(Day 1 NFL Draft Update) Fullerton Bashing & Love is in the Air...My Wife's Favorite Day--Check That, Favorite 3 Days!!! Fernando, Fernando...

 Bonus Coverage: Day 1 NFL Draft Delicacies

Tip of the Cap: To the Raiders & Cardinals for delivering Fernando & Love!!! Perhaps the gridiron worm is churning in the Southwestern part of the country!?! 

Winners:          1. J-e-t-s, Jets, Jets, Jets. Pass rusher, uber-talented TE, and one of the Fernando's money targets from IU Omar Cooper...the Jets soared in Round 1.

                       2. Browns. Correct the Browns. They were able to trade down and grab a premiere tackle (Utah's Spence Fano), then nabbed WR KC Concepion

I know...the Raiders, Cardinals, Jets, Browns all making their fanbases happy momentarily!!!

Head Scratcher:  The Rams. Not sure GM and Coach McVay are on the same page regarding the selection of Alabama QB Ty Simpson!?! Simpson to LA

Names to keep an eye on early in Round 2:

*Washington WR Denzell Boston; will the Bills nab another weapon for Josh Allen? If not, I don't think Boston slides past the New York Football Giants at #37!?!

*TE Eli Stowers, apparently the Dude apparently doesn't set the world on fire as a blocker...but this former QB has magnetic hands! Might the 49ers nab him!?! Stowers rocked the combine! 49ers traded back and currently own the first pick of the 2nd round (#33), as well as pick #58, and could use a future replacement for George Kittle.

*Defensive Linemen Kayden McDonald (Ohio State) & Christian Miller (Georgia)...if McDonald is on the board at #36--he is joining Fernando in Las Vegas!

*There are a ton of defensive backs and safeties on the board: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Tennessee's CB Colton Hood should go early!

Enjoy the draft, enjoy your weekend--see you in the stands or on your set! BF

April 23, 2026

Tip of the Cap:  This one goes to my son Noah, who blasted a career high 94 (out of 100) while trapshooting a couple of weekends ago...our youngest kiddo, will be a Fresno State Bulldog next fall.          Well Done Kiddo!!!

Broadcasting Schedule, Roadrunner & Big West Softball Notes:

This weekend I will be in Bakersfield for softball as CSU Bakersfield hosts UC Riverside for a 3-game series...on Saturday April 25, the first game of the doubleheader at starts at noon (PST) with the 2nd game scheduled for approximately 2:30 p.m...then on Sunday the two teams return for a single contest beginning at 11 a.m....all 3 games, aired on ESPN Plus...currently the Roadrunners (6-15 conference record) are in 8th place, a game behind both CSUN (Northridge) and UC San Diego who both own a 7-14 record...the top 6 teams qualify for the Big West Conference Tournament to be played in Fullerton May 6-9...CSUN host UCSD this weekend, then next weekend UCSD travels to Bako, while CSUN heads to the "Beach" to take on Long Beach! The race for the #6 is on...currently Fullerton holds the top spot (19-2) followed by UC Santa Barbara, The Beach, Hawaii, and UC Davis...keep on eye on Fullerton, as they can really knock the ball around the yard--junior Titan Sarah Perez leads the BW with a .435 average...Fullerton has walloped 42 home runs, while simultaneously leading the league in fielding an ERA...they are a fun-loving, swaggy group, who just might make a little noise in the NCAA tournament! First they will have to win the conference tournament, which was won by the Gauchos a year ago...similar to the way Cal Poly SLO made it to the Sweet 16 in Women's Volleyball, I can envision Fullerton making a tournament run...the Titans captured the D-1 crown in 1986, under legendary coach Judi Garman...one of the Fullerton's top arm-Trisha McClesky--is a CenCal native, from Merced (Merced High). McClesky leads the BW in wins (14) and innings pitched (145).

Luv and Love for the NFL Draft!

