was named to the Lou Groza preseason watch list. The award recognizes the country's best kicker. Byrd was semifinalist for the award last season. You can visit the Lou Groza Award Web site to see the complete watch list.

Posted by ilimon at 03:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today I wrote a story about recent rains and the influx of mosquitoes, and more specifically whether it impacted the football team. My inspiration was a handful of bug bites I collected at practice and watching players scratch bug bites during interviews. I wanted the skinny on mosquitoes, which turned into a story we ran in our news section. I think the info on the bugs is pretty informative and helpful for anyone who spends any time outdoors.

Then I checked in with the Lobos, who aren't using bug spray across the board but have been feeling the itch. I think some of the o-line guys think it makes them a little tougher to collect battle scars together. Whatever works.

This morning, my mom arrived in Albuquerque for a week-long visit from El Paso. She brought a copy of the El Paso Times with her. It was loaded with interesting stories, including the hiring of a new men's basketball coach and football camp coverage. Here's the news item that might be most amusing to Lobo football fans:

"(Miners football coach Mike) Price said the UTEP staff spent a whopping $1,000 on mosquito repellent during its week in hot and humid Socorro, N.M.
"'There were guys with over 100 mosquito bites,'" he said.
"As a result, the staff raided the Socorro supermarkets over the week, buying all of the mosquito repellent available -- literally clearing the shelves.
"'It was of epidemic proportions,'" Price said."

Posted by ilimon at 03:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Aleem Harris, who was suspended from the UNM football team after being charged with five felonies in conneciton with a fight with his ex-girlfriend, watched practice Monday. Coach Rocky Long said Harris is academically eligible, but he's still off the team until the court case is resolved. Harris was just hanging around to watch practice.

The Lobos spent some time in University Stadium Monday night, going through a mini-scrimmage. The field drained especially well following Sunday's heavy rain storm. It looks lush and ready for the season.

The Lobos, on the other hand, need a few more practices. There has been a lot more balance this year than last year. The defense used to always dominate practices and performed better all season. Last year, I thought it was promising the offense was dominating practice. Then both sides under-performed. This year, they seem to trade strong plays. The upside is, it makes the scrimmaging a lot more exciting. The Cherry-Silver scrimmage usually is a pretty dull practice. This year's scrimmage, which is on Saturday, should be more competitive and fun to watch.

Check out Tuesday's Trib for more football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 09:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I made it back from Las Vegas and headed out to Lobo football practice Sunday night. The team was working on special teams drills when I showed up, then came the rain. Serious, heavy duty rain and, more important, lightening that chases the team inside really, really fast. Several players joked it was about time for a rain break, while coaches grumbled this wouldn't be a problem if they had an indoor practice facility. (Coach Rocky Long doesn't expect it to be ready until January 2008). Long led the defense through a walk-through in the weight room, while offensive coordinator Bob Toledo led the offense through its walk-through in the locker room. The team doesn't get much of a break. The Lobos return to the practice field Monday morning for the second two-a-day workout of fall camp.

Check out Monday's Tribune for more football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The defense looked fierce on the first day of action with full pads. As usual, the receivers and running backs looked a little off after getting hit real hard for the first time. The offense barely moved the ball during a brief scrimmage and starting quarterback Kole McKamey got a little too active for a guy trying to stay healthy, sliding into a crowd to advance the ball. So the defense had the upper hand today. I think the major reason for that is so many players, particularly on defense, are fighting for positions. The coaches are definitely using the old stick to dangle the carrot in front of these guys. If you aren't flush with veterans, you may as well take advantage of younger guys constantly battling for playing time and improving at same time.

This my last practice for the week. I'll be on a plane to Las Vegas Friday morning to attend a friend's wedding. I'll be back in time for Sunday's practice. The Trib will still have lots of football coverage, but I have asked the players not to get into any trouble and not to get injured while I'm away. I think we can all agree that's a good thing.

I'll bring you all back some In and Out burgers. Just place your orders in the comments section. Oh, wait, the new airport security rules preclude me from doing that for blog readers. Sorry.

