2010 Wooster Baseball Broadcast Schedule (Tentative)

Revenge Starts Now. (image courtesy Matt Dilyard)

“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball.  I’ll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window and wait for spring.”  -Rogers Hornsby

First off, we hope all of you are having a relaxing spring break! Secondly, we hope you’re ready for some baseball. Below is the tentative 2010 Fighting Scots broadcast schedule on WCWS. All dates, times and locations may change, and if they do we’ll let you know right here. Moreover, all games, with the exception of the game at Progressive Field, are at Art Murray Field on the College of Wooster campus. All games can be listened to on 90.9 FM Wooster or online from our website.

• March 23 (Tuesday): Marietta @ Wooster 3 PM (Broadcasters: Jason, TBD)

• March 24 (Wednesday): Capital @ Wooster 3 PM (Broadcasters TBD)

• April 1 (Thursday): Baldwin-Wallace @ Wooster 4 PM (Broadcasters TBD)

• April 7 (Wednesday): John Carroll @ Wooster 4 PM (Broadcasters TBD)

• April 14 (Wednesday): Heidelberg @ Wooster 4 PM (Broadcasters TBD)

• April 21 (Wednesday): Wooster @ Case Western Reserve 11 AM (at Progressive Field. Broadcasters: Jason, Andrew, Brandon?)

• April 22 (Thursday): Denison @ Wooster 4 PM (Broadcasters TBD)

• April 24 (Saturday): Hiram @ Wooster 1 PM DOUBLE HEADER (Broadcasters TBD)

•April 25 (Sunday): Hiram @ Wooster 1 PM DOUBLE HEADER (Broadcasters TBD)

WOO SPORT STYLE: Tattoos reflect personal style, or lack thereof

By Chris Weston and Jason Weingardt

Let’s be honest. Some guys have mad style, and some don’t. Here at Wooster, this is evident from just watching the men in the UG do their thang — but in the realm of professional sports it stands out even more. This week, we take a look at tattoos. While all five of the people listed below have their share of well-placed ink, most of them scream “bad decision.” Sadly, no athlete at Wooster was worthy of earning a spot on our list, but then again that’s probably a good thing when you see those chosen. Enjoy!

5. Shawn Merriman

Merriman makes the list because of his ability to incorporate his “lights out” light switch tattoo into his celebrations.  After every sack (which are few and far between now that he is off the juice), Merriman celebrates by “flicking” the light switch on his arm. Adding to the somewhat odd tattoo is the hand that is turning out the lights.  It looks as if it had been drawn by a third grader who had too much fun with a Sharpie after sniffing it. Honestly, it’s hard to say what’s more embarrassing — the fact that there is an odd home appliance on his arm or that one of the guys from “The Hills Have Eyes” is turning it off. Also, based on Tila Tequila’s example, we might not want to upset him by “leaving him off.”

4. Allen Iverson

Although more famous for redefining “practice” for the rest of the sporting world, AI falls into the fourth slot for his censored back tattoo.  He chose to have the acronym “FAME” inked onto his back, which is no surprise seeing as his ego is larger than Octomom’s diaper bill. In case you didn’t know what it stood for, that was added underneath — “F@#? All My Enemies.” Yes, he had his own tattoo censored.  A piece of art that is hidden beneath your jersey, only seen when you want it to be seen, and with a message as blunt as this, and AI chooses to blur out what the word actually is? AI, you disappoint us.

3. Udonis Haslem

Haslem simply has a tattoo on his back that has the entire state of Florida. This serves a practical function for times when he’s incredibly intoxicated, or just plain lost. Other than that, this thing is utterly ridiculous. What if Haslem gets traded from his current team, the Miami Heat to a team outside of Florida? Except for maybe Tim Tebow, we don’t think anyone is actually that proud to be from Florida; except for maybe Flo-rida. He’s still cool, right?