The draft is almost here! It sure sounds like there can be a lot of zaniness tonight when names are read in Pittsburgh...about the only consensus is that Indiana's Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza will be heading to Las Vegas...THE HOPE IS REAL in Raiderland! For those of you who haven't read up on the draft like my sporty spouse, here are a couple of first round themes to keep an eye on:

*Where is the Love?!? Most pundits have Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love as the first running back coming off of the board...but when and where will he land? Keep an eye on the New York teams, who both could use a "splash", and I would think the Irish's Subway Alumni would luvvvvvvv to see their guy end up calling MetLife Stadium Home!?!

*New York, New York...as I write this, the Jets and Giants each own two picks in the top 16...will Love be in the air for the Big Apple? Will the Jets stay at #2...or might they trade down? Might the Giants with the #5 and #10 do likewise? Might the Giants trade up--and snag a load of Love!?! Fun times for the fans that follow the Big Apple's teams. (The Chiefs own a pair of picks as well in the first round--but as they are over exposed and they even had a Hallmark Movie based on their fandom, we won't mention them...I am a fan of T-Swift by the way, just saying!)

*Not to be outdone, the Cowboys pick at #'s 12 and 20...might they be feeling the pangings of Love? Could the 'Boys looks to grab a share of tonight's limelight by making a Draft-Day-Deadline-Deal!?! 

*Who will be the first defensive player selected? Will it be one of the two Ohio State Buckeye's projected to be selected very early-Arvel Reese and Caleb Downs? Which Edge Rusher (Defensive End) and tackle hears their name first this evening? Need a little more drama...which Wide Receiver (dare I say Deva?) is the first to come off the board? Another Buckeye, Carnell Tate's is frequently mentioned as the guy QB Rooms would welcome with open arms...when will Bama QB Ty Simpson come off the board?!? First round? Second Round (Friday). Will he be the 2nd QB selected or will their be a surprise? The knock on Simpson, he doesn't have a ton of starts under his belt...keep an eye on the Cardinals, Jets, and Steelers who could all use a signal caller! Will LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier be the "Riser" of the draft!?!

*How about the defending Super Bowl Champion Seahawks? Seattle only owns four draft selections...might Seattle, and the Raiderzzzz make a deal?!? The Silver and Black own 10 picks, including 3 in the 4th round...new LV Head Coach was the offensive coordinator for the champs a year ago...wonder if they might strike a deal? Could the Raiders and 49ers swing a deal? Santa Clara of San Francisco selects is slotted at #23--a prime locale to trade down with a team who wants to come back up into the first round! Whoa Nelly. 

*Could a San Diego State Aztec (Yeah I am a bit of a Homer!?!) hear his name in on Thursday? Corner back Chris Johnson appears destined for a late Round 1, early Round 2 selection!?! How about a couple of Dudes from U!?! The Canes were a play or 2 from capturing the Natty...I would expect to see a little Green and Orange on the screen tonight!

                  Enjoy! Remember to Say Hello When our Path's Cross. Fernando, Fernando...

Fun-loving Fullerton!!!

                                              My Favorite Spouse Reading Up on Fernando!

                                                                  Good Sport Everyone!!!

Tax Day/Jackie Robinson Day Column, BAKO Notes, Grizzlies Growling, & SacTown Darlings!!!

April 15, 2026

Broadcasting Schedule

*Saturday April 18, Cal State Fullerton, DOUBLEHEADER; Noon, 2:30 p.m., ESPN +

**Sunday April 19, Cal State Fullerton, at CSUB, 11 a.m., ESPN + (this game was originally scheduled for Friday, April 17)