Posted by ilimon at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I interviewed Hank Baskett for a story in today's Trib about his remarkable reversal of fortune from draft day snub to Philadelphia Eagles training camp sensation. It also has a big box with updates on the seven Lobos in the NFL, a list that now includes Marcus Parker. He just signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions Wednesday.

Baskett said one of the hardest parts of not being drafted was feeling like he let a lot of people down. It started with his parents and extended to all the Lobo fans who were cheering him on along the way. He's grateful those people are still pulling for him, lighting up message boards and getting pretty giddy about all the sweet media coverage he's getting at camp.

"I wouldn't be where I'm at today without all the people back in Albuquerque and Clovis," he said. "I'll never forget my roots. It means a lot to me knowing that I'm making those people proud and representing the Lobos."

Baskett said he's keeping up with his close friends still on the UNM roster, including quarterback Kole McKamey. Baskett said he expects good things from this year's Lobos. "Coach (Bob) Toledo is going to be great for the offense, and they're going to surprise a lot of people this year," he said."I think Kole's in a great position to have a really strong senior year and they're going to make a run at a championship. I'll always follow the team and want them to do well. I want them to get that bowl win."

Posted by ilimon at 02:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the first time in school history, all 12 UNM football games are scheduled to be broadcast on television in some form. KRQE-News 13 confirmed it will pick up the UNM-New Mexico State game in Las Cruces Sept. 9. They will broadcast it live at 6 p.m. No final word on the talent lineup, but it looks like Mike Powers and Van Tate will be handling the broadcast.

Posted by ilimon at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The receivers continue to look strong in practice with partial pads. I've been really impressed by Marcus Smith, who catches well in traffic and has great speed. Smith and Travis Brown seem to have locked in starting jobs, while Thomas Wilson and Jason Caprioli are strong backups. Those guys are blossoming in roles they were expected to hold this season. I think Victor James, who was a scout team at quarterback last season, will sew up the fifth spot on the travel squad.

The quarterbacks had a solid day, but their most amusing work came at the end of practice. They have a ritual of standing around the middle of the 25-yard line and heaving balls toward the crossbar. Occassionally they hit the crossbar, but it doesn't happen very often. This time every quarterback missed. Receivers coach Dan Dodd heckled the guys, then asked someone to throw him a football. He lined up next to the guys and nailed the crossbar. Starter Kole McKamey jokingly said he had seen enough and headed to the locker room.

Thursday is a big day. The Lobos finally will play in full bads. That means full contact for everyone but the quarterbacks.

As always, check out Thursday's Tribune for more Lobo football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 09:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I wrote a story today about senior UNM kicker Kenny Byrd, who was really nice about sharing his off-season training techniques and approach to the kicking game. Kicking, like freethrow shooting, pretty much comes down to mental focus and repitition of the perfect form. He was willing to indulge my questions and let ace photographer Jakob Schiller take pictures of him while he was literally getting in the zone and preparing to be a better kicker.

UNM women's basketball coach Don Flanagan has been big on visualization for years. His players are supposed to repeat "I am a good freethrow shooter" every time they step up to the line. I was impressed by Kenny because he seems to really have embraced the whole visualization routine. A lot of people feel very awkward doing it and often give up on it. He's doing it all the time and has shown some dramatic improvements throughout his career that back up the success of the technique.

The whole routine could be especially valuable to the Lobos this year, with more NCAA rule changes recquiring kickers to use a one-inch tee instead of the typical two-inch tee. It means there will be a ton more kickoff returns in college football, which is bad news for the Lobos if their kickoff return coverage team doesn't get a whole lot better. If Kenny can still kick it out of the endzone, the Lobos are in far better shape.

Posted by ilimon at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos wore shells Tuesday and were allowed to do some light hitting. A lot of the guys ignored the word light. It should be really interesting to watch the all-out-battle that goes on when they put on full pads Thursday. Fun.

Coach Rocky Long led the defense in my favorite drill of fall camp. The staff set up four tackling dummies facing each other on opposite hash marks. Four or five Lobos laid down on their backs really close together. When Long blew a whistle, they had to flip over, look at him and then turn and run toward the direction he pointed. Each player had to take out a tackling dummy, then another coach shouted the name of one of the players. Then the assistant coaches shouted one player's name. The player they selected had to run to the middle of the field, grab a football and race toward the endzone. Assistant coach Lenny Rodriguez had a stop watch to time the drills. The players really got amped up, flying in the air toward the dummies. Rocky also had them lined up so close together with their shells on that it was like watching turtles try to flip over when they were trying to turn around and stand up. It was a cool team bonding drill that also gave the players a serious workout.

