Today the Bears and Colts fielded more questions from the media before they headed off to closed practices. Questions. How could we have more questions after the wacky media day? Well, I didn't say they were particularly original, but there were a few interesting notes that came out of the press conferences.

Both teams were asked about the pressure they face this week. They all stipulated there is a ton of pressure on them as they prepare for the Super Bowl, the biggest games of their lives on the biggest stage in the world.

Colts quarterback Peyton Manning offered the most amusing response when if this was the most pressure he had ever felt in his life.

Here's his answer, complete and uncut:

“I signed up for this class in eighth grade called ‘musical theatre’ with the goal of getting out of computers. A week into the class they told me that I had to be in the school play, and I said that I didn’t want to do that and they said that I was in the play. They assigned you a role, the play was called ‘The Boyfriend’. They gave me the role of Miguel. One of the scenes I had to do the tango with Lola. It had the wardrobe; black pants, red ruffled tuxedo shirt and a yellow cumber bun. It was a full on tango. I had to do it on Friday in front of the whole school which wasn’t that much pressure. But they said that you had to do it again Saturday Night in front of the families, which meant in front of my two brothers, Eli and Cooper, because on Friday they weren’t going to be there because Cooper had practice Saturday they were going to be able to be there. Now that’s pressure. But I did it. I studied that, and I went full speed on that tango. There is video. Don’t look for it. It’s deep in the Manning vault I can assure you. That was some pressure.

"The way that I deal with pressure and I used this quote yesterday and I will say it again, my dad used to give me quotes and put a quote on my bulletin board. He would just peg them on there, like Jimmy Connors ‘I hate to lose, more than I like to win’, and I agree with that. Chuck Noll’s ‘pressure is something you feel only when you don’t know what you are doing’ and that is how I feel. I get prepared. I prepare as hard as I possibly can. Sure you feel nervous, you feel anxious, but I don’t feel pressure because I feel that I have done everything I could to be prepared for that game. When you go out there and do it, and there have been plenty of games where I have said that I wish that I could have this throw back or I wish that I would have seen that linebacker, but it just didn’t happen, but I have never left the field saying I could have done more to get ready for that game. That gives me piece of mind. That is how I am dealing with it this week. I will study as hard as I possibly can. I am not over studying and I am not over preparing. I am doing what I feel I need to do to get ready. I feel that will be enough, and hopefully I go out there and play well."

That's quite an answer. It's got humor and intelligence. No wonder Manning has been a media darling at the Super Bowl. He doesn't just play well, he manages to spin new yarns every day.

Reporters asked former Lobo Brian Urlacher if this starts to feel like a normal game week. He replied as long as players keep coming in for interviews at their hotels before practice instead of afterward, it wouldn't feel normal.

“Usually we wake up, eat breakfast, and go to meetings, which is our normal routine so this is all very different. The nice thing is we’ll be able to practice this afternoon and we’ll be able to practice tomorrow and then tomorrow is our last media day. That will be nice to get that all out of the way and then we just have to play the game.”

That's all for now. Check out Thursday's Tribune for more Super Bowl and Urlacher-related coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 06:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NFL announced this year fans will have four of 16 votes required to earn Super Bowl MVP trophy. The fans can vote online at Superbowl.com or can send a text message with the player's first and last name 99777 during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. The MVP wins the Pete Rozelle Trophy and a 2007 Red Limited Edition Cadillac XLR.

The player who receives the most fan support gets 2.5 votes toward the MVP award, while the next in line gets one vote and third place gets half a vote.

Not that I would advocate any trickery, but it seems voting early and often is in order for New Mexico fans who want to see former Lobo and Bears star Brian Urlacher win the MVP trophy. I also would suggest practicing your text messaging skills. How many of you are really ready to text the name Urlacher anyway?

Posted by ilimon at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I love the women's basketball beat, but the Trib shipped me off to Miami to cover the Super Bowl. Who was I to argue with such logic?

Trib columnist Richard Stevens will be covering tonight's game against San Diego State and Sunday's rematch against Wyoming. Stop growling. He loves the Lobos. Seriously.

Look out for his postgame story, full of whit and wisdom (stop laughing), at Lobo Zone shortly after the game. I promise I left you in good hands. Again, stop laughing.

Posted by ilimon at 06:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

My media day updates are coming shortly, but you should check out Tribune reporter Ollie Reed's amazing story on Brian Urlacher's impact on the town of Lovington. I think he did a great job capturing what Urlacher means for the small town.

Posted by ilimon at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Oh my God, it lived up the hype.

Media was a total circus today, with hundreds of reporters firing questions at players that ranged from serious to absurd. Former Lobos star Brian Urlacher handled himself well in the face of a huge mob.

Apparently they hand out credentials like candy for this event. Mo Rocca posed quirky questions for segments that will air on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. I think he's fallen on hard times since he left The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. And it was a bummer to learn his act is completely scripted a producer off screen holds up cue cards for him so doesn't forget his one-liners.