Cal State Fullerton sits atop the Big West Standings owning a 16-2 conference record, 28-12 overall...the Titans, lead the conference in just about every hitting category sporting league leading .348 batting average, a .498 slugging percentage ("which represents the number of bases a batter records per bat", per MLB.com Slugging Percentage Defined), and a .401 on base percentage; from the mound they currently maintain a league-best 3.19 ERA, and in the field, well they can catch it too as they are #1 in fielding in the Big West with a fielding percentage...CSUB currently sits in the 8th spot, with a 6-12 conference record 8-33 overall...The top 6 teams qualify for the conference tournament May 6-9th, hosted by Fullerton. The baseball team will head to Hawaii for a 3 game series beginning Friday (4/17)...baseball also sits in the 8th place in the Big West, courtesy of a 6-9 conference mark, 15-22 overall...Ray Alvarado was recently named Interim Head Women's Basketball Coach at CSUB...Coach Ray served as an assistant on the Roadrunners staff in 2025-26...Coach Alvarado owns a plethora of coaching experience, serving as head coach at both COS and Fresno City College, along with Bullard and Sanger High Schools...for two seasons, the Fresno State graduate was at the helm of Division 2 Hawaii Pacific.

Tip of the Cap & Minor League Notes:

*Fresno Grizzlies and Colorado Rockies prospect Tanner Thach with a whale of a game on Tuesday, April 14. The left-handed hitting first basemen drilled a pair of homers including a Grand Salami...(Thach's Big Night in Ontario on X, and game story 4/14 Grizzlies Game Story)...The Ontario Tower Buzzers, are the Dodgers affiliate, and it appears the ball is flying out of the yard in Ontario, waka waka...the Grizzlies possess quite a line up with prospects Ethan Holliday (#1), Roldy Brito (#9), Kelvin Hildago (#21) and Wilder Dalis (#25) to name a few...these Young Dudes all seem to have an air of positive vibes around them...on Friday, April 10 vs Stockton, I was able to view #13, right-hand pitcher JB Middleton...the former 2nd round selection out of Southern Mississippi simply looks and acts like a pro...composed, good command, solid velo...on this night, JB tossed 5 innings, striking out 4, allowing one earned run and walking a batter...I look forward to tracking his progress. This game had a couple of cool twists--in the bottom of the first, Holliday banged his first professional Home Run! Every time I see the Ethan, I just marvel at how BIG he is!!! I can envision him sliding over to 3rd base eventually...EH is oozing with confidence, likability and talent...on this night, Thach's college buddy, Stockton Ports catcher Bryan Arendt was also in the lineup...and that one earned run surrendered by Middleton--well, that was courtesy of a Arendt blast over the left field wall...Arendt owns a cannon of an arm! BA actually made 6 appearances a year ago on the hill for his (and Thach's) Seahawks of UNC Wilmington! While the Grizzlies are in SoCal the Visalia Rawhide are home for the rest of the week, as they host Inland Empire (Mariners)...for the week of April 21-27, the Grizzlies return home to battle Rancho Cucamonga (Angels), while the Rawhide will be on the road at Lake Elsinore (Padres)...as of 4/16 the Grizzles own a  7-4 record, the Rawhide sit at 3-8.

Prospects1500: Rockies Top 50 Prospects

Prospects1500: Athletics Top 50 Prospects

Prospects1500: Diamondbacks Top 50 Prospects

                                           The former UNC Wilmington mates: Thatch & Arendt

                                         

                                 Ethan Holliday--moments before his first professional Home Run!

                                      

                                                   The sights of Minor League Ball in Fresno!

SacTown Darlings...