Zach Arnett did not practice because of a hamstring injury. Trainer Dave Binder said he had to keep Arnett on the sidelines because Arnett has a shot at earning playing time this season, but he is the kind of guy who plays through pain and goes full speed when he should stop on drills that hurt. Arnett should be back in the mix within a couple of days.

Check out Wednesday's Tribune for more football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 09:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I wrote a story for today's paper with new UNM Athletics Director Paul Krebs sharing his vision for scheduling for the big three sports -- football, men's basketball and women's basketball.

The biggest news out of the story are that he wants to continue home-and-home contracts and play up regional rivalries.

In football, coach Rocky Long said he is working on resuming the series with Texas Tech. Krebs also would like to see the Lobos keep up their rivalry games against New Mexico State and UTEP and add Arizona, Arizona State and Texas Tech. He also wouldn't mind seeing his last school and alma mater, Bowling Green, on the schedule.

In men's basketball, Krebs is backing up coach Ritchie McKay's philosophy that you schedule home-and-home games with the best teams you can get instead of going for bigger fish only willing to schedule two-for-one games. Krebs said he'd like to see games with teams like Texas Tech, UTEP and Colorado continue. He also would love to add Arizona and Arizona State. I guess he never saw any of Lute Olsen's tirades about refs swallowing whistles during big UNM upsets in the Dave Bliss era. I don't think Arizona will happen any time soon, but the others are legit. McKay and Krebs also said they want to court as many big-name programs for games in The Pit as they can to reward fans.

And in women's basketball, this may be the final year of the Texas series. The Longhorns canceled a contract that was supposed to include a return to Austin in the 2007-08 season. Flanagan said it had nothing to do with last year's win at Texas and the game could still happen if it fits in the Longhorns schedule. I smell something fishy, but I can't prove it. Krebs doesn't think the women's basketball schedule needs fixing or any help. Hard to argue with that considering the team's run the past few seasons.

What do you think of the scheduling outlook? Do you think the approach Krebs is taking is good for UNM athletics?

Posted by ilimon at 04:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The Lobos announced their Mountain West Conference schedule today. Times have not been released for any games because the league is still working out which games will be carried by CSTV and The Mountain.

The good news is coach Don Flanagan likes it a lot better than last year. He said the league made an effort to make travel as easy as possible on teams. All the league coaches complained adding a ninth team wrecked the basketball schedule, ending travel partnerships and forcing schools to log more time on the road. "I think it's equitable and managable this year," Flanagan said.

The bad news is the Lobos open conference play on the road against Wyoming, Thursday, Jan. 4, and close with a pair of road games at UNLV Thursday, March 1, and San Diego State, Saturday, March 3. They'll come home for a day or two, then bounce back out to Vegas for the conference tournament. "Traditionally it is seen as a disadvantage to end on the road, but at least we'll know exactly where we're at and what we need to do to try to win the conference in those last two games," Flanagan said.

The Lobos home opener is Sunday, Jan. 7, against Utah and senior night is Sunday, Feb. 25, against TCU. You can find the complete schedule at Golobos.com.

Posted by ilimon at 03:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I think one of the more interesting things the NCAA did this year was rule the clock will start in college football this season as soon as the ref places the ball on the field instead of when the ball is hiked. It is suppoed to shave three to five minutes off the total time of the game, which is great for people whose eyes glaze over during TV timeouts in the fourth quarter, parents of restless kids who run out of steam somewhere around the middle of the third quarter and sportswriters trying to meet deadline (not my problem since I have a morning deadline for our afternoon paper.)

But what does it mean for the Lobos? Players and coaches answered that question for me in a story I wrote for today's paper.

What do you think of the rule change? Do college football games run too long for your taste?

Posted by ilimon at 03:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Offensive coordinator Bob Toledo said he liked what he saw at tonight's practice.