It was more than a little icky to watch Kenneth Briggs and Jonathan Jayne, the American Idol wannabes who were infamously insulted by judge Simon Cowell, interview players. They were sent to the Super Bowl as correspondents for the Jimmy Kimmel Show and approached players on both teams while producers whispered questions in their ears. The guys attempted to get as many players as possible to sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." Urlacher didn't bite but several other players did sing along.

Reporters from Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood also threw in some wacky questions and handed out awards. Urlacher received the Dick Butkus Award presented by former sports anchor turned entertainment talking head Kevin Frazier, who explained Entertainment Tonight decided he shouldd launch an acting career just like Butkus.

I'm editing audio and pictures now, and will get them online as quickly as possible. Check back soon for more updates.

Posted by ilimon at 02:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is my first round of pictures from the Super Bowl. I'm going to add pictures as much as possible to provide readers with the sights of the Super Bowl. I'll also have a podcast up soon with the sounds. See, you get it all right here. One stop shopping.

View image

This is my credential, which gives me access to media events all this week. I get another pass on Friday, which will let me into the big game. They're pretty crazy about security, and this is one of those times where I don't sign and mutter about people going overboard with post 9/11 security. This is an international event and rather sexy target for a lot of scary people.

There was a security briefing today, with a variety of federal, state and city officials promising Miami's Dolphin Stadium would be aggressively protected The Miami police won't disclose how many officers will be on hand, but I'm guess it will be a ton. They're trying to think of every possible emergency, including ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro dying Sunday and Cubans transplanted to Miami taking to the streets in celebration.

So this pass makes me really nervous. I can't lose it.

View image
In an earlier entry I mentioned Rex Grossman was mobbed by repo
rters today during a press conference with six Chicago players. Here's a look at the pack of reporters standing around Grossman's table 30 minutes before he was scheduled to show up.

View image
Just to keep this in persective, Nathan Vasher didn't have anyone waiting at his table half an hour before he showed up.

And finally, here is Grossman's responding to questions.
View image

Tomorrow I'll have much cooler photos from media day, including a lot of Brian Urlacher in the spotlight.

Posted by ilimon at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just realized my story for today's Trib on the impact having two black coaches squaring off in the Super Bowl could have on college coaches like UNM's defensive coordinator Osia Lewis is hard to find on our Web site. So here's the link: Dungy, Smith seen as trailblazers.

Posted by ilimon at 05:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wow. I've covered a lot of major sporting events, but this one already is by far the craziest. And we haven't hit the three-ring circus that is media day, which begins early tomorrow morning. It's the day when all players from both teams are available to answer media questions at Dolphin Stadium, That should be a whole lotta fun. And funny.

It was my first day in Miami, although the Bears beat me here and arrived last night. Coach Lovie Smith and six players were available for interviews Monday. Brian Urlacher wasn't one of them. I'm pretty sure Urlacher was happy about dodging the mob since he's a pretty quiet guy. That left embattled quarterback Rex Grossman as the center of attention. He handled the icky questions pretty well. I have to admit, it's one thing to talk about a guy's weak performances, it's a whole other thing for a pack of reporters to fire a barrage of questions at him for 20 minutes, many of them rephrasing the same question -- "How do you feel about your reputation as a bad quarterback?" Smith pointed out Grossman has handled the questions all season, so he's used to the scrutiny. Grossman was classy about it and never seemed to let the comparisons to Peyton Manning get under his skin.

Urlacher''s teammates had a lot of praise for him in his absence. They all refer to him as the quarterback of Chicago's defense and point out he wasn't on the field when the Colts beat the Bears a few years ago during their last meeting. They all expect big Url to do big things on Super Bowl Sunday.

I'm working on some stories for tomorrow's Trib, then I'll jump back on the blog to provide more updates, photos and audio from today. Look for more entries soon.

Posted by ilimon at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Chicago Bears landed in Miami Sunday afternoon. I'm in Florida but didn't make it in time to catch their arrival. I took a more circuitous and less expensive route than they did, but I have a few notes to pass along from press conference transcripts.

Coach Lovie Smith and former Lobo Brian Urlacher were among the select representatives selected to speak on behalf of the Bears.

During his first meeting with the media in Miami Sunday night, Urlacher said, "I slept the whole flight. That's good, I wasn't anxious. It was nice to look out and see all the cameras out there to see what we're going through."

Urlacher and his teammates said they are focused on the Super Bowl rather than the endless distractions and along star-studded South Beach.

"Our motto all year for the most part: Finish every play, finish every game," Urlacher said. "Whatever happens, happens, but make sure you finish all the time."

That's all for now. I will be in Miami tomorrow with loads of updates. You also can check out Monday's Trib for more Urlacher and Super Bowl-related news.

Posted by ilimon at 09:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos put on an impressive show, answering every rally UNLV tried to muster.

Check out Lobo Zone soon for a complete postgame story.

Posted by ilimon at 08:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

UNM is fighting hard for a win that really could give the Lobos the type of confidence boost they need. It takes a lot to blow out UNLV, a feat the Lobos haven't pulled off in years.