Don't look now...the Athletics are in first place in the AL West with a record of 10-8...for all of the mess that surrounds the A's and their move to Las Vegas, the reality is: this team is pretty good, and they are pretty darn likable!?! There is a chance, a legitimate chance, there could be a playoff team playing in Sacramento the next two summers...thus, Sacramentans and A's fans, the time really is now--grab your gold Sacramento Jerseys! By the way, the vibe at Sutter Health Field has changed dramatically...much more A's fans at the park, more green and gold...much less overt cynicism and cantankerism from the patrons. I was fortunate to be in the yard Tuesday (4/14), and the evening was delightful...last season, watching an A's game in West Sac felt like being at a Spring Training game played on a Neutral Site! This year...it still feels a tad like a game in the desert, however the crowd and vibe are significantly more Green and Goldish. With all do respect to the pain the "Last Dive Bar" faithful (and my spouse) are feeling...the team is rejuvenated. The group is winning, and the Big Amish--Nick Hurtz Kurtz (think a cross between Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and your favorite schoolmate!) hasn't started mashing yet...they also have 3 talented Dudes in the minors working on their crafts (top MLB prospect switch-hitting short stop Leo DeVries, along with southpaw hurlers Gage Jump & Jamie Arnold)...my gosh the worm has definitely churned and turned...with the Sacramento Kings in a dumpster fire, and the old frenemies SF Giants scuffling (6-12)...the bells of the ball in the River City, might just be those silly, wacky, somewhat dysfunctional and cute Athletics!?!

(...and with the NFL Draft a week away (April 23)...Las Vegas is about to land Fernando Mendoza for their football team...LV will be like Oakland in the early 70's--fantastic athletes with charismatic and flamboyant personalities! The Strip will soon be rocking and rolling with Green, Gold, Silver & Black!!!)

Remember to say hello when our paths cross on the streets or in the stands! Good Day & Sport Everyone!                                                    

                                               Clowing Around with Stomper in SacTown!

                                                                     (My Next Costume!)

                       

                                                                   Thanks Jackie!!!

                      *A Reminder to check out Prospects1500.com for all the skinny on MLB Prospects!  

              ***Least I forget, A Tip of the Cap to Michigan and UCLA hoops...Denver Hockey Too!!!

Notes from Bako, A Bulldog Debut, Tark & Tubbs, and Fresno's Grizzlies are Ready to Roar!

 March 31/April 1, 2006

April Broadcasting Schedule: CSU Bakersfield Softball 

*Tuesday April 7, Utah Tech at CSUB, DOUBLEHEADER; 11 a.m.; 1:30 p.m., ESPN +

*Friday April 17, Fullerton State at CSUB, 2:30 p.m., ESPN + (moved to Sunday, April 19th!)

*Saturday April 18, Fullerton State, DOUBLEHEADER; Noon, 2:30 p.m., ESPN +

*Saturday April 25, UC Riverside, DOUBLEHEADER, Noon, 2:30 ESPN +

*Sunday, April 26, UC Riverside, 11 a.m., ESPN +

Tip of the Cap(s) To:

*Bakersfield Jockey Club (BJC Facebook Link); this group honors student-athletes in the Bakersfield area. A wonderful organization. I attended their Breakfast Awards Ceremony on March 24 and came away refreshingly impressed. CSU Bakersfield Baseball Coach Jordan Banfield was the Guest Presenter. Roadrunner slugger Evan Cloyd was an award recipient. 

*CSU Bakersfield Administration for hiring Todd Lee as their Head Men's Basketball Coach. The addition of Coach Lee a slam dunk! Coach Lee comes from USC, however he was also an assistant for the 'Runners back in the late 1990s (1994-1997). I worked at a basketball camp under T-Lee back in the day, and suffice to say I am a fan. Coach Lee served as an assistant under legendary Bakersfield Coach Pat Douglass.

*Dan Martin Stadium Baseball Stadium on the campus of Fresno Pacific University is an absolute gem! The Sunbirds included plenty of shade...which makes for a fantastic baseball experience. I was there to watch the Hawaii-Hilo Vulcans and family friend Dom Agrella (the right-handed masher from Sacramento/Elk Grove currently owns a stellar .442 on base percentage). 

