Pigskin Pimpin On A Sunday

Your weekly installment of football stuff and gratuitous cheerleader photos after the jump ... has been replaced for this week.

The Paul McIntosh Era For SIU Set To Begin Saturday At Indiana State

Paul McIntosh, your table is ready

I knew I had to write this post as soon as I received a text message early Sunday morning that claimed the Saluki football team's season dead on arrival upon hearing the news of Chris Dieker's injury, which was confirmed today..  As usual, yours truly has been asked to play the voice of reason.  Between the boo-hoo birds and the maroon kool-aid drinkers, here I am telling both parties to sit down, shut up and enjoy the rest of the show.  Because that's what you're going to get out of the rest of the Southern Illinois football season.

A show.

It's not as if the Salukis will be trotting out the collegiate equivalent of JaMarcus Russell every Saturday until the team hits Chattanooga.  Paul McIntosh is a damn good quarterback, and you'll see it soon enough. 

McIntosh, a redshirt freshman, will make his first career start Saturday against the Indiana State Sycamores.  Here's what you need to know about McIntosh before we make the trip to Larry Bird's old stomping grounds.

• Was a 3-year varsity starter at the quarterback position.
• Rushed for 1,600 yards and 34 scores in his high school career.
  
• Threw for 2,400 yards and 22 touchdowns and only 5 picks in his senior year (4.4-to-1 TD/INT ratio) 
• Led his team to a 15-0 record and state title as a senior.
  
• Was Indiana's Mr. Football and Gatorade Player of the Year in 2007.
• Other recipients of that award include none other than Rex Grossman
• Unlike Grossman, McIntosh doesn't suck.

Alright Saluki fans, let's get this straight.  He's a winner (evidenced by the state title and 15-0 record).  He's not turnover prone (22 TD passes, 5 INTs as a senior).  He's versatile and mobile (34 rushing TDs).  He was an elite high school signal caller (Indiana's Mr. Football).  Name is not Rex Grossman.

Those are all signs that SIU isn't as completely screwed as you might think it would be.  Dale Lennon is still roaming the sidelines.  Deji Karim is still on the team, as well as offensive weapons such as Bryce Morris, Joe Allaria, Marc Cheatham and Ryan Kernes.  The defense hasn't left Carbondale either as Brandin Jordan, Korey Lindsey and Marty Rodgers still are alive and well.

And as scary as it might sound for the rest of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the Salukis might be better off with McIntosh under center.  He led the team with 81 rushing yards on Saturday, and his nimble feet will send defensive coordinators scrambling to defend what was once a non-factor of Southern's offense.

Remember when New England Patriots fans thought their season was over when Drew Bledsoe went down and all the Pats had to fall back on was a former 6th round pick named Tom Brady?  Well, we saw how well that has worked out for everyone.

I expect similar results out of McIntosh.

Pigskin Pimpin On A Sunday

Your weekly installment of football stuff and gratuitous cheerleader photos after the jump.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Carlton Fay

[Ed. Note: This is the last installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team's projected starting five.  Starting Monday, we'll look at head coach Chris Lowery's bench before writing a slick set of previews Friday that will include some notes on his coaching staff and the all-important, yet very irresponsible, pre-season prediction blog. Now to the rest of the garbage...  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Carlton Fay's freshman season was a struggle.  He scored what was then a career-high 11 points against Illinois State, but it was a brief highlight as he only averaged 2.4 points per game as he lingered behind senior forwards Matt Shaw and Randal Falker.

Then came Fay's sophomore season -- and it came in a big way.  He opened the season with a double-double against Cal (Pa.) in which he scored 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.  Fay would go on to win the 2K Sports Carbondale Regional's Most Valuable Player as he scored 33 points in two games.

Fay would go on to score in double figures in 19 of the team's 31 games.  He averaged 13.6 points per game over the season's first nine games.  At times, he played as if he was Shaw's clone.  Getting away with garbage buckets down low while also being a threat on the perimeter.