Posted by ilimon at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You have to give UNLV credit for fighting back in this game. The closest the Rebels have come is within 13 points, but the threat of a comeback is still looming. UNM needs to win this game big to get the confidence boost they deserve after coming out so strong early in this game.

Posted by ilimon at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM's shooting was bound to come back down to Earth after the Lobos were hitting better than 70 percent from 3-point range at one point in the first half. Now they need to work to finish off UNLV regardless of whether those shots are falling as easily.

We just got the attendance number and this game drew a crowd of 13.849.

Posted by ilimon at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM is still struggling on offense, hitting just 30 percent from the field. But the Lobos did show signs of life since coach Don Flanagan's last timeout.

Posted by ilimon at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Coach Don Flanagan just asked his players in the timeout huddle whether they really wanted this win. Then he asked them to earn it. We'll see how they respond.

Posted by ilimon at 08:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If the Lobos come out firing, they can quickly put this game. If they slump, UNLV easily can get back in it. Everything hinges on the first five minutes of the second half. Let's see what happens.

Posted by ilimon at 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The scoring pace has slowed a little bit, but the Lobos' subs have played strong enough defense to maintain an impressive lead. The Lobos are on track to go into the locker room with more points they scored during the entire TCU game.

Posted by ilimon at 07:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM is shooting lights out from 3-point range and running circles around UNLV. The Lobos have hit 10-of-14 from 3-point range for 71.4 percent. Katie Montgomery is leading the Lobos with an eye-popping 17 points. With the last trey, she joined the Lobos' 1,000 point club. It's been that kind of night so far.

Posted by ilimon at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNLV pulled within four points, the Lobos have knocked down 6-of-10 3-pointers to maintain a 22-11 lead with 11:26 left in the first half. Katie Montgomery is leading the way with 9 points, all 3-pointers.

Posted by ilimon at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos are shooting 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range, and happen to be playing some killer man-to-man defense on UNLV. This is as good as the team has looked since December.

UNLV's leading scorer Sequoia Holmes also already has two fouls.

Posted by ilimon at 07:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM has hit three big treys to go ahead early and delight the crowd.

Posted by ilimon at 07:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's not quiet a sellout, but it's by far the Lobos' biggest crowd of the season.

Their game against UNLV just tipped off. Stay tuned for updates.

Posted by ilimon at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Tribune has spent a lot of time during the past 10 years following Brian Urlacher's career. And the editors at the Trib said a reporter would follow him if he made it to the Super Bowl. The gig typically goes to the UNM football beat writer, since we don't exactly have someone who covers professional football regularly. So I knew if the Bears (or even the Eagles, Vikings or Jets) made it to the Super Bowl, I'd get a chance to go too.

Last year, the Bears were a pretty good regular season team but quickly fell apart in the playoffs. I didn't think this year would be much different, although I wished Urlacher and company the best. Then they started winning. And winning. And hitting Reggie Bush so hard I didn't think he would stand up, much less run by them again.

All of a sudden, the Bears were in the Super Bowl and the NFL approved my Super Bowl credential request conditional on Chicago making it to the big game.

Oh my God, I'm going to Super Bowl! In Miami!

Normally sports writers try to be very cool about these things, acting as though it's really no big deal and just a job. Some even grouse about the extra work and how hard it is to do good things n a controlled atmosphere. Not me. I'll be professional and fake the cool attitude on the road, but I recognize this is an amazing opportunity.

I'm leaving Sunday for Florida and will be cranking out a ton of stories. I also be doing lots of blog entries. And I'll add the sites and sounds of the Super Bowl with photos attached to my blog and podcasts from the Super Bowl.

We kicked off our coverage today with a story about Urlacher merchandise selling really well nationally and here in Albuquerque. Keep checking out the blog and the Trib's Web site for more Super Bowl and Brian Urlacher news.

Posted by ilimon at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos simply didn't have enough firepower to stay in this game.

Check out Lobo Zone soon for a complete postgame story.

Posted by ilimon at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos just can't get out of their funk, and you can't dig a hole on the road against an explosive scoring team like TCU. The only good news was Brandi Kimble hit back-to-back 3-pointers. It was her first game with a trey since Oklahoma.

Posted by ilimon at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It doesn't look like any of the Lobos want to shoot, while TCU is picking apart UNM's 2-3 zone. Not good. And not pretty to watch.

Posted by ilimon at 07:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This could get uglier because no one can score right now for the Lobos. I'd run the high-low with Dionne and Val, or just plain put Val in and let her jumpstart the offense. She shoots and passes really well although, she does have one turnover in the game. At this point, it really can't hurt.

Posted by ilimon at 06:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Frogs own a 37-28 lead with 15:12 left and are close to putting this game away, although there still is 15:12 left in the second half. UNM has caught a lot of bad bounces on defense, with loose balls falling TCU's way. But the Lobos have failed to counter on offense and normally hot-handed Julie Briody has been shackled by TCU's offense. The Frogs scouted the Lobos well and are daring Brandi Kimble to shoot while doubling Dionne Marsh. It could be a rough run for the Lobos.

