10-0 = TOTAL CONTROL

The Fresno Monsters swept their three game series with the Arizona Redhawks this weekend to improve to 10-0.

By Eddie Graveline
www.glovedropper.com
VSP Contributing Writer:

At this point, it’s safe to say that the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) doesn’t know what hit it. The Fresno Monsters, in their first season of existence, have taken the Tier III Junior A league by storm and already have a comfortable lead in the West Division standings. The team’s latest challenge was a three-game series with the Arizona Redhawks and they did exactly what they’ve been doing since the first face-off of the season—dominate.

The weekend got underway on Friday night at Selland Arena. Ben Conroy opened the scoring for the Monsters in the first period then scored shorthanded a few minutes later. The Monsters took a lead into the locker room and continued to press in the second period. Not even penalty trouble could slow them down, as Jimmy Bashara did Conroy one better. While the Monsters were killing a Redhawks 2-man advantage, Bashara broke up a play and sprinted down the ice on a breakaway. His first shot was stopped, but he collected his own rebound and slammed it home. In addition to extending the team’s lead, scoring in a situation like that was back breaking for the Redhawks. The Monsters capped the game with a 4-goal effort in the third period. They won by a final score of 9-2 and had 62-15 advantage in shots on goal.

It’s hard to imagine a team controlling a game more than the Monsters did on Friday, but they did on Saturday night. Back at Selland Arena, Don Coyle got the Monsters going just under seven minutes into the game. Don Barlow, Jimmy Bashara and Rob Kolander also chipped in during the first twenty minutes. Arizona got on the board 6:54 into the second, but the Monsters answered with goals from Ryan Parkhouse, Ben Conroy and James McGuirk, who picked up his first point in a Fresno uniform. Up 7-1 at the start of the third period, the Monsters didn’t let off the gas at all. They added another four goals to make it 11-1 at the end of the game. Understandably frustrated, the Redhawks got a little more physical late in the game, but the Monsters were up to the task. Bashara got in a fight and that, combined with a goal and assist earlier in the game, earned him a rare “Gordie Howe Hat Trick.” Unfortunately, Bashara broke his hand in the fight and will be out for the foreseeable future.

Both teams had to get right back up on Sunday morning to play a 10:00 AM game at Gateway Ice Center. 12 hours between games wasn’t a lot of time to recover, especially when the teams had already played back-to-back nights, so it wasn’t a big surprise when the first period was played at a slower pace than the prior games. Don Coyle scored the only goal of the period, putting the Monsters ahead going into the locker room. Finnish forward Jouni Elo, one of Fresno’s two foreign players, scored in the second period, as did Ryan Parkhouse. Arizona put one in at the halfway point. Coyle received a double minor (4 minutes) and game ejection for spearing, so the Monsters spent the final four minutes of the period on a penalty kill. As they had done both games prior, the Monsters turned it up in the third period for a strong finish. James McGuirk and Thomas Freeman scored and Jouni Elo put his second of the game in. The final score was 6-1.

After all three games, Monsters co-Head Coach Brandy Semchuk was happy with his team, but also saw room for improvement.

“Arizona’s goalies were great,” he said sincerely. “It was a tough trip for them. They lost a few guys with injuries, which left them short handed a little bit. We wore them down and were able to take advantage of that. Looking forward, we need to work on cutting down turnovers. We’re not scoring on a lot of chances in close, so we need to work on those tight situations.”

Leave it to a coach to make it seem like a weekend full of blowouts was actually a near disaster. Seriously, though, while the coaching staff does need to keep the players’ confidence levels from skyrocketing to unsafe heights, the team needs to be commended. They outscored Arizona 26-4 while playing three games in less than 48 hours. They skated with energy and passion, from start to finish, and left the Fresno fans desperate for the next home games to arrive. Speaking of that, see you on Friday night October 23rd when the Monsters host Phoenix at Selland Arena. The puck drops at 7-thirty.

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LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Fresno Monsters head coach Brandy Semchuk knows exactly what it takes for his players to achieve their dreams.