2. Dennis Rodman

Any time you talk about weird and random anything in the world of sports, you have to include Rodman.  The man made a living off of being “that guy,” doing everything from wearing a wedding dress to promote his own autobiography, to changing his hair color more than Senator Lieberman would change his stance on politics. What is possibly the most absurd part about him is his full back tattoo, which, to put it incredibly lightly, pictures a naked female figure doing some very graphic things with a part of her own body that isn’t naturally there. Oh, and she also has angel wings. It is horrifying. This picture should have relieved Michael Jackson of the title for “Craziest person of the 1990s.” But then again, it is Dennis Rodman, so what should we expect?

1. Chris “Birdman” Andersen

Where to start? As the only white guy on our list, you wouldn’t think he’d make number one. However, he earns the number one spot simply because he’s the biggest badass here. After being expelled from the NBA for “drug violations,” Anderson was reinstated and helped the Thuggets — err, Nuggets in the playoffs. His signature celebration, simply titled the “Birdman,” has him wave his hands around and flap like a bird. This is cool and all, but what makes it better is the wings he has tattooed on his arms.  And shoulders. And back. Essentially, everywhere on his body. Also, his hairstyle is a dual mullet/mohawk hybrid. That in itself makes Andersen worthy of a number one spot.

Honorable Mention

Mike Tyson

Charles Barkley warned that you shouldn’t start a confrontation with a guy who has a face tattoo. Tyson is that guy. His tribal tattoo adds to his intimidation factor. Also, this is the same guy who owns a tiger and rocks out to Phil Collins. And helped win a Golden Globe. That’s good enough for sixth.

Super Bowl 2010 Commercials: The Top 5

By Jason Weingardt

The Super Bowl is as American an event as one could ever be. Most of us attend a party, eat an inordinate amount of junk food and, for those of you of age, get somewhat intoxicated. While the game itself is loud, obnoxious, and more often than not entertaining, this monstrous event, like all facets of professional sports, boils down to which company will profit the most off of advertisements.

Super Bowl ads are supposed to transcend normal advertisements. They’re supposed to make you laugh, cry, and more importantly, think. This year Super Bowl advertisers were set back at least $3 million for 30-second spots in the midst of a failing economy. So, with that kind of money one would think they’d be well thought out, funny and contain some original ideas. Well, you’d be dead wrong. I think I can speak for a lot people when I say that this year’s ads were as underwhelming as ever.

However, this year’s broadcast had its moments. What follows is my Tim Tebow, screaming chicken and talking baby-less list of the top five Super Bowl ads of 2010.

5. Hyundai — Brett Favre

Everyone likes to make jokes about how old Brett Favre is, including Brett Favre. Not only that, but there’s the continual guessing game of whether he’ll retire or come back and continue to throw interceptions. In this ad, an extremely gray Brett Favre wins the 2029 MVP and talks about retiring from football, just as he’s done oh so many times before. However, in a smooth transition, Hyundai then talks about how reliable their cars are and I stopped paying attention. Why can’t American car companies be this creative? Oh, right. Too soon?

4. Bud Light — Voice Box

Any ad that features T-Pain is a win in my book. It doesn’t matter for how long he’s on the screen; he’s just funny. This auto-tuned-out ad consists of a bunch of guys realizing there’s Bud Light at a party, and then announcing their excitement through the wonder that is auto-tune. Then, while at the party, T-Pain shows up and asks for some guacamole. Definitely one of the best laughs of the night. Moreover, I really hope Jay-Z wasn’t watching this ad.

3. Bud Light — Asteroid

The end of the world is coming, and the culprit is a speeding asteroid. Upon realizing their fate, several astronomers can only think of one thing to do. In a thought process that any college student could relate to, the astronomers choose to forego their dying wishes and instead drink copious amounts of alcohol. Bud Light ran four ads during the broadcast, and this was by far the funniest; providing hilarity around the rather solemn subject that is the apocalypse. In the end it turns out the gigantic asteroid actually was the size of a pebble, and the astronomers thank Bud Light for saving the world. Still, the attitude of “Well, forget it, let’s drink” was  conveyed well.