Posted by ilimon at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was a defensive stalemate, with the Lobos shooting 9-of-25 from the field in the first half and TCU hitting 9-of-30. TCU owns a 29-23 halftime lead thanks to more trips to the free-throw line.

The Lobos once again are playing stellar defense and struggling to get much done on offense. The good news is Dionne Marsh seems on track to be a major factor in the game, racking out to 11 first-half points to lead all scorers. The question is whether UNM's guards can protect the ball and feed the post well. If Marsh keeps scoring, it's bound to open up the perimeter. Then it's time for more Lobos to step up.

We're about to find out what the Lobos are made of in the second half.

Posted by ilimon at 06:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos' offense is breaking down because they have to work so hard to get past the TCU press and the Frogs are keying on UNM's top shooters. It hurts when Brandi Kimble hesitates to shoot so much and Timi E-Nunu isn't a real scoring threat. TCU has gambled sagging off them or giving them the only decent looks of the game, and it's paying off. At some point, I would think it would be worth putting Valerie Kast back in to score some points even if she struggles on defense.

Posted by ilimon at 06:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

TCU has shifted into its full-court press, giving the Lobos fits. I'm surprised the Frogs didn't just go with this from the start of the game. When UNM does get past the pressure, the Lobos have less time to run their offense. UNM has to pass a little better inside and make smarter decisions, or TCU will pounce.

Posted by ilimon at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dionne Marsh is off to a really good start and seems to be playing with more strength and confidence than I've seen since the Oklahoma game. Maybe it helps having time off and family in the crowd. The only thing slowing her down is the Lobos aren't quite feeding the post quickly enough. Both Dionne and Val have players pinned, but the guards seem wary of getting the ball inside.

Posted by ilimon at 05:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM is off to a pretty good start, not really giving up much on defense and handling the pressure relatively well. Dionne Marsh has passed up at least one good look at the basket and there are times when the Lobos still look timid on offense.

Posted by ilimon at 05:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

just tipped off. Stay tuned for updates.

Posted by ilimon at 05:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, it's really the Chicago Bears versus the New England Patriots squaring off in the Super Bowl, but those are the big names the NFL and CBS already are promoting in a commercial that aired about one minute after the game ended.

What do you think of the matchup? I thought the Bears might have had a bigger advantage over the Patriots, but New England surprised me with its performance today.

Posted by ilimon at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Brian Urlacher and the Bears defense shut down the New Orleans Saints to earn a trip to the Super Bowl. We posted an Associated Press story with the latest from Chicago on the Trib's Web site.

I think it's safe to say there's celebrations going on all over New Mexico, especially in Urlacher's hometown of Lovington and college home, Albuquerque. And I'm not sure UNM freshman guard Eileen Weissmann, a Chicago native, has much of a voice left. She told me she screams at the TV during every Bears game and just goes crazy. Today is a day a special amount of craziness.

Right now it looks like he'll be facing Tom Brady and the Patriots, who seem to have the upper hand on Colts for the first time in all their meetings this season. Go figure. A lot of people were convinced it would be the Saints and Colts in the Super Bowl.

Posted by ilimon at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Unless the Saints pull off an miracle comeback in the snow, big Brian Urlacher and the Bears are headed to the Super Bowl.

Posted by ilimon at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A lot of fans grumbled and wondered when offfensive coordinator Bob Toledo left to UNM to take over as Tulane's coach whether he would raid the Lobos' recruiting list.

Toledo has steered clear of UNM's path. I'm sure that's because he is friends with Rocky Long and Tulane recruits athletes from different areas.

Without the Lobos' springboard and a late start, Toledo is using all his charm to woo recruits to build his program. Most people see the Tulane program as a pile of rubble in New Orleans, but he has leveraged the Saints comeback story as the road map to his future.

Here's one snapshot from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that updates Toledo's latest commitments:

"The New Orleans Saints' storybook season is becoming a valuable recruiting tool for Tulane. With the Saints hosting the Philadelphia Eagles at the Superdome, new Green Wave head coach Bob Toledo brought in a large group of recruits over the weekend. The playoff atmosphere helped land commitments from a pair of Gwinnett County players.

On Sunday, Duluth offensive lineman Andrew Higgins and Norcross defensive end Brooks Cunningham each committed to the Green Wave.

"It was crazy down there," said Higgins, who was born in Metarie, La., a suburb of New Orleans. "It was awesome. The city itself is getting better, and the Saints have really picked up the morale."

"It would be great if the energy that's surrounding the Saints can translate to Tulane," said Cunningham, who chose the Green Wave over Alabama-Birmingham, Navy and Air Force.

— David Purdum"

Posted by ilimon at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos snapped their two-game home losing streak with the win over the Falcons.

Air Force's press bothered the Lobos late, forcing two turnovers. Julie Briody gave the Lobos the last lift they needed, hitting a 3-pointer from NBA range with about two minutes left to assure the victory.

Check out Lobo Zone soon for complete postgame coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Air Force defense is still giving the Lobos a little trouble, but UNM should be able to pull off a win tonight. The Lobos are shooting 50 percent from the field in this half and playing strong enough defense to outlast the Falcons.