By Eddie Graveline
VSP Contributing Writer:

For Fresno hockey fans, it was one of those moments they’ll never forget. The announcement last December that the Fresno Falcons were ceasing operations mid-season came suddenly, with all the sickening force of a kick to the…well, you know. With very little warning, and even less time to process the resulting emotions, Fresno and the central valley were without professional hockey for the first time in almost fifty years. Hard core fans kicked and screamed, but most knew that getting another professional franchise in Fresno was a long shot at best. Fortunately, there was a group of people unwilling to sit idly by as a great sport withered and died. Instead, they got creative, and the Fresno Monsters were born.

One of the driving forces behind Fresno’s new Tier III Junior A hockey team, is co-Head Coach and former Fresno Falcon, Brandy Semchuk. After retiring in 1999, he began coaching youth hockey and eventually became the Hockey Director for the Fresno Junior Hockey Club. In that capacity, you could say that Semchuk’s future depends on the survival of hockey in Fresno, but as it turns out, it may be his past that plays an even bigger part in making that happen.

Semchuk was born in Calgary, Alberta and like most Canadian kids, he enjoyed playing the game outdoors when conditions allowed. Eventually, hockey took on a much larger role. His skill level increased and at the age of 17, things changed for good.

“I was picked to play on the Canadian National team,” he reveals. “That was 1988 and it was in preparation for the 1992 Olympics. Kris Draper (a current member of the Detroit Red Wings) and I were picked as 17-year-olds and we played with guys like Eric Lindros, Eddie Belfour and some players along those lines.”

It’s difficult for Americans to understand the magnitude of an achievement like that, because there are very few amateur sports that are watched with the same fervor here as hockey is in Canada. College football and basketball are probably the closest, but let’s just say it’s a really, really big deal.

After spending a couple of seasons in the national program, Semchuk decided—with no small amount of persuasion by his agent—to turn professional. He was picked by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. You don’t have to be a big hockey fan to know that the early ‘90s were a time of unprecedented excitement for the Kings. Semchuk’s storybook rise in the sport placed him right alongside hockey’s brightest stars, including ‘The Great One’ himself, Wayne Gretzky. Over the next couple of seasons, Semchuk compiled a catalog of memories that any hockey player would die for.

“My first experience with Gretzky was in 1990,” he recalls. “It was my first camp, in Hull, Quebec. I really didn’t know what to expect. Here’s the greatest hockey player of all time and what I found was a real down-to-earth guy that treated everybody the same, rookies and guys who played for twenty years. He treated everybody with respect and really made the younger guys like myself feel comfortable. I’ll never forget that.”

For the next few seasons, Semchuk spent time with the Kings as well as their minor league affiliates. Injuries always seemed to come at the most inconvenient times, but nothing could detract from the experience of the 1993 NHL playoffs. “The highlight of the whole thing was when I was called up for the playoffs of the 1992-93 season,” he decides. “There were five or six of us who were called the ‘Black Aces.’ We practiced and in the case that there were any injuries, we’d step into the lineup. That was the year that the Kings went to the Stanley Cup finals against the (Montreal) Canadiens and basically, L.A. was on fire. Everybody got on the bandwagon. After every home game, you’d see Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell or John Candy in the locker room, all these movie stars. You were a celebrity around town and it was pretty cool. The first series was against the Calgary Flames and at that time, (owner) Bruce McNall had the jet, the “Sky King.” We’d travel from city to city by plane with catered meals and stewardesses. You know, for a 21-year-old kid it was just mind numbing.”

As awe inspiring as that must have been, it was just the tip of the iceberg. During that playoff run, Semchuk became something of a lucky charm for the greatest hockey player of all time. “On the first trip to Calgary, we got into the hotel and we were all checking into our rooms,” he remembers. “Gretzky was looking around and said, ‘Who wants to go to dinner?’ He started saying, ‘Let’s go, let’s go,’ and I was one of the guys. So he took us out to Japanese food, Teppanyaki. The bill probably came to about fifteen hundred bucks, so he pulled cash out and paid for it. They ended up winning that night and he was so superstitious that every time we went on the road, he had to have the exact same guys go out to dinner with him. So basically, for the whole playoffs, I was one of the lucky guys who got to go out to dinner with Gretzky every night. He’d foot the bill every time.”