2. Snickers — Game

In games of pickup football, there’s always that guy. You know, the one who softens up and can’t deliver out the hit or never dives for the ball. Yeah, I know him too, and I’m not talking about Braylon Edwards, Browns fans. In this ad by Snickers, there are two very solid cameos. It starts with Betty White going out for a pass, then getting absolutely decked by a defender. After White delivers some trash talk about another player’s mother, it turns out that Betty White was just a facet of this guy’s imagination. He was only playing like Betty White because he was hungry. All he had to do was take a bite, and he was no longer Betty White, which is probably a good thing when it comes to pickup football. Abe Vigoda also makes a cameo as the quarterback, and, you guessed it, gets knocked to the ground.

1. Google — Parisian Love

Google is awesome. They provide me with search results, e-mail, Youtube and now they’re giving me a self-absorbing feeling of warmth. This advertisement was above and beyond the smartest ad of the evening, and in addition was more than likely the least expensive to make. While not the funniest, it was definitely the cutest; and the most effective. The ad takes place on Google’s iconic homepage, with the user first looking for some study abroad options in Paris. The searches that follow tell a story, and a love story at that. He apparently learns French, moves to Paris, and marries a woman there all with the help of Google. The last search? “How to assemble a crib.” Awww.

The Rundown, February 5, 2010: WHO DAT EDITION (UPDATE!)

Well look what we have here. When ESPN and nearly every other major sports media outlet is picking the Colts for Sundays big game, the Panelists of “The Rundown” are goin’ with WHO DAT NATION. Below is the podcast from Friday filled with all your Super Bowl information, all of the panelists picks as well as numerous jokes about Andrew Vogel. Enjoy!

Panelist Picks:

Yannie: Colts, 31-28
Maggie: Saints, 35-30
Vogel: Saints, 38-28
Jason: Saints, 27-24
Barnes: Saints, 31-17
DJBJ: Colts, 35-21
Weston: Saints, 35-28

UPDATE: Congrats to Matt Barnes on picking the score exactly! WHO DAT.

February WCWS Broadcast Schedule

February means basketball. Wooster basketball. And WCWS is the place to catch both your mens and womens home action. We plan on bringing all of the home action over the airwaves and the Internet. Below is the tentative schedule of upcoming sports events for February 2010. You can listen to all events by going to our website.

Note: All events are at Wooster and are listed in Eastern Standard Time.

Womens Basketball

Saturday, Feb. 6: Oberlin @ Wooster, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 10: Allegheny @ Wooster, 7:30 p.m.

Mens Basketball

Wednesday, Feb. 3: Allegheny @ Wooster, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 13: Wittenberg @ Wooster, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 17: Ohio Wesleyan @ Wooster, 7:30 p.m.

Reminder: all events are tentative. We’re in school. Stuff comes up. We’ll do our best to try and do everything.

Woo Sport Style: Whatever You Call it, Sports Mullets Exude Class

By Chris Weston and Jason Weingardt

There are important questions in today’s ever-changing world: Why are we here? When will LeBron leave Cleveland? What will happen when Justin Bieber’s angelic voice hits puberty? Of course, there are topics that we can dissect much more easily. An area that brings no respect is the mullet.  In honor of Jared Allen’s  great season with the Vikings, it’s only natural we celebrate his monstrous flow. This little treasure of American heritage has been shouting “NASCAR” for over 50 years.  However, it is time that the mullet received its 15 minutes of fame for its contributions to other sports. Few have successfully pulled off “business in the front, party in the back.” Here are our winners:

6. John Kruk

1B/OF, MLB 1986 – 1995

“Baseball Tonight’s” big man may have made the decision to chop his luscious locks once he became a prominent figure on ESPN, but his many years in the league have helped to secure him a spot on our list. His hair reminded many of MacGyver, with the business blending into the party in the back.  Beneath his batting helmet his hair poured out like Troy Polamulu’s, flopping about as he waddled around the bases. His signature flow may not have been as long or as distinct as many on our list, but, just like Geraldo Rivera, it always seems to find its way into stories it has no business being in, giving Kruk the unorthodox sixth spot on our list. Solidifying all stereotypes, he was once quoted as saying “I’m not an athlete — I’m a baseball player.” Rock on, Kruk.