Posted by ilimon at 08:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Falcons just won't go away. They are shooting just well enough to keep the game interesting with 7:20 left.

Posted by ilimon at 08:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It isn't pretty, but UNM has picked up a couple of good stops to stretch its lead. Eileen Weissmann is the super sub of the moment. She is setting good screens, passing the ball well and playing strong defense.

Posted by ilimon at 08:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos should be smoking Air Force, but after starting off shooting well they had a hard time knocking down shots in the final five minutes of the first half. UNM was shooting 50 percent from the field with 7:33 left in the first half, but now is shooting 36 percent. Not good.

Dionne Marsh is leading the Lobos with 10 points, a huge improvement to snap out of her recent scoring skid. Katie Montgomery is next in line with eight points, while Timi E-Nunu leads UNM with six boards.

Letricia Castillo is the Falcons' top scorer with eight points, and also leads the team with five boards.

In other news, Utah is off to an impressive start tonight. The Utes hold a 33-23 halftime lead over TCU in Salt Lake City. The score really surprises me because I didn't think Utah was that strong this year.

Posted by ilimon at 07:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM is getting out-rebounded 11-8 and Air Force is shooting 52.6 percent from the field to keep the game close. The Falcons are overmatched but lingering with 3:55 left in the first half with all out effort and some pretty good shooting.

UNM counters with 47.4 shooting from the field and good defense, not counting the rebounding trouble.

Posted by ilimon at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've seen it a lot, but I still can't get over how soft a shooting touch Valerie Kast has around the basket. She has one bucket in two minutes on the court.

Air Force is hanging around by hitting a 15-footer every time the Lobos are closing out off double teams or helping out off screens.

Posted by ilimon at 07:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM holds a 16-9 advantage over Air Force thanks to its defense. Eight of the Lobos' 16 points came off turnovers.

Posted by ilimon at 07:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM missed its first three shots, then went on an 8-0 run to claim the three-point lead with 15:49 left. The good news is Dionne Marsh hit two free throws, scoring in the first half for the first time in five games. And Katie Montgomery has hit back-to-back 3-pointers set up by drives.

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

Stay tuned for updates.

Posted by ilimon at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have a story in today's Tribune about the Lobos' new offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin. He already has a leg up on Bob Toledo because he takes a group that's young but has a lot of talent and experience.

Baldwin seems pretty excited about the job. Quarterback Donovan Porterie said he had them all fired up in their first team meeting Tuesday. It was as much pep rally as introduction. Then Baldwin had a lot of individual meetings with players.

I don't know what it is about offensive coordinators, but they always seem to give me some interesting lines. I guess it's because they think about their jobs and philosophy so much. When I asked about the how Toledo developed and honed his offense, he told me "It's like an amoeba. It keeps growing." When I asked Baldwin to define his offense, since it's been called both the spread and a multiple formation, he responded with this gem, "I run a lot of formations to do the same thing. I like to compare it to a layer cake. You can like chocolate cake, vanilla cake or strawberry cake. I don't change the cake, I just change the frosting for you."

It's going to be very interesting to see how this new offense develops. It certainly adds more drama to spring football. Although Baldwin spoke of a quarterback competition, Porterie pretty much has the job. The question is how well the team adapts to it. We'll find out soon.

Posted by ilimon at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Although we'll track his baseball career, I did want to add one last note on Kole McKamey.

It's really tough to see a player with a lot of potential get tripped up by outside factors, including what seemed like a never-ending stream of injuries. Kole always understood what it meant to be a team leader and never ducked questions when things weren't going well for the team or when he wasn't performing his best. He understood the responsibilities that went with his job and handled them well.

I can recall when I was first working on a story about him three years ago and set up an interview with him. I left him my card, which I often do with players, but few ever use it. McKamey called to let me know he couldn't make our appointment and rescheduled. That may seem pretty minor to a lot of people, but it is a big deal for an athlete with a lot on his plate and a lot of other things on his mind.

Baseball is a tough sport and pitching at the Division I-A level will be immensely challenging, but I wish Kole the best.

Posted by ilimon at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos snapped the losing streak like a toothpick, picking up a big 73-42 win at Colorado State Saturday afternoon.

Big because it was the biggest margin of victory in 24 games UNM has played at Colorado State. Big because it was a huge confidence boost of the team that seemed to forget how to win. And big because UNM needs to win like crazy to get out of the basement on Mountain West Conference standings.

I have a story that will be posted in the next few minutes Lobo Zone with reaction from very happy players. Coach Don Flanagan always sees room for improvement, but he also was in a good mood. I'm a little bummed I couldn't make the trip because it sounds like it was a lot of fun. Then again, it's about negative four degrees in Fort Collins right now.

As always, check out Monday's Tribune for more women's basketball coverage.

Posted by ilimon at 04:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm providing updates from the Duke City because the trip opted not to send me back into snow country this weekend. I'll be back on the road with the team the remainder of the season. For now, you can count on updates and postgame interviews.