Of course, the Kings lost to the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals—“I was that close to getting a Stanley Cup Ring,” Semchuk laments—but there’s no denying the value of time spent around the best players at the highest level of the sport. Semchuck saw hockey at its finest and has used that knowledge to help the valley’s young players bridge the gap between themselves and players in other areas where hockey has a bigger presence. The experience he brings in coaching the Fresno Monsters not only benefits the team on the ice, but has also proven to be a great recruiting tool. More than any other coach in the Western States Hockey League that the Monsters play in, Semchuck knows exactly what it takes for his players to achieve their goals.

It wouldn’t be prudent to put the cart before the horse and the Monsters’ players and coaching staff have to focus on getting things done this season before worrying about future prospects. They’ve certainly gotten the season off to a good start, though, and you can go see the progression for yourself as they play home games at Selland Arena all season long.

FRESNO MONSTERS THIS WEEKEND:
All games vs. Arizona Redhawks at Selland Arena:

TONIGHT: 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY: 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY: 10 a.m.

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BM’X’ MARKS THE SPOT

Fresno is Now Home to Country’s Largest BMX Park.

By Andrew Marden
VSP Senior Writer:

FRESNO, Calif – Here’s how big a deal Friday’s grand opening of the Mosqueda Bike Park was: Daniel Dhers showed up.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Dhers, he’s one of the best young professional BMX riders there is.

Just 24 years old, he’s won gold medals at the last two X-Games and since 2005 hasn’t finished lower than third in any competitive event he’s entered.
“I’ve been around the world, I’ve seen skate parks everywhere. And I seriously cannot believe the size of this skate park here,” said Dhers (pronounced DARES) at Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in southeast Fresno.

That sure seems like a ringing endorsement, doesn’t it?

Fresno’s new bike park is 30,000 square feet and is believed to be the biggest of its kind in the country.

“My goal is someday to have Fresno as the recreational capital of the world,” smiled councilman Mike Dages, who is one of a handful of behind-the-scenes people who helped bring the $1.7 million bike park to the valley. “And I think we’re on our way.”

But don’t expect the recently-turned-60-year-old to test out the park himself.

“I know better,” laughed Dages (pronounced DAY-jihs).

He was, however, 56 years old when the fundraising process for the park started. He expects to be 62 or 63 when the city will make all that money back.

“This bike park is already on the websites of everybody in the entire nation,” he said. “So this puts us on the map big time.”

And soon, he hopes, it’ll host national tournaments. Dhers would also like to see that happen.

“It’s good to see that cities are supporting BMX this much,” says the Venezuelan native who now lives in Pennsylvania. “Hopefully the next big BMX name is gonna come out of here.”

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KENDRICK FALLS TO #3 MURRAY AT WIMBLEDON

The Fresno native is still alive in doubles play.

Fresno’s Robert Kendrick, known for his serve and volley game and fearlessness, gave hometown favorite Andy Murray all he could handle in the opening round of gentlemen’s singles play at Wimbledon.

Kendrick fell to the #3 seed in four sets, 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-4.

British tennis fans who thought Andy Murray’s path to the Wimbledon final would be straightforward were given a dose of reality in his opening match.

Kendrick is ranked 73 places lower than Murray on the ATP World Tour.

“It was a tough match,” Murray, 22, said. “I was expecting him to come out, go for some big shots. He pulled some off at the end of the second set and he served very well for three sets.”

Kendrick and doubles partner Sam Querrey will open up their doubles play against Austria’s Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer Thursday.

Bloomberg News contributed to this story.

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PASCOE AGREES TO FOUR-YEAR DEAL WITH 49ERS

The San Francisco 49ers announced that they have signed sixth-round draft choice TE Bear Pascoe to a four-year contract.

From 49ers.com:

Pascoe (6-5, 251) was a two-time All-WAC selection at Fresno State, where he played in 45 games (37 starts) and hauled in 112 passes for 1,294 yards and 10 touchdowns. He blocked a school-record six kicks during his career, ranking him ninth in NCAA history.