5. Jared Allen

DE, NFL 2004 – present

Allen should win the award for best active mullet, as he is the only player on our list who is still currently playing.  His mullet, which he keeps short during the football season by only letting it cover his neck, is “modernized” by shaving lines into the sides of his head.  We view this as classy, but then again Lady Gaga thinks it is too. In a day and age when the ape-drape has lost all of its glamour, the NFL’s best tackler still finds a way to bring the mullet into the mainstream.

4. Jaromir Jagr

RW, NHL 1990 – 2008

Jagr is ranked lower on this list than you might expect because if you were to look at him today with his clean-cropped hair you would not be able to tell that he previously rocked the Mississippi-mudslide like a pro.  With the longest mullet on our list, Jagr’s lettuce curled and waved as he raced up and down the ice.  While only sporting this curly monstrosity for half of his NHL career, this did account for nine years.  Also another aspect of his Camaro-cut was that the front, or business end was too long to make it distinguishable as the mullet most people — well, really just us — dream about.

3. Randy Johnson

P, MLB, 1988 – 2009

The Big Unit rocked this signature Tennessee-tophat for all but two years of his career, or else he would have competed for the No. 2 spot on our list (another thing we can blame on the New York Yankees). His hair perfectly matched his demeanor on the mound, making him look like the one man in the trailer park who you don’t want to disturb, even though you just knocked over his keg of Budweiser. Arguably the most decorated athlete on the list, and one of the top left-handed pitchers of all time, his oily locks tossed and turned in the summer breeze as he won over 300 games and punched out one cameraman in his career

2. Barry Melrose

D, NHL 1974 – 1987

Melrose still proudly sports his Canadian passport on national television, proving to the world that mullets and style can live harmoniously together.  As both a player and later an analyst, Melrose has kept his silky-smooth streamlined hair constant for over 30 years. It is as much of a statement now as Dick Vitale’s loud voice, Simon Cowell’s extra small t-shirts and Paris Hilton’s surprisingly overwhelming stupidity.

1. Dwayne Schintzius

C, NBA 1990 – 1999

Schintzius, whose last name rivals his hair as his most ridiculous and jaw-dropping aspect, had by far the greatest Alabama-avalanche in sports, and arguably one of the greatest mullets ever constructed.  Seriously, Google this guy. The best way to describe it would be 100 percent  business in the front and 200 percent  party in the back. His career was about as successful as the movie “Gigli,” which allowed more attention to be drawn to his Florida-mudflap. Perfectly crafted, his shoulder length party end was complimented nicely by an army-style business end.  He might have spent more time on his hair than the guys in “Jersey Shore,” that would have been better spent on his basketball career, but, luckily for him, this list does not judge based on that players talent.

Honorable mentions:

Andre Agassi

Tennis, 1986 – 2006

We love his hair, yet couldn’t add him to our list after he admitted it was a weave instead of his real hair.  The dedication to wear a mullet wig deserves some credit, however.

Nate Gemberling-Johnson ’10

P, Fighting Scots, 2006 – present

For those of you who missed it, Gemberling-Johnson, a pitcher for the Scots’ Baseball team, went from the Bro-Flo to cornrows to a mullet all in one week. Sadly, he cut it down to a bowl cut before we had a chance to talk to him, so he couldn’t make our list.