"Yesterday made me real nervous because it was so sloppy, and it seemed like they forgot everything," he said. "Today was about 100 times better."
Senior quarterback Kole McKamey agreed.
"The first day everyone was just running around like crazy hitting each, but it was so sloppy and we looked awful," he said. "Today we were just as intense, but under control. So I think we're on track."

Attendance was good again for today's practice. The wide receivers seem to be catching more balls than they did during drills last season, and did push ups for every dropped ball today. The defensive did a drill lead by coach Rocky Long where they had to come up work through 15 plays with no assignment errors and prevent a touchdown or be forced to run. The players got through the drill without running, even with some questionable calls Long threw in to make life a little tougher for them.

It's hard to tell a lot of things about team with the players still not working out in pads, but I still think Martelius "Tay" Epps is extremely fast. He's got tremendous speed cutting up the field. If can handle the hits when the pads are added, Epps has a strong shot at holding onto the starting job he narrowly won coming out of spring ball.

Check out Wednesday's Tribune for lots more football coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 08:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've got a story in today's Tribune about Katie Hnida, whose memoir will be released Nov. 21.

I chatted with Katie when she was in town last season for the Lobos Oct. 28 game against Colorado State. She was really excited about her future prospects and living in New York, although she said the big city was intimidating.

Her editors at Scribner, a division at Simon and Schuster, seem very happy with her work. I got to read the prologue, and I'm looking forward to reading the whole book. You can watch for updates on their Web sites and pre-order it here.

Posted by ilimon at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I was curious why UTEP and other regional schools hit the road for camp, while the Lobos stay home. So I wrote a story about it for today's paper. I already posted most of the roll call from the first day of practice on my blog, but I added some interesting information from Rocky about Aleem Harris. Aleem's legal woes continue, with his case stuck collecting dust in the District Attorney's office. If he isn't convicted of a felony but misses this year, Rocky said he would let Aleem petition the NCAA for another year of eligibility and try to amends with his former teammates. The big question is whether the NCAA thinks Aleem could have legitimately avoided the legal problems that caused him to miss a year. That might be a tough sale. It'd be a lot easier if he doesn't end up with a conviction. You can read about it all in my football story in today's Tribune.

Check back later tonight for some post-practice updates.

Posted by ilimon at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Eagles rookie sensation and former Lobo Hank Baskett started the Hall of Fame preseason game against the Raiders. He grabbed the first pass of the game and garnered praise from Al Michaels and John Madden, but I can just feel Lobos fans grumbling. Michaels flubbed Baskett's bio and said Baskett went to New Mexico State. Ouch. At least Hank caught the ball on what turned into Philadelphia's opening touchdown drive.

Posted by ilimon at 06:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Lobos completed their first practice Saturday night, staying cool thanks to steady, refreshing drizzle. The team practiced without pads for about two and a half hours.

It's probably not a good sign that coach Rocky Long already lost his voice by the end of the first practice. He actually didn't shout any more than usual but labored through post-workout interviews as his voice cracked. He said it was more amusing than painful.

Long said the workout was sloppy, with many mistakes, but he was thought it was fine for the first day back after a long summer break. He added he won't really be able to gauge the progress until the players put on pads. There was lots of lecturing from all the position coaches about everything from fundamentals to running scheme. Martelius Epps showed off his speed with a sweet break-away run. Receivers Travis Brown and Marcus Smith also had some pretty catches.

Most of the Lobos on the roster made it to the first day of practice.

Junior college signees Devin Clark, an offensive guard, and Jermain McQueen, a wide receiver, did not practice because they still aren't academically eligible. They are taking classes that must be transferred back to their junior colleges. The schools then have to award them associate degrees before they can play Division I football. "I don't know how long it's gonna take. Maybe a week. Maybe two weeks. Maybe never," Long said.

Linebacker Herbert Felder and safety Blake Ligon both practiced with the team despite misdemeanor charges pending against them in connection with a scuffle with bouncers and police at 18-and-over nightclub in Downtown Albuquerque in July. The players entered not guilty pleas and the cases are set for trial. Long said he had punished them significantly in-house and didn't expect the court findings to require more disciplinary action on his part.