UNM jumped out to 39-17 lead over Colorado State, a team playing with just eight players because four athletes were suspended for setting off a bomb outside a teammate's apartment. The prank did not cause any injuries or structural damage.

Seniors Julie Briody and Katie Montgomery have taken over the Lobos' offense. Montgomery leads all scorers with 16 points, while Briody added 14. They are shooting 8-of-12 from the 3-point range, good for 67 percent.

The downside for UNM is Dionne Marsh and Angela Hartill picked up two early fouls and were not a factor in the first half. Valerie Kast made a brief appearance, as did rarely-used Lobo Morgan Saso. Timi E-Nunu carried the heaviest load and Eileen Weissmann also saw the first action since non-conference play.

Posted by ilimon at 02:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Four Colorado State women's basketball players, including leading scorer Kelly Jo Mullaney, were suspended from the team for a setting off a homemade bomb as a prank outside a teammate's apartment, according to the Fort Collins Coloradoan. No one was injured when the bomb was set off Monday night. Rams coach Jen Warden suspended the players involved indefinitely and only will have eight players available when Colorado State takes on UNM later today.

Posted by ilimon at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was another painful, wild finish for the Lobos.

Katie Montgomery knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:18 left to make the score 60-59 BYU.

The Cougars called timeout but the Lobos forced a shot-clock violation and got the ball back with 55.8 seconds left.

UNM had been in this boat the two previous games and hadn't pulled off the comeback.

Julie Briody forced up a shot inside and missed, then Dionne Marsh fouled as the Cougars got the rebound. UNM had a foul to give and set up its press.

The Lobos had good pressure but a foul was called on Brandi Kimble, giving UNM its seventh foul.

Mallary Gillespie went to the line for a one-and-one. UNM called a timeout with 25.9 seconds left to set up its strategy. Gillespie hit both free throws, pushing BYU ahead 62-59.

UNM turned the ball over attempting to set up Katie Montgomery for a 3-point shot, but the pass was wild and flew out of bounds with12:5 seconds left. The Lobos fouled Gillespie again with 10 seconds left in the game.

UNM fouled Jennie Keele, who missed the front end of the one-and-one but it Dani Wright tipped it and BYU recovered. Timi E-Nunu fouled Wright with 2.6 seconds left. She hit the free throws to seal a 63-59 BYU win.

Check out Lobo Zone after the game for a complete postgame story.

Posted by ilimon at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BYU is getting heaps of good bounces and seems to be out-working the Lobos inside. This has shaped up to be the kind of finish UNM wanted to avoid. But if the Lobos pull off a win, it could be just what they need to toughen up and get over this slump.

Posted by ilimon at 08:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BYU has clawed back into the game with strong 3-point shooting and rebounding. The Cougars own a 28-25 rebounding advantage, with most of those coming in the second half. They also are shooting 5-of-9 from 3-point range. This is crunch time for the Lobos.

Posted by ilimon at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Valerie Kast continues to step up for the Lobos in the second half, which is lucky because junior forward Dionne Marsh is having a rough night. She has always struggled with the conference's power centers, and BYU brings them in waves.

Posted by ilimon at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos are keeping a steady pace, but they still need to be a little sharper on offense to put this game away. UNM's defense really is stunning at this point. They have forced 10 BYU turnovers and have a chance hold them to the Cougars' fewest points this season.

Posted by ilimon at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos are keeping a steady pace, but they still need to be a little sharper on offense to put this game away. UNM's defense really is stunning at this point. They have forced 10 BYU turnovers and have a chance hold them to the Cougars' fewest points this season.

Posted by ilimon at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos are keeping a steady pace, but they still need to be a little sharper on offense to put this game away. UNM's defense really is stunning at this point. They have forced 10 BYU turnovers and have a chance hold them to the Cougars' fewest points this season.

Posted by ilimon at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

And BYU coach Jeff Judkins already called a full timeout at the 18:26 mark to regroup. The Lobos lead BYU 35-26.

Posted by ilimon at 08:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Amy Beggin started the second half in place of Brandi Kimble.

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

The Lobos got a huge lift from Valerie Kast, who had six points, one assist and three blocks in the first half. She also was a major force on defense. Katie Montgomery led the Lobos with 11 points.

BYU had strong scoring inside early, then began knocking down 3-pointers to get back in the game. Center Lauren Riley leads the Cougars with eight points, while guard Mallary Gillespie added seven mostly from the perimeter.

UNM's defense continues to be really strong, but the big question is whether UNM can pick up the pace on offense.

Posted by ilimon at 07:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Valerie Kast scored five points, recorded two blocks and ended BYU's dominance inside, but the Cougars started hitting their 3-pointers. The Lobos led by as many as 10 but BYU went on 6-0 run.

Posted by ilimon at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BYU has picked up more scoring in the past four minutes, getting two guards to help out Cougars center Lauren Riley. UNM is countering with Valerie Kast checking into the game. Let's see how the deeper bench works out.

Posted by ilimon at 07:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM leads BYU 14-6 with 11:18 left in the first half. The Lobos' defense continues to be really impressive and Katie Montgomery is shooting well, scoring eight points to lead all scorers. BYU center Lauren Riley is the Cougars' biggest threat, literally, and has all six of their points.