In 2008, Pascoe started 12 games and recorded 40 receptions for 400 yards and four touchdowns. He had a career year in 2007, catching 45 passes for 553 yards and four touchdowns in 12 starts. Pascoe started 12 games in 2006, finishing with 22 receptions for 307 yards and two touchdowns. As a redshirt freshman, he played in 13 games and caught five passes for 34 yards. After being recruited as a quarterback out of high school, Pascoe made the switch to tight end and redshirted as a true freshman.

The 23-year-old Pascoe is a native of Porterville, CA. He becomes the fourth of the 49ers seven 2009 draft picks to sign with the team.

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ONE WIN AWAY…

Former Bulldog Rafer Alston will make school history if the Magic eliminate the Cavaliers tonight.

By George Takata
VSP Senior Writer:

The Orlando Magic have stunned the Cleveland Cavaliers to the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals. And with Orlando owning a commanding three games to one lead, former Fresno State point guard Rafer Alston could become the first Bulldog to ever play in the NBA Finals if Orlando wins tonight’s all-important game five in Cleveland.

The nine year veteran was traded to the Magic from the Rockets at the trade deadline. Orlando needed a point guard to replace the injured Jameer Nelson and Alston has been exactly what the doctor ordered, averaging 13.3 points, 4.6 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.4 rebounds a game in this postseason. He’s also shooting 44 percent from behind the three-point line against Lebron James and the Cavaliers.

Fellow former Bulldog Melvin Ely won a world championship ring with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007, but did not play in the postseason.

To view a story on Alston from the Savannah Morning News, click on the link below:

http://savannahnow.com/node/729766

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FORMER BULLDOG NEAL JOINS RAIDERS

One of the best blocking backs ever will now lead the way for Fargas, McFadden and Bush.

From raiders.com:

The Oakland Raiders opened their three-day mandatory mini-camp with a practice session at their Alameda, Calif., facility Friday morning. The day began with two player signings and a number change or two. The Raiders signed 17-year veteran FB Lorenzo Neal and third-year RB Gary Russell. Both players were on the field for practice. Neal donned his familiar #41 while second-year running back Louis Rankin switched to #40.

“I’m excited. I’ve been very blessed, very fortunate that after 17 years to still be playing and [play] at a high level,” Neal said. “I just thank Mr. Davis and the coaching staff for giving me the opportunity to be a Raider. You look at this team and you see so much talent and you are like ‘wow.’”

Neal, who has been selected for four Pro Bowls and two first team All-Pro squads, says he thinks the Raiders are poised to make a run. “The Raiders have a lot of tradition,” Neal added. “Why not start there? Why not start now? Why not this year? I played in Baltimore last year. Before last year they won five games, next year they were playing in the AFC Championship. It’s football. It’s never what people think.”

Joining a backfield that features RBs Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush, Neal understands his role and how he can help. “It is not just how you play on the field but also what you bring off the field. It is the intangibles. It is showing the guys what I do that allowed me to play for 17 years. Let’s go to meetings, let’s watch extra film, let’s lift some weights and do some extra things instead of not coming in on your off day,” Neal explained. “You win the game on Sunday during the week in practice and meetings. The game is simple if you know what you are doing. It is about the practice and the attention to detail. It is very imperative that you get leadership and that you lead by example so I’m excited about it.”

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TWO FORMER BULLDOGS IN SILVER AND BLACK?

The Oakland Raiders could sign Michael Pittman AND Lorenzo Neal to play fullback.

By David White
sfgate.com:

The Raiders search for fullback help has turned to a former Fresno State standout other than Lorenzo Neal: veteran running Michael Pittman.

A league source confirmed the interest, while at least two others contend the Raiders remain very interested in also bringing in Neal, the perennial Pro Bowl blocking back.

All this explains why they haven’t signed any undrafted fullbacks after Raiders coach Tom Cable said the position had to be addressed after the draft. Turns out, he’s bent on bringing in a veteran presence.

To that end, Pittman has been in the league since 1998 but only took up the fullback position last season. So why him?

Lorenzo Neal is a bullheaded blocking machine. He can catch a little, but blasting linebackers is what he does best. Returning Raiders fullback Oren O’Neal is a mini version of Neal: he has hands, but they’re only made for blocking. Receiving out of the backfield just isn’t an option.