Fay should be able to build on a solid sophomore season as he enters his second year as a starter under head coach Chris Lowery.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Anthony Booker

[Ed. Note: This is the newest installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Once upon a time, M.J. Hartwig and I debated about student-athlete blogs.  It stemmed from an issue with allowing athletes to write columns -- it was about the time Nick Hill was penning pieces for the DE as he prepared for the NFL Draft.  The conversation turned to who we would have do it next year.  I said no one.  He suggested Anthony Booker, who to this day is still the highest ranked recruit the modern era of Saluki basketball player has brought in.


"I'd give him whatever he wants," is what I remember Hartwig saying at the time.  Lots of time has passed between then and now.  (P.S. This is a much better blog than it used to be.)

So, here we are in 2009 and Booker has found his way into my projected starting line-up.  And for good reason.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Justin Bocot

[Ed. Note: This is the newest installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Justin Bocot exploded onto the Saluki hoops basketball scene when he scored a career-high 28 points in Southern Illinois' 72-64 win at Missouri State.  But really, his on-the-court success began with a homecoming of sorts as he scored a team-high 14 points in a 70-63 loss at Illinois State.

From that point on, Bocot averaged 10.8 points per game -- including the 28 point game that was in the team's second game after losing senior guard Bryan Mullins to what would eventually end up being a season-ending stress fracture.

So, what does Bocot do for an encore?  Replacing Ryan Hare, who was dismissed from the team on Sunday for violating team rules, in the starting line-up would be a good start.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Tony Freeman

[Ed. Note: This is the newest installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

When I was the Daily Egyptian's sports editor, I received many e-mails about the well-dressed young man sitting at the end of the bench.  They asked if he was a coach?  Kind of, but not really.  A recruit?  Kind of, but not really.

Eventually, I got around to writing a feature about Tony Freeman, a 6-foot-1 guard from Maywood, Ill.  The University of Iowa transfer sat out the 2008-09 season because of NCAA transfer rules and will look to break out in his senior year at SIU.

And for those who fear he will be rusty, take note that T-Free was named the Most Valuable Player in a tournament played in Turkey over the summer.  One of his teammates on the trip was fellow Saluki Nick Evans, and they helped topple the mighty basketball dynasties of France, Germany and Bulgaria.

So, what should fans expect from the team's lone senior?

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Kevin Dillard

[Ed. Note: This is the first in a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Kevin Dillard became the first Saluki freshman to lead the team in scoring since Kent Williams.  So how does the former Illinois Mr. Basketball follow up a stellar first-year campaign?

Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow: Salukis Dismiss Sophomore Guard

Two days after the Southern Illinois University men's basketball team tipped off its season with its annual Maroon Madness, the team finds itself without an integral member of the team.

Sophomore guard Ryan Hare was dismissed from the team according to a release via the school's Web site on Sunday night.  Hare averaged 7.5 points per game and started 26 of the team's 31 games as a freshman.  In September, Hare was suspended after being arrested and charged with felony battery and trespassing.

TBDS sources have informed the blog that the charges stemmed from a fight that might be related to a domestic issue.  Hare was given a second chance, but citing a violation of team rules (also known as breaking whatever rules Coach Lowery laid down after the suspension) Hare was dismissed and has left the SIU Carbondale campus.

Pigskin Pimpin: Salukis FTW! Edition

The Southern Illinois University football team had won 127 games from 1994-2008.  None of them were at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

In what is arguably the most bitter rivalry in the Gateway Missouri Valley Football Conference, the University of Northern Iowa had always gotten the better of Southern Illinois when the games were played indoors.  Panthers fans called it "Dome Magic."  Saluki fans called it (expletive deleted) ... among other things.

And as yours truly predicted on Friday, it all came to an end as the Salukis beat the Panthers 27-20 on Saturday at the little dome of horrors.