Posted by ilimon at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM has gotten off to a solid start thanks to its defense. BYU is bigger and stronger inside, but the Lobos are handling double teams well on defense. The team is struggling a bit to get open looks, but the Lobos have done enough to pick up the early lead.

Posted by ilimon at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another former New Mexico State football player has joined the civil lawsuit claiming religious descrimination of Muslims by Aggies football coach Hal Mumme, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News.

Jacob Wallace, a New Mexico State running back from the 2002-05 seasons, asked to join former Aggies Mu'Ammar Ali, Anthony Thompson and Vincent Thompson launching the complain. New Mexico State attorney Lawrence R. White told the Sun-News he plans to contest adding Wallace to the complaint.

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

Despite their three-game losing streak, the UNM women's basketball still has a strong reputation. ESPN.com's Charlie Creme awarded the Lobos a 10 seed in his latest NCAA Tournament bracket projection. The Lobos would play No. 7 DePaul in Minneapolis, then face the winner of the No. 2 LSU-No. 15 Valparaiso game. It actually is a more favorable matchup than the eight-seed UNM had in the first round of Creme's bracket projections.

His projection is generous but backs up my suggestion that UNM's season isn't over because the Lobos started out 0-2 in conference play. Will be easy to win a championship from here? Nope. But it's possible.

One last stat I've been repeating for demoralized Lobos fans. Last year Utah started conference play 0-2, falling to the Lobos at The Pit and at home to BYU. The Utes also lost at least one more conference game later in the season. Utah went on to win the conference tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight.

Posted by knelson at 10:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't gloat too often, but I'd just like to point out that I feel quite good about selecting voting for Ohio State to play Florida in the national championship game. I took a ton of heat, as did a lot of other Harris poll voters who agreed with me.

I still think we need a playoff. Not convinced? Just ask Boise State whether the Broncos could have beaten Florida this year.

Posted by knelson at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was another crazy Utah-UNM battle in The Pit.

Utah led the Lobos 49-48, but UNM forced a jumpball and got it back with 24.4 seconds left. The Lobos called timeout to set up the final possession. The ball was deflected and UNM got it back with eight seconds left. Then UNM's Brandi Kimble missed two layups to seal the loss.

Check out Lobo Zone soon for a complete postgame story.

Posted by ilimon at 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

UNM is battling on defense, but the Lobos are going to be hard pressed to pull off a win shooting 16 percent from the field in the second half. The final three minutes are going to be an amazing chess match.

Posted by ilimon at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos have gone ice cold from the field but have played strong enough defense to hang on to a slim lead with 7:45 left in the game. UNM shot 56 percent from the field in the first half, but are shooting just 15 percent in the second half.

Posted by ilimon at 04:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM came out hot, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers but has cooled a little from the field. Dionne Marsh, who is still a little gimpy on her sprained ankles, got her first points of the game from 3-point range.

Posted by ilimon at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM led by as many as 14 points in the first half and is playing better basketball than it has in a week, but Utah won't quit. The Lobos are shooting 56 percent from the field and 67 percent from 3-point range, but the Utes counter with 50 percent shooting from the field.

Julie Briody is still fighting a cold but leads all players with 13 first-half points. Dionne Marsh also has put a lot of pressure on her sprained and heavily taped ankles, but she appears to be handling the pain fine. She has not scored but she is playing solid defense. Timi E-Nunu has stepped up for the Lobos. She has three turnovers, but she also has three assists, two rebounds and a career-high six points.

Sophomore forward Joh-Tenna Filipe leads the Utes with eight points.

The Lobos are playing with the energy and fire that has been missing the past two games and I'd be really surprised if they let this one get away from them. No matter how rough things have been going, I guess you can never underestimate how much players on these teams are rivals and seriously don't like each other.

Posted by ilimon at 03:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM continues to dominate this matchup and leads 18-10. Utah is working hard, but the Lobos are playing tremendous defense and shooting 62 percent from the field.

The Lobos clearly got fired up for this game. And it means so much to the program, former players Abbie Letz, Jana Francis and Judy Vogt are sitting together courtside cheering the team on against the Utes,

Posted by ilimon at 03:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos started on a 10-0 run, forcing three Utah turnovers with their full-court press. The pace has settled down a bit in the last minute but it's a good start for UNM.

Posted by ilimon at 03:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stay tuned for updates.

Posted by ilimon at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was a wild finish.

Katie Mongomery scored a layup off a set play, then stole the ball and scored another layup. Amy Beggin got another steal but missed the front end of a one-and-one with the Lobos leading 51-50. Wyoming rebounded and Aubrey Vandiver scored off a layup with 12.2 seconds left to give Wyoming a 52-51 lead. Wyoming called timeout and set up drama a huge final possession for the Lobos.

Wyoming pressed, then UNM called a timeout after seeing the Cowgirls setup.

UNM got it past midcourt Montgomery drove but was tripped up and called for a travel with 6.6 seconds left. The Lobos fouled Dominque Sisk and sent her to the free throw line. UNM called a full timeout to talk strategy. Sisk hit both, giving Wyoming a 3-point lead.