With all apologies to Luke Lawton, the Raiders remain without a fullback who can catch the ball in the flats. Justin Griffith was that guy the past two seasons, but he’s in Seattle now.

That’s where Pittman comes in.

A physical running back, he has the hands to catch the ball out of the backfield and the freakish bodybuilder’s frame to carry his own as a blocker. Denver figured as much when they moved him to fullback last season in their zone-blocking scheme — the same system used in Oakland.

And don’t forget, for instant quick-hit updates like this, check the Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/bydavidwhite. It’s all Raiders-related, with the occasional Fresno-area references for hometown’s sake.

The obvious concern is Pittman’s controversial past, which includes multiple arrests, etc. He also finished last season on the IR with a neck injury.

Bottom line No. 1: the Raiders expect O’Neal to make a healthy return from major knee surgery, but they want insurance and a more diverse profile at fullback.

Bottom line No. 2: For all this talk about vertical passing and stretching the field, this is still a team that will focus on the run game. Everything else plays off of that premise.

Ideally, if the Raiders want to sign Neal and/or Pittman, they’ll do it by this weekend’s mandatory minicamp, with two-a-days on Friday and Saturday and a single-practice sendoff Sunday.

But then, both players are longtime pro enough, they should not have a problem adjusting in a hurry once/if they do sign.

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SLAP-SHOT; ALSTON FACES POSSIBLE SUSPENSION

The former Fresno State point guard gets into it with Boston’s Eddie House in Game 2 of their playoff series.

By Julian Benbow-Boston Globe

Eddie House’s shooting night was so nuts, all Rafer Alston could do was try to slap some sense into him.

Alston chased House so much in the Celtics’ 112-94 Game 2 win, he should have been wearing blue lights.

On a night when House came off the bench and scored 31 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the floor (4 of 4 from 3-point range), the PA announcer’s voice would continually boom, “Eddie House!” or “Eddie House . . . for three!”

With each bucket, House seemed to get deeper under Alston’s skin. Then came a three-ball that split the nets with 49.7 seconds left in the third quarter.

House came sprinting from one end of the baseline to the other, trying to get open for a catch-and-shoot. Alston chased him the whole way.

House took a feed from Rajon Rondo and heaved it up.

Splash. Turn. Celebrate.

Then Alston smacked House in the back of the head, catching him so flush that the NBA logo on House’s headband went from one side of House’s head to the other.

They wound up chest to chest before referees issued double technicals. House stayed on the floor, steaming. Alston went to the bench to cool off.

Alston said he had his reasons. In the process of drilling the shot, turning and celebrating, Alston said, House gave him an extra shove with his elbow.

“Eddie made the shot,” Alston said. “I’m standing out of bounds, letting him run by, he runs by, shoots an elbow at me.

“It was just a natural reaction. I tried to get to him, grab him before he ran back down the court.

“I have no hard feelings toward Eddie. I have a lot of respect for him. But when you’re having a good night, kicking our behinds, he shot the elbow at me in my stomach, it was just a natural reaction.”

House said Alston had to be naturally reacting to the shots he was drilling.

“All I did was hit a shot, turn the other way, and got hit upside the head,” House said. “I guess he was tired of getting hit upside the head.”

The House elbow is visible in replays, but the intent is debatable.

“He did it deliberately,” said Alston. “Usually, he’ll run down the court and then show his emotions, but right there I was just standing out of bounds and got a shot as he was sprinting down the court. He made a three. He loves celebrating.”

House said, “Everybody saw what happened. I don’t play that type of basketball. I think he was trying to do anything to just try to stop me.”

House and Alston each said no words had been exchanged before the incident, but it’s well-known that when House is on fire, whoever’s guarding him is going to know about it.

“He gets under everybody’s skin when he gets us going,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “It’s not personal. I mean, he just gets so wound up into the game, and that’s good. I’m a big believer in emotion. And some people will take it the wrong way, but I’ll take it was long as he’s on my side.”

Familiar with House from their days together in Miami, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said, “If he gets under guys’ skin, it’s because he gets very excited when things are going good.