Consider the following.  Southern has had six head coaches try and fail to beat UNI in its back yard since Rey Dempsey's squad did the trick in 1983 en route to the school's lone national title.  Ten different First Team All-Americans have suited up in the maroon and white.  None of them came home with a road win at Northern Iowa.  Southern has fielded 16 different 1,000-yard running backs.  But none had carried the Egyptian Hunting Dawgs to a road win in the terror dome.

That all became nothing more than a past nightmare as Deji Karim rushed for 125 yards and what turned out to be the game winning touchdown. The 1-yard score on 4th-and-Goal gave SIU a 20-13 lead with about five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

On the Panthers' ensuing possession, cornerback Brandon Williams took back a pick six to put the game on ice.

And for good measure, former Saluki great Jerry Hairston Jr. scored the winning run for the New York Yankees after leading off the bottom of the 13th with a base hit.  I guess you could pencil in a 10-tackle day for Bart Scott against the Bills and a 100-yard rushing game for Brandon Jacobs against the Saints as a pair of former Dawgs will hit the gridiron later today.

And now, the rest of your Pigskin Pimpin' on a Sunday morning...

SIU Wins ... Just Like Someone Predicted

I'm like Jimmy The Greek ... but I like black people.

Friday:

Today:

Um, yeah.  Did I call it or did I call it?

Southern Illinois > Northern Iowa: Book It!

Deji Karim is good.  Everyone knows that by now.  And quarterback Chris Dieker threw for 274 yards last week in a game fans and coaches have been waiting for him to have for a long time.  Chauncey Mixon returns for the Saluki defense after leaving Week 1's loss with a busted jaw.

I could bore you with numbers and drown you with plenty of logical reasons why the No. 5 Salukis of Southern Illinois Universiy will finally end their drought inside the UNI Dome on Saturday against Northern Iowa.

I won't.

Diamond In The Rough? SIU Sure Hopes So

Maybe Diamond Taylor should have gone to the Southern Illinois University in the first place.

The 6-foot-4 guard was once pursued by Big Ten schools such as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Purdue.  Southeastern Conference schools such as Kentucky and Vanderbilt, along with Wake Forest of the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Missouri Valley Conference foe Bradley also had an interest in Taylor, who eventually chose Wisconsin over the rest.

The talented guard from Bolingbrook is on his way to the Carbondale campus via the University of Wisconsin after being suspended, then booted from the Badgers' basketball program after he and teammate Jeremy Glover were charged with burglary and underage drinking.

In an interview with ESPNChicago.com, his former AAU coach Mike Mullins (yes, father of future Saluki Hall of Famer Bryan Mullins) said going to SIU would be a good fit for Taylor.

"It'll be a great opportunity for him to get back into basketball and on the road to doing positive things with his life. He made a foolish mistake, and he has paid the penalty for it. There's no excusing it. He's accepting the consequences."

It's not necessarily the story some Saluki fans want to hear after the Ryan Hare arrest, but if there is anyone Saluki fans should trust, it has to be Mike Mullins, right?  Mullins has sent some pretty talented players down I-57, including his son, and junior forward Carlton Fay.  The Mullins family and Lowery family are close, so I do not feel as if the senior Mullins would send a bad apple down to Carbondale.

Taylor was not only one of the best recruits in the state of Illinois when he graduated, but he was also among the best in the nation.  His talent and body style alone should make Saluki fans giddy about this get.  He will likely have four years of eligibility after redshirting last season with the Badgers.  He'll be a third-year "freshman" -- like many SIU undergrads.  But it really is hard to focus on the on-court stuff when the off-the-court issues loom large.

When Taylor finally takes the court, he will be surrounded by what should be a team on the brink of something special.