Montgomery missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer with a lot of contact, giving Wyoming a 54-51 win over UNM.

Posted by ilimon at 08:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This is getting really interesting here. Amy Beggin has had a few turnovers that have hurt the Lobos, but Wyoming seems to be suffering from the same fatigue that is sapping UNM. Both teams have a lot of fight and it should be a great race to the finish.

Posted by ilimon at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Katie Montgomery hit a huge 3-pointer and Julie Briody knocked down a layup to tie the game, Timi E-Nunu continues to play great defense, helping the Lobos get back in this game. Flanagan is shouting to the Lobos to push the ball up the floor, but we're seeing the toll of relying on seven players during such a tough game with constant movement needed on offense and defense. We'll find out just how much they have left.

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

Wyoming and UNM are trading blows, but UNM coach Don Flanagan called a timeout after the Cowgirls mounted a mini surge. UNM has been burned three times off an array of screens for layups. The Lobos are being more aggressive to counter the shots, but UNM can't afford to dig another hole this late in the game.

Posted by ilimon at 08:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM has come roaring back, briefly taking the lead one possession ago. Dionne Marsh has led the way with nine points all coming in the second half. Julie Briody has missed two free throws in this game, but the Lobos are fighting back and showing they have the ability to come back from a deficit. It's a pretty good skill for a team. We'll find out if the trend holds, especially with a tough pace for UNM's core seven players.

Posted by ilimon at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lobos are off to a much better start in the second half. Dionne Marsh has five points and UNM has gone on a 7-2 run. UNM has picked up its defense, forcing several shot-clock violations thanks, in part, to switching on screens.

Posted by ilimon at 08:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I looked it up and UNM's 21 first-half points against Wyoming are the fewest the Lobos have scored during the first half all season. The Lobos managed 24 in the first-half against No. 8 Oklahoma, their next lowest output.

Posted by ilimon at 07:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM picked up the scoring a little late, but the Lobos need a much better second half from their core shooters to overcome this deficit. Timi E-Nunu has helped, hitting two long-range jumpers she rarely takes to help UNM a little bit. It's not enough when Wyoming's top scorers are hitting on all cylinders. Justyna Podziemksa has 14 points and six rebounds, while Hanna Zavecz has 11 and one board.

The Lobos are shooting 27 percent from the field and 20 percent from 3-point range, while Wyoming has hit 46 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc.

Brandi Kimble leads the Lobos with six points, a sign of how little scoring the team has been able to muster. Dionne Marsh has been held scoreless and suffered an ankle injury ealry that seems to be bothering her a bit. At the same time, she is capable of dominating these forwards and has failed to respond. Julie Briody, Angela Hartill and E-Nunu all have four points.

It's up to the Lobos to decide they want this game more because Wyoming already is elated by its lead and will keep the heat on in the second half. We'll see what happens.

Posted by ilimon at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wyoming has stretched its lead simply because the Cowgirls are knocking down shots and the Lobos aren't hitting much of anything. Dionne Marsh still has not scored and Julie Briody picked up two fouls, shutting down two big UNM scoring threats. On the other side, the Cowgirls are hot from 3-point range. They hit 57 percent from beyond the arc. Forward Justyna Podziemska is as good as advertised, scoring 14 points already both from 3-point range and off low-post moves.

Posted by ilimon at 07:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Timi E-Nunu lost her shoe on one play, threw it to the sideline and played great defense to earn a stop on one series. Wyoming is holding on to a lead thanks to constant movement on both sides of the ball. They screen all the time on offense and are keeping a hand in UNM's face on defense. The good news for UNM is that Wyoming already has its seventh team foul. Julie Briody will shoot a one-and-one after the media timeout. Briody missed her first free throw of the game, ending her streak of 39 consecutive made free throws.

Posted by ilimon at 07:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dionne Marsh is struggling to score early, going 0-for-7 from the field. The Lobos' press is breaking down a lot. They aren't putting enough pressure on the ball and Wyoming has gotten at least three open layups off it. And the Cowgirls are hot from the 3-point line. Justyna Podziemska has nine points, with all of it coming from 3-point range.

Posted by ilimon at 07:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNM coach Don Flanagan called a timeout to settle the Lobos and get them to run their offense a little better. They are off to a rusty start. He didn't get the results he wanted out of the timeout, with Dionne Marsh being called for an offensive foul right before the under 16-minute media timeout.

The good news is the Lobos can easily snap out of this by running their offense a little better. Wyoming built up the lead off two 3-pointers.

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

It took some work, but I'm courtside this time for the Lobos' game at Wyoming. The Cowgirls drew a relatively good sized crowd despite a looming snow storm. I know, they're used to snow here. I've seen more in the past three weeks than in my lifetime. It even snowed in El Paso as I was on my way to Albuquerque earlier this week. Crazy.

Anyway, refs are here. Teams are here. And I'm here to give you updates. Stay tuned ...

Posted by ilimon at 06:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)