“Eddie’s not a guy who’s a pain in the [butt] at all. It’s just yeah, he’s excited and he’s going to let you know he’s kicking your butt. There’s a lot of guys like that in this league, and he had a great game today.”

The Magic lost Dwight Howard for a game in the first round for elbowing 76ers center Samuel Dalembert.

Alston could face the same fate.

“I’m always concerned,” said Van Gundy. “I know this: I can’t do anything about it. Hopefully, there’s some things I see on the film and on the court that happened during the game that I can do something about. As far as that goes, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

House, on the other hand, could rest easy, knowing the series was knotted up.

“This was a big game,” he said. “We needed to get this to even the series out. It was more like a statement game to us.”

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WEAVER SOLID; DODGERS TIE MLB MARK

Former Bulldog Jeff Weaver returns to the Dodgers rotation, makes first start since September of 2007

From The Associated Press:

The Los Angeles Dodgers have never felt more comfortable at home in their 48 years at Chavez Ravine.

The Dodgers tied the modern major league record for the longest home winning streak to start a season, improving to 12-0 as Jeff Weaver pitched them to a 3-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

“I think anytime you put a streak together like this, it’s a surprise — that things keep going your way,” manager Joe Torre said. “But the thing that doesn’t surprise me is that we’ve been going out there every day and grinding it as a team. And that’s what’s most important to me. I mean, baseball’s full of streaks. You just hope the good ones outnumber the bad ones.”

The defending NL West champions now share the mark with the 1911 Detroit Tigers, who accomplished the feat at Bennett Park the year before they moved into Tiger Stadium.

“I’m glad it’s finally something that happened before I was born,” the 68-year-old Torre joked. “It’s something to admire when you look back on something, and know that there you are. You’re in the record books and you were a part of that team that did it. But while you’re involved in it, you don’t want it to stop there. You hope you can extend it beyond that. But you don’t live for the streak.”

The Dodgers’ sixth straight victory made them a major league-best 20-8 overall, their best start since the 1983 club started out 21-7 under Tommy Lasorda. That same year, the Atlanta Braves started out 10-0 at home under Torre.

“I think this is a fair ballpark, so we can keep thinking small [ball],” Torre said. “If you have ballparks that are more appealing to the home run, you tend to get outside yourself a little bit. Even though players would much rather hit a home run, they understand that when you think small, big things happen. That’s what we preach, anyway.”

Weaver (1-0) allowed a run and five hits over five innings and struck out six in his first start in the big leagues since Sept. 28, 2007 with the Seattle Mariners. The 10-year veteran right-hander outpitched Max Scherzer (0-3), who is 0-7 through his first 12 big league starts despite a respectable 3.16 ERA.

Jonathan Broxton pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save in nine attempts.

Scherzer allowed three runs and four hits over six innings on the first anniversary of his maiden big league start, when he gave up five runs in an 11-4 loss to Philadelphia. He has allowed more than three earned runs in only one of his 11 starts since then.

“I don’t go out there and try to create a win. I just need to go out there and do the best I can. That’s how I’ll get my first win,” Scherzer said. “I just want to give the team a chance. I’ve really worked hard, trying to develop consistency on every pitch. I didn’t give up any runs after the first inning, so at least I finished strong. That’s a good sign.”

Andre Ethier opened the scoring with an RBI single after an intentional walk to Manny Ramirez, who scored on James Loney’s groundout. Russell Martin reached on a throwing error by shortstop Josh Wilson, allowing Ethier to score the third run.

Weaver threw 85 pitches, worked with runners on base in each of the first five innings and gave up his only run in the third on a wild pitch. He was bailed out twice by three-time Gold Glove second baseman Orlando Hudson, who frustrated his former team with run-saving diving catches against Mark Reynolds and Scherzer in the first and fourth to end both innings.

Weaver, who earned a World Series ring in 2006 with St. Louis after winning the Game 5 clincher against Detroit, signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers on Feb. 9 and was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on April 30 to begin his second stint with the Dodgers.

He made his only relief appearance that same night, pitching four scoreless innings before Torre inserted him into the rotation and demoted control-plagued rookie James McDonald to the bullpen.

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