Safety Aleem Harris is still facing felony charges in connection with a fight with his girlfriend. He remains suspended from the team while his case is pending. There has been no timeline issued for the prosecution of his case, and Long is sticking to his plan not to allow him to rejoin the team until the felony charges are resolved.

The team doesn't practice Sunday. The players will have the morning off with the option to attend church services, then they gather for team meetings and weight lifting. They hit the field again Monday from 6-8:30 p.m.

Posted by ilimon at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just got back from media day for the UNM football team. The Lobos kick off the season with their first practice tonight from 6-8 p.m. at the UNM practice fields south of University Stadium. Here is the preview I wrote for today's paper outlining five areas to watch during the camp.

I saved a bunch of audio clips at media day. Today I asked the four captains -- Kole McKamey, Robert Turner, Cody Kase and Quincy Black -- what the best part is about starting fall camp. I included responses from Cody and Quincy in this blog entry. The next two blog entries have clips from Kole and Robert.

I'll be posting more clips throughout fall camp. If you have questions for any players or coaches you'd like to hear answered, post them in the comments section.

Download File: Cody Kase and Quincy Black

Posted by ilimon at 03:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's Robert Turner's response when asked what is the best thing about starting fall camp: Download File.

Posted by ilimon at 03:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's Kole McKamey's response when asked what the best is about starting fall camp: Download File.

Posted by ilimon at 03:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The first ESPN / USA Today Coaches poll was released today, and TCU was ranked No. 21. The Horned Frogs were the only Mountain West Conference team to crack the Top 25, earning 270 votes. Ohio State was the preseason No. 1 pick, followed by Texas, USC, Notre Dame and Oklahoma. The Sooners took a tumble thanks to the dismissal of its starting quarterback because the school determined he accepted pay for hours he did not work at a car dealership.

Several other New Mexico opponents received votes in the poll. Utah got 84 votes, making the Utes unofficially No. 28th. UTEP earned three votes and BYU grabbed two. Here's a link to the complete poll results.

Posted by ilimon at 02:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Owww. I'm more than just a little sore today after going above and beyond in the name of journalism.

I just completed a project about fencing in Albuquerque, which we showcased in our monthly 1st Friday special sports section. Here's the main story about the fencers, a story on the gym's owner and tons of information about how to get involved with fencing. After hovering for weeks at Duke City Fencing, owner and head coach Toby Tolley offered to give me a free lesson. She wanted to give me a real feel for fencing, and I couldn't argue with her logic.

So this my intrepid tale of joy and pain taking joining the adult competitive class for one night.

I watched a lot of fencing classes leading up to my shot at participatory journalism, so I may have been a tad bit overconfident in my ability to keep up with the class. I played three years of varsity basketball for a Class 5A school in El Paso, Texas, but I'm nowhere near that level of conditioning now. I do have a gym membership and take advantage of it regularly, but I'd definitely be classified as more of a person who observes athletes than one who actually is an athlete. Still, the footwork didn't look too bad compared to basketball. So I arrived with a baggy T-shirt, basketball shorts, cross trainers, a bottle of water and a dry T-shirt to change into after class knowing I would end up sore but optimistic I wouldn't pass out.

I stretched and prepared for the group warmup. We did an aerobic drill called the cone game, splitting up in teams of three. This has nothing to do with fencing, it's just a chance for everyone to get loose and have fun. Two cones were lined up on each side of the gym floor, which is laid out like a basketball court. The object was to take a hackey sack and knock down the cones. Players can't take more than two steps and the ball changes possession. It sounds like a pretty simple game, but by the end of the game I was drenched in sweat and feeling the burn in my legs.

Next, we began practicing footwork. Fencer Sarah Loeppke was kind of enough to work with my on the side, helping me understand a proper fencing stance. It's a little hard to describe, but it seems like a modified version of a good basketball defensive stance. You stand with your knees slightly bent, with the space between your feet equal to about the size of the fencer's foot apart. Since I'm right handed, I had my right foot facing forward and left foot facing to the left in a loose L-shape or 90 degree angle. The keep to the stance is keeping a good level of balance, back straight and head and shoulders facing your opponent. My right was faced forward toward an opponent as though I was holding a sword and my left hand was bent and at my side.