Kevin Dillard, Ryan Hare, Anthony Booker and Nick Evans will be juniors.  Kendal Brown-Surles, Gene Teague and Jordan Myers will be sophomores, with the possibility of Myers being a redshirted freshman.  Carlton Fay, Jack Crowder and John Freeman will be seniors, while Justin Bocot will be in his third year with the Salukis and classified as a senior, but is currently on the path to gaining a fourth year of eligibility.

Anyone afraid of Taylor's cloudy past should try to remember the name Roland Roberts.  He was a transfer from a power conference school with a questionable past.  Roberts was able to shake off his baggage and lead SIU to two NCAA Tournaments including a very successful Sweet Sixteen season in 2002.

Sometimes a change of scenery can benefit a player off -- and on --  the court. SIU head coach Chris Lowery is no stranger to dealing with baggage-filled ballers.  Balancing the addition of Taylor with the suspension of Hare could be Lowery's biggest challenge.

But those are the things one must deal with when they make $750,000 per year.

White Out Fuels Karim's Dream Season

Richard White has tallied 53 yards on 11 carries in the 2009 season.  He didn't even suit up for the Salukis' 30-10 win Saturday at Western Illinois.

But for the second straight season, there is a case for naming White the Salukis' most valuable member.

Last season, White was injured on a kick-off return in SIU's 37-31 season-opening win against the Hampton Pirates.  His injury opened the door for Larry Warner.  And to say Larry Lightning ran through it would be an understatement.  Warner went on to rush for what was then a career-high 151 yards and score two touchdowns -- including a 95-yard kick-off return in the win against Hampton.

And even when White returned, Warner became Dale Lennon's featured back.  Warner gained 1,265 yards on the ground to go along with 10 rushing TDs and three kick return touchdowns.  With White sidelined, Warner became a cult hero for the Dawg Pound as he was the team's leader and focal point throughout the 2008 season.

Fast forward to 2009 and White has found himself in street clothes once again.  This time it is Karim busting through the door en route to a stellar season with the Salukis. Through four games, in which SIU is 3-1, Karim has taken full advantage of the increased PT, notching 561 yards and five touchdown runs.  He opened Saturday's win at WIU with a 92-yard run on the team's first offensive play from scrimmage.  He went on to pick up 157 yards, averaging 9.7 yards per rush.

Like Warner, Karim has also shined in the special teams department.  Deji has averaged 42.6 yards per kickoff return -- including an 69-yard scamper that nearly went all the way on Saturday.

A rare back that combines power and speed, Karim is making good on a new lease on life at Southern.  While Warner shined in White's place, Karim also found himself on the sideline nursing a season-long injury sustained in spring ball.  It would be an injury that sidelined a player that scored eight rushing touchdowns the year before.  It would have been easy for Karim to risk his status and take off the redshirt.  But Lennon and the training staff was somehow able to convince Karim to tough it out and wait 'til next year.

And now that next year is here, Karim is living the dream as he is on pace for a 1,234-yard, 11 touchdown season.

It's too bad that for the second straight season, it is coming at White's expense.

Pigskin Pimpin: Week 4

Football stuff and gratuitous cheerleader photos after the jump.

Salukis Should Be Primed For Payback

Chris Dieker holds the keys to the Saluki offense.

Can anyone get a hold of Larry Warner before Saturday's game between the Southern Illinois Salukis and North Dakota State Bison?

SIU opened up a 20-0 lead in the Fargo Dome, but NDSU rallied to pick up a 35-27 win over the Salukis*.  It would be the only conference loss the Maroon & White would suffer in Dale Lennon's first season.

A lengthy winning streak began the next week against Indiana State and the good times rolled until SIU fell to New Hampshire in the playoffs.  So, what keyed the Salukis run to success?

A speech by Larry Warner.

In an interview during Indiana State game week, Lennon mentioned that the team's star running back had addressed the team after the loss in the locker room ... but would not expand on what he said.  I later approached Warner and asked him what he told his teammates and received the generic football speak of playing harder, increasing focus and flawless execution.