2010 NFL Playoff Picks

Last week, the hosts of The Rundown made their picks for the second round of the NFL Playoffs. Jason jumps out to the early lead, but will his somewhat of a lack of football knowledge ruin his victory? Probably.

Second Round

Yannie–Colts, Chargers, Cowboys, Saints
Weston–Colts, Chargers, Cowboys, Cardinals
Vogel–Colts, Chargers, Cowboys, Saints
Jason–Ravens, Jets, Vikings, Saints

Championship Games (1/24)

Jets vs. Colts (H)
Vikings vs. Saints (H)

Standings (As of 1/22)

Jason: 3-2
Yannie: 2-2
Vogel: 2-2
Weston: 1-3

Dear Mr. Arenas…

Dear Mr. Arenas,

You’re a good guy and a great basketball player. You’ve got more range than Southwest Airlines and contrary to recent events, any Wizards fan would tell you you’ve got a good heart and have always been there to back up your teammates. When the Wizards first acquired you from the Golden State Warriors, you showed DC you were a standup guy: Honest, funny and always willing to tell it like it is. In an age of canned press-statements and players abusing the media, hilarity ensued whenever you found a microphone and someone to listen. But Gil, in case you haven’t noticed, you’re the joke now. Your team is the butt of jokes nationwide, and it’s approaching Washington Nationals territory. The reason for this isn’t stemming from your recent run-in with the law, but your monstrosity you call your ego. This time you crossed the line.

On Dec. 24, 2009 you admitted to storing guns, though unloaded, in the Wizards locker room. Smart move. Not only did you violate NBA policy by bringing firearms onto NBA property, but you broke Washington D.C. law as well. Your nickname may be “Agent 0,” but you probably have as much qualification to operate a gun as “The Situation” from “Jersey Shore”; however I’m pretty sure he’s carrying more guns than you. Later it was reported you got into an argument with teammate Javaris Crittenton and someone held up a gun somewhere along that fiasco. All judgments aside…well, who am I kidding? It’s impossible not to judge you. You may be a notorious prankster across the league, but that doesn’t play in to things anymore. Now you’re a flat out idiot. Should you face any federal charges, the Wizards have the right to void your contract, leaving almost 80 million dollars to spend. While it pains me to see this breakup, they have absolutely no choice. To an organization that’s struggling at full strength, this is the absolute last thing that needed to happen.

And it gets worse. Hell, I’m not even that mad about you bringing firearms into the locker room. What I’m really ticked off at is your honesty and your overblown ego.  A day before getting suspended indefinitely by NBA commissioner David Stern, in your pre-game grouping with the team you got down on two knees and shooting off two finger pistols. A couple days before, you issued—or should I say your lawyer issued a statement saying something along the lines how no one should never joke about guns and that this is a serious issue. Then you go out before a game and make a complete mockery of that. You make me disappointed to call myself a fan. Well, you and Andray Blatche.

When people ask me who my favorite basketball team is, I’ve had the misfortune of informing them it’s the Washington Wizards. With you coming off another knee surgery, I really thought this would be a good year, with you, Caron “Tuff Juice” Butler Antawn “Get Me Out of Here” Jamison and Deshawn “Cleveland’s favorite” Stevenson. I had hope, but then December hit. You decided to bring an artillery large enough to make Delonte West cringe into the Verizon Center.  Then as the season progressed I realized I’d much rather be watching “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and realizing that my childhood was like, so totally lame.

It’s already been a trying season for the Wizards with owner Abe Pollin passing away. As one of the most important philanthropists in the Washington DC area, Pollin moved the Baltimore Bullets to DC. Oh, and he also changed the name in 1997 to help overcome overtones of violent crime in the DC area. Pollin was a fighter for non-violence, and here you come and completely stand for what he so vehemently stood against. You’re a hypocrite, a dishonest person and you straight up just don’t get it.

