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Columns

LYONS: Conference tournaments take the madness out of March

Redundant postseason competitions devalue regular season games

Staff writer Steve Lyons says that conference tournaments make regular season college basketball games meaningless by giving mediocre teams a shot at an NCAA bid.

Jody Wynn

QUEZADA: LBSU enters stretch run in unusual spot

The 49er women’s basketball team has already doubled its conference win total from last season

Assistant sports editor Andrea Quezada thinks that the 49er women's basketball team has come within striking distance of first place in the Big West Conference.

Casper Ware and T.J. Robinson

MORENO: 49ers' inconsistent play difficult to solve

Preseason favorite Long Beach State prepares for stretch run of up-and-down season

Assistant sports editor Matt Moreno explains the reason for the Long Beach State men's basketball team's ups and downs this season.

MORENO: 49ers are where they should be

The Long Beach State men’s basketball team completed its tough nonconference schedule on Tuesday

Assistant sports editor takes a look back at the Long Beach State men's basketball team's challenging nonconference schedule.

LEE: School name in need of re-branding

Changing university’s moniker would help establish unique campus identity

Sports editor Danny Lee looks at the idea of a university name change and what it would mean for Long Beach State.

Kellen Moore

LEE: Fiesta Bowl pairing shows BCS elitism

Sports editor thinks the Bowl Championship Series blatantly marginalized TCU and Boise State by denying them the opportunity to shine against college football's established names.

MORENO: Loss to Notre Dame provides lessons moving forward

Men's basketball experienced a rough initiation heading into a challenging stretch of games

Assistant sports editor Matt Moreno views the 49er men's basketball team's loss to Notre Dame as a crucial learning experience as LBSU navigates its tough nonconference slate.

Larry Anderson

RAMIREZ: LBSU-Pepperdine game not short on star power

Beach guard Larry Anderson and the Waves’ Keion Bell have received buzz from national media outlets

Long Beach State's Larry Anderson and Pepperdine's Keion Bell faced off in a scrimmage at the Walter Pyramid over the summer. They'll meet again tonight when the 49ers and Waves clash in Malibu.

Karina Figueroa

MCDANNALD: Figueroa’s luck turns around

Fifth-year senior battles back from rash of injuries to help deliver Jody Wynn’s first career win

Tracy McDannald examines how Karina Figueroa's on-court presence ignited the 49er women's basketball team's season-opening win Friday at the Walter Pyramid.

T.J. Robinson

MCDANNALD: Robinson snubbed from preseason team

Sophomore forward overlooked by media voters

Long Beach State sophomore T.J. Robinson was erroneously left off the Big West Conference media's preseason all-conference team Thursday.

Greg Plater and Lin Chang

MORENO: Scrimmage showcases players with potential for breakout season

Shooting guard Greg Plater among ‘Niners who could make larger contribution this season

LBSU men's basketball team shows promise of taking its game to next level.

Casper Ware

RAMIREZ: Parity a non-factor for elite programs

College sports dominated by a handful of elite teams

Assistant sports editor Daniel Ramirez discusses the uphill battle mid-majors face in competing against established powerhouses.

LEE: Always nice to Beach slap the Bruins

Athletic contests between UCLA, Long Beach State a David vs. Goliath affair

Sports editor Danny Lee thinks Long Beach State wins over UCLA provide feel-good underdog story.

Women

LEE: Winless weekend not a complete loss for ‘Niners

LBSU women’s volleyball should see improvement as starters grow comfortable with new roles

Sports editor Danny Lee sees more room for improvement in 49er women's volleyball team as the season progresses.

Midseason Review: Sizing up the Daily 49er's picks at the break

How did the 49er's MLB preseason picks turn out?

 Staff writer Tucker Savoye looks at the predictions we made for the MLB in April.

RAMIREZ: Contenders make splash in free agent market

NBA teams pick up impact players as July 8 signing period arrives

 Assistant Sports Editor Daniel Ramirez looks at the recent shake-up in the NBA.

Larry Reynolds

MCDANNALD: Coaches continue to never learn from past mistakes

Recruiting violations not among deterrents for athletic directors

Recruiting violations not among deterrents for athletic directors.

Charlie Ruiz

Dirtbags are victims of their own success

Influx of players to the professional ranks hurting program

Beat reporter Tucker Savoye says the MLB Draft is a major reason why Long Beach State struggled this season.