Warner was the most outspoken Saluki.  And at the tender of 22, I had seen enough press conferences and conducted enough interviews to know that Warner wouldn't tell me exactly what he said.  But the fact that he said something was enough.  SIU would go on to outscore its opponents 235-104 in the team's ensuing 7-game winning streak.

In those games, Larry Lightning accumulated 879 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns.  It was clear that he was the heart and soul of the offense in the locker room and on the field.  And it is even clearer that his teammates responded to whatever he said that Saturday afternoon after what could have been a soul-crushing loss.

Hell, he still won't tell me and I've asked him about it every time I've seen him on a football field since.  I guess some things are better left unsaid.

For the 2009 Salukis to avenge last season's lone conference loss the following needs to happen.

• Chris Dieker can't throw interceptions.
• The running game must not only control the clock, but score as well.
• Saluki defenders can't allow NDSU to score 21 unanswered points at any point in the game -- let alone the fourth quarter.

Burying a lead of my own, the biggest key might come after halftime.  For whatever reason, SIU comes out flat in the third quarter.  Lennon couldn't explain it last year.  Neither could the players.  After the team's 31-28 loss at Marshall, your favorite sports writer's favorite sports writer/blogger noted that his beloved alma mater allowed 21 points to the Thundering Herd in the third quarter.

That can't happen again.

That shouldn't happen again.

Hopefully, it doesn't happen again.

* If siuDE.com worked properly, I would have linked to the stories myself and BFeldt wrote.  Um, someone might wanna get on that...

Hare's Legal Trouble Comes At Bad Time For Optimistic Lowery

It was only a few weeks ago when things were looking bright for Saluki hoops.

Blessed with good timing, yours truly was able to sit down with Southern Illinois men's basketball head coach Chris Lowery a few weeks ago in Carrier Mills, Ill.  Lowery was there to speak to youngsters and encourage them to strive to be their best and be on their best behavior for the upcoming school year.

Afterward, I caught up with Lowery and chatted about everything from old times on the Saluki beat, our favorite Michael Jordan memories ... and eventually the future of Saluki basketball.

The SIU front man seemed to express plenty of optimism in regard to the 2009-10 team.  Sure, it lost senior leader Bryan Mullins.  But the team was also rid of distractions, controversy and other in-house issues that plagued the team during a disappointing 13-18 season. 

After a summer that saw improvements by players such as Kevin Dillard and Nick Evans on the court and in the weight room, you couldn't blame Lowery for feeling good about an upcoming season with a favorable schedule that will feature 17 home games on the docket.

And then guard Ryan Hare found himself in trouble with the law. 

NCAA Action Starting Up Again!!

It has been a long, fun summer of professional sports. Major League Baseball pennant races have been close, golf and tennis majors have been exciting, football training camps have begun, and many more entertaining developments. Yet for many, there is nothing like the thrill of college athletics.

College programs have been teasing us with stories here and there, but starting this week here in Carbondale, the action will heat up as teams begin practicing for the fall season. Saluki football gets ready for the final season at McAndrew Stadium. It will be fun to see coach Dale Lennon's squad back on the field and looking to defend their conference title.

Don't forget about the Saluki volleyball team. Coach Brenda Winkeler enters her fifth season and the team has increased its win total every year during that time. They still remain in the middle of the pack in the MVC, but there has been plenty of improvement over the years. The atmosphere of Davies Gym makes the team very fun to watch as well.

It is also very good for us media folks in a college town. Yes, there is plenty of love here in southern Illinois for the Miners, St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs, but the main focus is on the college sports. With practices starting Monday, there will be plenty of news to feed the hungry Saluki fans.

Oh, and don't forget about the high school sports as well. August is a wonderful time of year, and as the professional sports keep rolling along, the NCAA and IHSA will provide even more entertainment for the southern Illinois fans.