I learned quickly how to lunge forward and recover, which requires balance and incited more burning in caves. I also learned how to shuffle forward, called an advance, and shuffle backward, called a retreat. It required staying on the balls of my feet, just like when I played defense in basketball. More ouch. At this point, I realized the downside about fencing compared to most other sports I have played. Even if you are a model player like Reggie Miller constantly moving on the court, you still pause and stand up straight. You run in a motion that stretches your legs and can usually rest for a second if you get back on defense before the team brings the ball up the floor. No such luck with fencing. You're supposed to be in some form of traditional fencing stance with knees bent and back straight the entire time. Ouch.

Next, we did the glove game. This one involved advancing and retreating while attempting to hit the opponent on the torso with a fencing glove. More burn.

We took water breaks between every exercise and by the time the glove drill ended, I was drenched in sweat and grateful for the break. I was suprised and relieved when I looked at the clock and saw we were 45 minutes through a class that typically runs about an hour and 15 minutes. I figured I just might survive.

Target work was up next. Duke City Fencing provides free equipment to all beginners, who get their first class free and then pay $50 per month for two classes a week. Target work involves practicing lunging and hitting a target with a sword and using proper form so that you don't drop your arm and make yourself vulnerable following an attack. I was offered my choice of swords, and I went for a light practice foil sword with a French grip. At least I think that was the explanation I heard, but I was so tired I may not have caught all the right information. Toby Tolley tries to make technique easy on her students, so she told me a story about a tiny troll or leprechaun that was paying me a million dollars to live between my sword and the palm of my hand. I started laughing because it reminded me of Clerks2 and the tale of Pillow Pants. I would elaborate, but that's an R-rated movie you'll have to just see for yourself. Target work was tough, but at least I had graduated to actually holding a sword.

Then we suited up in full electric fencing gear since this was an adult class. This involved a plastic breast plate, a vest, a heavy jacket and a mask called a hood. My temperature felt like it instantly climbed 10 degrees, I began sweating even more and I felt like a bobblehead ready to topple over thanks to the excellent combination of headgear and wobbly legs. Then it was off to practice the whole footwork and sword combo with an opponent while in full gear. I developed a quick understanding and affection for the parry, which is blocking an opponent's attack, and a riposte, which is making an attack right after that deflection. It worked pretty well for me in the drill, although I still felt like toppling over. My arches and calves were in flames.

We took another water break, then Toby Tolley set me up to fence one five-touch bout with a male fencer who had one week of classes under his belt. She felt it would be a pretty fair fight, but my body was screaming otherwise. I had made it to the hour and 15 minute mark, but I still had to get through this bout. Ugh.

I took my water break and stepped back on the floor, strongly considering throwing the bout as quickly as possible. How fast could I lose? Then I remembered this blog entry already was going to be embarrassing enough without me backing down. I could go just a little bit longer. Sarah Loeppke was our referee for the non-electric bout. It was a blessing that we weren't hooked up to the cords and electronic scoring system because it weighs down fencers even more than usual. We did some advancing and retreating, then it seemed we both landed hits on each other's torsos at the same time. My opponent scored the point. I decided I needed to score at least one point to make my fencing appearance respectable. We got going again and I was able to deflect one of his moves then quickly strike him to score. It was tied 1-1. I pretty much used the same move again to score the next point, taking of years experience running backward in basketball without putting one foot behind the other to keep safe distance between myself and my opponent's sword. The score was 2-1 in my favor, then I realized I could end the bout with one more point. I scored quickly but was dismayed to learn it was first to five not best of five. There really was no logical reason I should have been competitive in this bout, but my ultra-competitive nature took over. Not only did I want to win, I didn't want to let my opponent score again. I somehow swept the next two points and won 5-1. I'm sure my form was terrible, but I won! My boss is pretty proud the Tribune sports staff is now undefeated in fencing. I like to think the folks at Duke City Fencing didn't throw the match so the reporter would have a nice story to tell about her fencing experience, but I suppose I'll never know for sure.

I headed wearily off the floor, getting help removing all my borrowed equipment. Then I gulped down water, washed my face and changed shirts. I survived! I am still really sore, but I survived.