Finally, Gil, the worst part for me isn’t your absence from the team. Every sign is pointing towards blowing it all up and starting over. I don’t care anymore. The worst part is going to school in the Cleveland area and having completely obnoxious Cavaliers fans talk about you. They’re entirely too happy—like when Dick Vitale does color commentating for a Duke basketball game happy. I’m miserable.

I agree with David Stern with your suspension. You took a joke too far, and when you were expected to act mature about it, you decided your jokester persona was far more important. Take your time off, and if you prove somehow you’ve changed, I’ll be willing to welcome you back. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go pretend to be a Washington Capitals fan.

Sincerely,

Jason Weingardt

P.S.: I hear “The Real World DC” needs an ex-basketball player. You know what to do.

Scot’s X’s and O’s with Justin Hallowell

Hey everyone. Hope you all had a great holiday season and are ready to get back to some sports action. I sat down this week with the Fighting Scots Men’s Basketball sophomore standout Justin Hallowell to ask him a few questions. Last year Justin had arguably one of the best freshman campaign that any Scot has had in school history. En route to being selected as the first ever Fighting Scot to be selected the D3hoops.com Rookie of the Year, he picked other accolades such as the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Newcomer of the Year, an appearance on the second-team all-NCAC, as well as being named the Tourney MVP  of the 2008 “Mose” Hole Classic and the 2009 NCAC Tournament. His name can already found itself in the long history of Fighting Scots record books by shattering the school record for 3-pointers made with 94, or 3.24 per game, (18th in nation), with an unheard of percentage of .514, rating fourth across NCAA Div. III. While helping to lead the Scots to another NCAC regular season and tournament championship, his cool composure as a freshman led him to the ninth-best free throw rate in team history (.879). In addition for an encore performance, he is currently second on the team in scoring with 11.6 points per game and rebounding at 5.8 per game. However, with the numbers and awards thrown out the window, the best news for the first-place NCAC Fightin’ Scots (10-4 overall, 5-0 NCAC) fans: he’s just getting started. Let’s take a look at the conversation he and I had this past week.

BJ: Alright Justin, here we go. The first question I have for you is coming off such an impressive 2008-2009 freshman campaign where you took home so many awards and helped guide your team to the another NCAC title (14th regular season and 11th NCAC Tournament),  what have you been doing to repeat that effort and take your team farther?

JH: I think one reason I had the year I did was because coming into the season no one really knew a lot about me. However, coming into this year I knew I would find more guys in my face on a more consistent basis, therefore not allowing me as many open looks. But I guess what I’ve been trying to do is just try to not only improve my strength and improve my overall game.

BJ: With that being said, it seems you have been thrust into a new role. Playing inside and outside, and becoming a leader on a young team. What do you think teams have been are doing differently against you this year?

JH: A lot of teams are being more physical with me and really sending more guys to get in my face. It makes it a little harder when you don’t have as many open looks but it’s just something you have to play through.

BJ: Part of that new role you are playing has asked you to add another element to your game.  We’ve seen you go a little more down low to help our junior stand out forward Brian Wickliffe (10.0 pts., 6.0 rebs). What impact do you think this has had on your game so far?

JH:I think going down low has helped me play more physical and improved my rebounding as well.

BJ: You have some young guys that have had to step up this year and carry their own weight like you did last year. Both big freshman Josh Claytor (6.4 pts, 3.3 rebs) and Jake Mays (2.7 pts.,2.8 rebs)have shown some early promise. What do you think it is that allows Coach Steve Moore to recruit such great talent?

JH: I think one of the biggest reasons it is because Coach is so genuine and nice. Cliche as it might sounds, he’s just honest. Honest about how much playing time you can expect, where you’ll fit into the program, and where he sees you at. Kids who come and play for him know what they’re gonna get from the first day they get to campus. Every player who plays the game right wants to win, and with him being here for such a long time, it obvious he believes in winning and has put together a program that people want to be a part of.