*Fresno Grizzlies Media. The Grizzlies Media Day (3/31) provided local media with the opportunity to meet and interview team members. I was able to speak with manager Cesar Galvez, and a sample of their star-filled infield: Wilder Dalis, Ethan Holiday, Roldy Brito, Tanner Thach and Ethan Holiday. The latter is our Prospects1500 #1 ranked Colorado Rockies Prospect; Brito #9, Dolis #25, and as a sophomore, Thach belted 27 home runs for the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Brito in particular flashed an entertaining personality. Coach Galvez and his young Dudes were all a joy to speak with. The 1st-round selection Holliday appears pleasant, poised, and possesses a mighty frame. This talented core opens the season on Friday 4/3, when they travel to Visalia (Diamondbacks) to take on the Rawhide in a 3-game series...by the way if you are a baseball fan, and have not attended Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia, just do it--you can thank me later! Thank you to the Grizzlies--in particular Tim Slack and Jack Van Valkenburg...while mingling, I struck up a conversation with Fox 26 Sports Director Ralph Wood...I was simply captivated by Ralph as he graciously shared some of his broadcasting ventures (which included tales of Tark, Billy Tubbs and Tulsa!)...and I was wholeheartedly digging it! I look forward to our next chat Ralph! 

                                            

    (Left to Right: Thatch, Dolis, Brito and the Skipper Galvez)

*Let me close the shout-outs with debut news...after attending the Grizzlies event, I then proceeded over the Fresno State to enjoy the Bulldogs hosting Cal Poly SLO (The Mustangs prevailed 10-4, Cal Poly improved to 17-10 overall)...making his first career start for the Bulldogs was Eric Rico-Eric's grandfather was a dear friend of my dad...and what a treat it was to watch Eric firing away! Eric's older brother Joey is a two-way player for Westmont (Santa Barbara)...both prepped at Redwood in Visalia. A big thank you to their mom Rhonda for keeping me in the loop. I look forward to watching Joey in the near future...Westmont is currently 2nd in the PacWest, while Fresno Pacific holds the 3rd spot.

3 Dot-Style Around The Horn:

On Monday, the Roadrunners Baseball team earned a wild 17-14 win in Las Vegas or UNLV...Bako has been victorious in 5 of their 7 games, and currently is tied for 6th in the Big West...the top 6 teams qualify for the conference tournament...on the softball side, Bakersfield currently sits in 7th with a 4-8 conference mark--perhaps I can serve as a good luck charm on the broadcasts/livesteams as I will see the group frequently down the stretch in April...and also coming down the pike in April--the NFL Draft...MendozaMania is building...and the draft is always a kick to follow...while conversing with Jeremy Mahy (@JMayFam31) during our taping of a podcast for @Prospects1500, it donned on me, Las Vegas might be collecting an eclectic group of sports figures: Fernando Mendoza, Max Crosby, Nick Kurtz, Leo DeVries, and the youthful looking Jacob Wilson...Vegas might resemble Oakland of the 1970's...Kurtz is off to a bit of a slow start-similar to last year-which makes me wonder if that is simply his way (Eric Chavez comes to mind as an Athletic who consistently struggled to hit early in the year)...speaking of hitting, Shea Langeliers banged out his 5th HR in 5 games-the Bashing Backstop!...Milwaukee and Miami are off to 5-1 starts, and Anaheim has even had a pitching sighting, thus, perhaps, anything can happen...replay has sure brought a cup of spice to MLB programming!...nothing however matches the UConn Men's improbable come-from-behind conquest over Duke on Sunday 73-72 (3/29)...as I always like to say, one of the hardest things in sports is to a close out a mighty competitor...credit to UConn for the grit, and Braylon Mullins for making the steal, and then dropping the long-distance Duke Dagger. The Thrill of Victory...

                                                              Happy Easter! 

Remember to say hello when you see me on the courts, at the yard, or at a theater/restaurant near you!

                              Thanks for perusing-ideally, my ramblings made you smile!

See you down the road! Chukchansi Park in Downtown Fresno is ready to go! The Grizzlies home         opener: Tuesday, April 7th vs. the Stockton Ports (A's). 

(The Young Dude creating a buzz in Colorado: Ethan Holliday)

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