So, would I recommend fencing to anyone else? Absolutely. I've always thought it's good to try anything at least once. Give it a shot and see if it works for you. Every sport you try for the first time will be exhausting and leave you feeling a little beat up the next day. This one happens to be inclusive enough that you can get by with your wits if you're not in perfect shape. It's different, and I thought it was fun despite the challenges of simply getting through the lesson.

Will I ever do it again? I don't know. Maybe. Football season is starting, and it demands a lot of my attention in the afternoons and evenings when fencing classes are offered. But, I still may try to squeeze it in sometime. Then again, maybe I'll just stay undefeated.

Posted by ilimon at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Athletics Director Paul Krebs made a big statement today, hiring Ty Singleton to take over as the Lobos new softball coach. Singleton has been the head softball coach at the University of Columbia-Missouri for the past four years and earned Big 12 Coach of the Year honors in 2003. He posted a 130-88 record during his tenure leading the Tigers, including three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament.

It's rare for UNM to pick up any coach from a BCS conference, but Singleton stated in a news release issued by UNM that he was impressed by the school's commitment to softball.

"I really believe my goals of building a program that can win conference championships as well as go the World Series can happen at UNM," Singleton stated in the news release.

Check out Friday's Tribune for more on the new softball coach.

Posted by ilimon at 05:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I've got a story about Bubba Forrest, a Carlsbad High senior who commited to play for the Lobos. Bubba is what's known as a legacy in collegiate circles, with his father and two cousins previously playing football at UNM.

Bubba's given name is Richard Forrest, which is his dad's name. "I just go by Bubba," he said. "People have been calling me Bubba for as long as I can remember and it just fits." It does seem like a pretty good name for a safety rumbling down the field.

Posted by ilimon at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The UNM Letterman's Association is inducting former Tribune sports editor Carlos Salazar into its Hall of Honor. I never got to meet him, but from all I've heard it definitely was my loss. The school also recognized fan favorite Abbie Letz as co-female athlete of the year and DonTrell Moore earned co-male athlete of the year honors. You can check out this story by current Tribune sports editor Mike Garcia for more details.

Posted by ilimon at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As promised, I've got a full recap of Ladies Night with the Lobos -- also known as the 13th annual women's football clinic -- in today's paper. There are tons of hilarious moments captured in photos and words. I'm not bragging about my work, the people out there were just plain funny.

Posted by ilimon at 02:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ladies Night with the Lobos was indeed wild and out there.

More than 600 women attended the event, about 100 more than last year and a record high for the event in its 13th year. The registration fees paid for tickets so that 2,000 underprivileged youths can attend UNM football games this season.

The first hour most of the women insisted it was all about fundamentals, but by hour two alcohol had kicked in as they participated in drills and they got plenty grabby with the players. The Lobos took it well and usually indulged their hands-on students within reason. Coach Rocky Long was friendly but ran away from at least one group of women -- yea, seriously ran. They are repeat offenders who took advantage of a photo op as a chance to grab his butt last year.

Players said it was crazier than ever before but also a lot more fun. It also lasted a lot longer, spanning four hours. Check out a full and amusing report in Thursday's Tribune, complete with photos.

Posted by ilimon at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Carlsbad standout Bubba Forrest commited to play for the Lobos, becoming the University of New Mexico's third in-state oral commitment for the 2007 class. Check out Thursday's Tribune for more recruiting news and details on Bubba's decision.

Posted by ilimon at 09:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There's a big old mess exploding as the Oklahoma football team prepares for the upcoming season. The school dismissed starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and starting guard J.D. Quinn for getting paid for work they did not actually complete during the summer at a car dealership. This shakes up the Big 12 Conference, with the Sooners previously projected to finish ahead of Texas in the preseason rankings.

Back in New Mexico, the Lobos kickoff the season in much milder way with tonight's Ladies Night with the Lobos. It's part clinic, part party for female football fans looking to learn a bit more about the game and flirt with their favorite stars. The proceeds go to the Send-a-Kid program, which sends underprivileged kids to UNM football games. I'll have a post-clinic update tonight.

The Lobos also picked up their second in-state oral commitment, with La Cueva linebacker Michael Muniz pledging to become a Lobo. He joined Sandia's Michael Scarlett as Duke City standouts planning to make the short trek UNM next year.

Posted by ilimon at 02:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)