BJ: You said already Coach Moore is arguably one the best and well respected coaches in all of Division I, Division, and DII. He has the wins (513 victories and .810 winning prestige with the Scots, ranks as the best in school history most in school history), the recognition (17 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, named the NCAC Coach of the Year seven times and NABC District Coach of the Year four times), and the prestige. But what makes him special of a coach to play for?

JH: Off the court coach he’s honestly one of the greatest guys you’ll ever meet.  But on the court he can get after it a little. That fire and that passion, I think only makes players that come here more determined to win. Players make a special bond with Coach that not too many athletes make with most head coaches.

BJ: At this point leading into conference play last year (4-0) you guys had very similar records (5-0) to this year. What do you think has made this team different from last year’s team so far?

JH: Even though a lot of people talk about how young we are this year, what they forget was that we were younger last year. So I feel a lot of the players have matured and with maturity I think comes confidence. I believe we have a few guys on our roster that are capable of scoring double-digits on any given night and that depth will help us down the stretch in our conference schedule.

BJ: Do you think that has anything to do with the return of point guard BJ Johnson (5.5 pts., 3.2 ast.)?

JH: Absolutely, Brandon brings the leadership to the floor that I think we would’ve missed without him.

BJ: Speaking of leaders, the Scots are lead this year by another junior leader in Ian Franks (16.8 pts., 4.9 reb.). How much fun is it fun with a guy of his caliber?

JH: Its always fun to play with someone as good as Ian. Sometimes when our offense is struggling, Ian has ability to just find a way to make play after play and get things clicking again.

BJ: After a big win over Wabash to continue conference play and an impressive first place finish in the 47th annual “Mose” Hole/Wooster Kiwanis Classic a few weeks back, you guys now are entering into the heart of your tough NCAC conference schedule. Coming off a regular season and post season championship with 19 wins, what do you think you guys have to do to repeat as champs?

JH: We have to keep working hard on the court and in the weight room. Like you said we already played one tough in Wabash but we have some big games coming up against a team in Hiram (5-5 overall, 2-0 NCAC), Allegheny (4-5 overall, 1-0 NCAC) and of course Wittenberg (9-2 overall, 1-1 NCAC). We have to continue to not just be satisfied because we are the returning champs, to find ourselves there again.

BJ: You guys obviously have a target on your back as being champs and one of those targets comes in the form of one of those teams you just mentioned down in Springfield, Ohio. What do you think are your chances against this year against Wittenberg?

JH: Year in and year out, and as long as I bet Scots fans can remember, it’s always a lot fun to play in the Wooster-Witt game. Since it’s such a big rivalry the records and stats go out the window. Any team can win that night.

BJ: Can you explain what it feels like to play in a game of that magnitude? Having all those fans there. Half wearing black and gold loving while you and the other half wearing red and white while hating you?

JH: You really can’t put into words. There’s absolutely nothing like it. You can feel it the minute you get to the gym. It’s always fun to have all those fans rooting for you but at the same time its almost as much fun to have all of the fans rooting against you. But beating Witt is always the best part.

BJ: This year you guys have played some tough competition and some pretty highly ranked teams (Randolph Macon, No. 1, Washington U, No. 3, and St. Tomas No. 5, John Carroll No. 26, currently in D3Hoops.com Week 5 poll). What do you think you guys have to do to put yourself over the edge against teams like that?

JH: A few of those games we were in them the whole game. But as the game wound down we started getting sloppy and turning the ball over. I think we just need to get in better shape physically and mentally so we aren’t tired and don’t repeat some of the stupid mistakes we’ve committed already.

BJ: You guys were 15-1 at home last year and 7-5 away from Timken Gymnasium. You are 6-1 at home and 3-3 on the road so far. What do you think the difference is that makes it so difficult to play away?

JH: I think some of it has to do with us being so young and not having a lot of experience playing in long road games. It’s not easy to get on a bus and travel to a hostile environment to play. But I think with more time and games under our belt you’ll see us play better on the road.