47 comments

Brooke Turner

Decisions, decisions: Softball coach mulling over pitchers

Head coach Kim Sowder has a pair of aces but has not decided who to start

Sports editor Tracy McDannald wonders what Long Beach State will do heading into Friday's NCAA Regional opener at UCLA

Beach Banter: Sports in the movies

Four Daily Forty-Niner staff members discuss their top 10 sports-themed movies

3 comments

Derek Legg

The Postseason Push: Dirtbags need strong run to make NCAAs

Staff writer Tucker Savoye discusses what Long Beach State needs to do to have a shot at a playoff berth

High school junior's decision may start trend

Jeremy Tyler will forego senior season to play overseas

Staff writer Matt Moreno discusses the latest flaw in the NBA's age-restriction rule

2 comments

NFL Draft makes for an overhyped media spectacle

Assistant sports editors Danny Lee and Daniel Ramirez, along with staff writer Matt Moreno, give their thoughts on the NFL Draft

Beach Banter

Bostonians gone wild: Bean Town jocks rough over weekend

A pair of incidents gave three Daily Forty-Niner sports staff members a topic of discussion on Monday

1 comment

Former LBSU hurler shines in tribute to fallen teammate

Sports connects people from different walks of life

Ex-Dirtbag Jered Weaver found himself pitching in memory of the teammate who was supposed to become his roommate

Beach Banter

Beach Banter: Sizing up the Major League Baseball season

Members of the Daily Forty-Niner sports staff make predictions for the 2009 version of the national pastime

NCAA men

Clock striking midnight on men's hoops Cinderellas

Decline of mid-major at-large bids takes madness out of March

Staff writer Matt Moreno wants the NCAA selection committee to remember the underdogs that helped build the success of March Madness

Kip Masuda

Growing pains: Dirtbags playing inconsistent baseball

Assistant sports editor Daniel Ramirez looks into Long Beach State's slowest start since 1997

Beach Banter

Sizing up the 65-team NCAA men’s basketball tournament field

Three Daily Forty-Niner sports staff members look at a few intriguing NCAA Tournament match-ups and upset possibilities in this edition of "Beach Banter"

Casper Ware

LBSU athletics endures day to forget

A column by sports editor Tracy McDannald about the disappointing Friday the 13th in Beach sports history

7 comments

Beach Banter

Beach Banter: Will T.O. be a blow to Buffalo?

Sports editor Tracy McDannald, staff writer Matt Moreno and managing editor Tiffany Rider — an avid Dallas Cowboys fan — discuss the release of Terrell Owens, who then signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent.

1 comment

Larry Anderson

The 'magic number' is 1 for men's basketball

LBSU on the brink of a top-2 seed for Big West Tournament

Staff writer Tucker Savoye breaks down how the 49ers can secure a bye through the first two rounds of the conference tournament

Beach Banter

Beach Banter: NBA All-Star Weekend losing its ‘luster’

Members of the Daily Forty-Niner sports staff discuss the highs and lows of the annual festivities

1 comment

T.J. Robinson

49ers holding serve without leading scorer Morris

Development of freshmen T.J. Robinson, Larry Anderson key to sustained success

Sports editor Tracy McDannald looks at pair of freshmen as the Long Beach State men's basketball team overcomes recent obstacles

Beach Banter

A-Rod admission stirs controversy over Hall of Fame possibility

Four Daily Forty-Niner sports staff members tackle the Alex Rodriguez steroid scandal in a roundtable discussion

Kurt Warner can book his ticket for Canton

Super Bowl loss should not diminish Cardinals quarterback’s Hall of Fame résumé

Assistant sports editor Danny Lee believes the Arizona Cardinals quarterback has cemented his spot in the Hall of Fame

Monson Maniacs

Crowd shows up like never before at Pyramid

A season-high 4,263 fans came out to watch Long Beach State play Cal State Fullerton on Thursday

Sports editor Tracy McDannald applauds the Monson Maniacs, who made their presence felt at the Walter Pyramid on Thursday night

4 comments

NBA logo

Poised to make a run: Teams to watch in 2nd half

Assistant sports editor Daniel Ramirez chooses his top-3 clubs near the mid-point of the season in the NBA's Western and Eastern Conferences

1 comment

Beach volleyball should become an NCAA sport

Sport’s growing popularity makes it a logical addition to spring athletics schedule

Assistant sports editor Danny Lee suggests the addition of the sand game to the spring schedule

NBA All-Star logo

NBA All-Star weekend no longer a slam dunk showcase

Voting process, competitions should be tweaked for league’s midseason gala

Sports editor Tracy McDannald suggests a few changes to the NBA's All-Star Weekend festivities

Casper Ware

LBSU men take conference win in stride

'Niners pleased, but mature following victory between No. 1 and 2 in Big West

A column by sports editor Tracy McDannald about the continuing progress of the men's basketball team

Casper Ware

LBSU off to fast start in conference play

A column by assistant sports editor Tucker Savoye about the Long Beach State men's basketball team in relation to the rest of the Big West

Big West logo

Men's, women’s hoops gear up for Big West play

Monson’s group loses 5 of 6; Hegarty’s squad drops 4 of 5 before conference action

A column by Tracy McDannald taking a look at both Long Beach State basketball teams heading into 2009

Cat Highmark and Caitlin Ledoux

No glaring questions for women’s volleyball future

A column by sports editor Tracy McDannald about Long Beach State's core for next season, as well as a Stanford Cardinal who was more familiar with the 49er system than most opposing players

1 comment

BCS logo

BCS stands for Broken Computer System — again

College football’s subjective computer ranking creates questionable national title match

A column by assistant sports editor Danny Lee criticizing the Bowl Championship Series and its flaws regarding one-loss or undefeated schools

MLB’s playoff format needs to include best teams

A column by contributing writer Inbal Gvili about Major League Baseball's playoff format and its flaws