BJ: Okay, last hard question before we switch over to some easier ones. You and the team went on a tear toward the last half of the season and cruised into the NCAA DIII tournament (16-3 following the 2008 “Mose” Hole/Wooster Kiwanis Classic to end the season). What do you guys have to do differently to not only repeat as NCAC champs, make a run at that elusive national title?

JH: I think once everyone finally starts playing to the best of their ability, we keep improving and keep getting better then we will have a similar run; maybe hopefully an even better one.

BJ: I know I can speak for the Fightin’ Scots faithful when I say we hope so too. We’ll shift now to ask you a little bit more about yourself. What’s your favorite pump up movie to watch before a game?

JH: Remember the Titans.

BJ: What’s your favorite song to listen to before a game?

JH: Till’ I Collapse by Eminem

BJ: Who’s your favorite professional athlete?

JH: LeBron James (G/F of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

BJ: Who do you think you model your game after the most?

JH:I don’t really model my game after anyone. I’m just a tall guy who can shoot haha.

BJ: Which class has been your most enjoyable so far at the College of Wooster?

JH: Introduction to Psychology

BJ: Last one for this round, what’s your favorite nickname of any game on the team?

JH: Tough choice between Easy E for Eric Fertig or Wick for Bryan Wickliffe

BJ: Alright, we’ll end and let you go here. I’m going to list a few things that typify the College of Wooster Fightin’ Scots Men’s Basketball program. Tell us the first time that comes to mind when you hear each one. Ready?

JH: Shoot.

BJ: Fightin’ Scots

JH: Wooster

BJ: Dynasty

JH: Winningest team of the 2000′s

BJ: Steve Moore

JH: Greatness

BJ: Winning

JH: Hard-work

BJ: Team

JH: Brotherhood

BJ: That’ll just about do it I think. Thanks a lot Justin for stopping by for the Scot’s X’s and O’s. We really appreciate you taking the time.

JH: No problem Brandon. See you at the game this weekend.

If this article wasn’t enough about Justin Hallowell for you, make sure to check the Woo91 sports team as they cover this weekend’s double-header versus Earlham this weekend. The Men’s team will be tipping off at 1:00 and the Women at 3:00. Tune into at 12:30 for the pre-game show. And if you need even more sports fill don’t forget to tune into the Woo91 Sports Run-Down Show tomorrow afternoon from 4-6 to hear a great minds debate some great issues about sports. Thanks once again to Justin for doing this interview and we’ll see you next week on the Scot’s X’s and O’s.

Signing off, DJ BJ

Let’s Get it Started

My name is Brandon Jacobs and I’m a junior at the College of Wooster. Some of you may know me from WCWS 90.9 FM’s weekly sports-talk show, “The Rundown” or from doing some of the past Fightin’ Scot football, basketball, and field hockey games this past fall as DJ BJ. However, I do have a government issued name, it just happens the be the same as a 264 pound running back for the New York Giants.

I just wanted to stop by the blog real fast to introduce myself and let you know that you can be expecting to hear (I guess read) more from very soon. I’ve freed a little bit more time in schedule to finally do a little more of what I love to do: talk about sports. You can check out my new updated bio under the “About the Authors” tab located at the top to tell you a little bit more about where I come from and some of the teams I like.

In the near future I’ll be back to talk more about some of the hot new topics out there (some that Jason has so lovely covered) including the NFL playoffs, the MLB Hall of Fame induction, that idiot in Washington who thinks its fun to “play” with guns, some College of Wooster sports, and much more. Feel free to comment with some ideas for future articles and future topics of discussion.

In the meantime, I’m gonna run and try to not die playing Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games on Nintendo Wii with my 9 and 12-year-old little brothers. Last time we played they broke 6 world records, 5 olympic records, while myself on the other hand…almost broke my back. If you believe in prayer, these would be a great time to send one up for me (and Eric Magini). Until the next time…

Signing off, DJ BJ.