Women’s volleyball deserved a better NCAA draw

A column by sports editor Tracy McDannald questioning the selection committee's logic of placing Long Beach State in Palo Alto instead of Los Angeles

1 comment

Cat Highmark

Women's volleyball peaking at the right time

'Niners poised to make run in NCAA Tournament

A column by assistant sports editor Danny Lee about the direction Brian Gimmillaro's team is heading going into Selection Sunday

1 comment

Eugene Phelps

New 49ers show mettle, discard old habits in home opener

Pair of freshmen, transfer guard impress in Walter Pyramid debut

A column by sports editor Tracy McDannald about the men's basketball team's come-from-behind victory on Homecoming Night

St. Louis Cardinals logo

NL MVP race not so close

Numbers show Albert Pujols clearly deserved second honor of his career

A column by sports editor Tracy McDannald defending the baseball writers' choice for the award

Ingrassia-led women’s soccer program arrives in national spotlight

Young talent gives Long Beach State bright future, as foundation-setting seniors say farewell

A column by sports editor Tracy McDannald looking into the future of the women's soccer program created by head coach Mauricio Ingrassia

1 comment

Premature celebration

Team still confident about NCAA selection

Head coach believes whole season will play bigger role in committee’s decision

A column by sports editor Tracy McDannald stating the case for Long Beach State's women's soccer team despite Sunday's penalty-kick shootout

1 comment

Women’s soccer takes it to next level

Long Beach State on the brink of first NCAA appearance in the program’s history

A column by assistant sports editor Danny Lee about the message the 49ers' semifinal win should send to the NCAA selection committee

1 comment

Acquiring Iverson not ‘The Answer’ for Detroit

Blockbuster deal doesn't make sense for Pistons

Staff writer Daniel Ramirez analyzes Monday's trade between the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets

Long Beach State athletics dealing with the home-field disadvantage

Attendance figures at 49er sporting events fall far short of capacity

A column by assistant sports editor Danny Lee calling out for more fan support

1 comment

Jack Johnson

Champion of the past: The story of Jack Johnson

A look at the battles boxer Jack Johnson faced outside of the ring

Tim Tebow

A trip to the South to see college football where it matters most

Florida avenges last week's loss by running over Arkansas

Assistant sports editor Tucker Savoye headed to Arkansas for a glimpse of what a football school is like

Evan Longoria

First playoff game, national stage doesn’t faze Longoria

Rays rookie All-Star third baseman blasts two home runs in postseason debut

Ex-Dirtbag Evan Longoria helped lead the Tampa Bay Rays to their first-ever playoff victory Thursday.

1 comment

There's no postseason like October

Major League Baseball rarely fails to deliver the memorable moments

A column comparing baseball's recent playoff memories to the ones produced by the Super Bowl and NBA Finals

History of Yankee Stadium felt by generations

A column about the baseball cathedral simply known as The House That Ruth Built.

1 comment

LBSU unhappy with rule change in women's college volleyball

Coach, senior setter speak out as the NCAA tinkers with points again.

A column regarding the rule changes in NCAA women's volleyball, including comments from the Long Beach State team.

Kim Silos

Grit of LBSU soccer put to test

Women’s soccer team refused to lose game to Oregon.

A column about the end of Sunday's women's soccer game against the University of Oregon.

NY logo

Baseball helped heal nation on Sept. 11

America's Pastime gave U.S. a familiar yet different feeling to distract from events.

A column about how baseball gave the country a small outlet from 9/11.

Upon further review: Instant replay needed

Getting the call right should be top priority.

A column about instant replay in sports, as well as thoughts from Long Beach State athletes and coaches.

1 comment

Alicia Sacramone

A dream deferred

Olympic gymnast’s misfortune strikes a chord with viewers.

Not every Olympian is destined to be like swimmer Michael Phelps. That is a reality that U.S. gymnast Alicia Sacramone will have to live with.

The case for pro football in Los Angeles

The team Southern California should recognize as its own.

5 comments

Mark Teixeira

Trade shifts balance of power to AL West-leading Angels

Acquiring first baseman Mark Teixeira makes the Halos World Series favorites.

Acquiring first baseman Mark Teixeira makes the Halos World Series favorites.

There are no more surprises

With 24-hour-a-day news coverage, sports often lack the unknown.

Tiger-less British Open lacks appeal but increases bucks

LBSU alum Paul Goydos makes first tournament appearance; Woods’ absence leaves huge opportunity for others

The NBA: Where money-hungry ownership happens

Pro basketball team moves to Oklahoma City after court battle and owner’s deception.

1 comment

Baseball: The game with no method to its madness

The rules, occurrences make America’s Pastime unlike any other.

Going batty for power

Examining the dangers behind aluminum and maple baseball bats. Unsafe bats pose a danger to players and fans.

1 comment

Retro rivalry falls short of media’s hype

Physical Celtics’ defense too much for inexperienced Lakers squad to handle.

Lakers-Celtics rivalry one for the Millennium

The Lakers and Celtics have a historic rivalry which will be tested tonight when the two teams play each other.