Of Chris Lowery, Marcus Belcher and Other SIU Coaches

Remember when I said Rodney Watson is not walking through that door. Well, that still holds true. Apparently, though, Marcus Belcher will be.

It looks like Chris Lowery will be keeping it in the family by hiring the former Saluki point guard who is expected to be the team's newest assistant coach. Belcher was the starting point guard on the 2002 Sweet Sixteen team and recently assisted Marty Simmons at the University of Evansville.

Let the record show his UE Twitter account is blank and his coach profile page on the Purple Aces Web site has disappeared. Sounds like he's up and moving to me.

In this thread, fans do not seem to be fond of the hire.

It's tough to judge a relatively young coach, but SIU might be playing with fire as it has a relatively young staff for a team that will return a core of youngsters including Freshman of the Year Kevin Dillard and fellow freshmen impact players Anthony Booker and Ryan Hare ... not to mention sparkplug Nick Evans.

But like I said in the lead, Rodney Watson's don't grow on trees. And who's to say Belcher won't be at SIU for 20-plus years? (Conveniently ignores the fact that this is Belcher's fourth assistant coaching job since 2005).

Oh, and do not expect Lowery to just hand the associate head coach title to just anyone. Lowery said several factors went into giving Watson the title a few years ago. Factors including his loyalty to the program, knowledge of southern Illinois and the respect he had garnered in his years at SIU.

Now, the Salukis' longest tenured assistant is Brad Korn (5 years at SIU) and its most experienced assistant is Lance Irvin (16 years at various schools).

Making the post-Rodney Watson transition even more difficult is the fact that Lowery will be traveling to assist Team USA's U-19 team. In his stead, Irvin will take over the operations in Carbondale.

...

And before you ask, no, SIU is not done on the 2009 recruiting trail according to Lowery. Yes, signing day has come and gone. But there are still guys who have yet to qualify and "quality players" that are still unsigned. But Lowery did say the team does not want to put itself in a position in making a questionable or regrettable signing.

...

Thumbs up to C-Lo for acknowledged as being on the cusp of being one of the nation's best 25 coaches. Thumbs down for not knowing Lowery does not coach at Illinois State.

...

Am I the only person who thinks it is cool that SIU women's hoops head coach Missy Tiber is on Twitter? Maybe. Am I the only person who cares she is on Twitter? Probably. Still, I'm fond of the social networking tool.

Heck, it's on our sidebar. Damn right I'm fond of it.

I think this is a brilliant brain child of marketing guru Mark Gadzik. Marketing SIU is a tough job, but anytime you can put your name out there it has got to be a good thing.

In chats with Tiber, I feel as if she is doing a good job of selling the program thus far. Whether it has been keeping key recruit Kat Garcia and bringing in the talented Teri Oliver or going out and doing meet-and-greets.

All in an effort to bring some sunlight to a program she said has been 'living in a box' in recent years.

...

Is it football season yet? I'm just dying to know what Dale Lennon, Phil Longo and Bubba Schweigert have up their collective sleeves for the 2009 Saluki football team.

Wrapping up the semester that was

Another Sean McGahan production.

All good things must come to an end, and that's unfortunate because I have loved my time at the DE this semester, and really, this year.

But let's just focus on this semester, shall we?

The semester began with one big question mark: who was going to be the SIU football team's starting quarterback. Whether it was Joe Allaria or Chris Dieker, whoever won the job had to fill in the gigantic cleats of Nick Hill and Joel Sambursky.

I though Allaria was an easy choice early because of his athleticismm, but Dieker impressed with his grasp of the offense and ended up winning the job and leading the Salukis to a Missouri Valley Football Conference title.

The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry is a heated one, no doubt. But mix in some college kids and a little booze and things really get testy. On what was a slow day in SIU sports, Brian Feldt and I mixed it up over our favorite baseball teams. P.S.: Yes, dueling columns are fun.

You know what else is fun? Superstitions. I would go on the record and say that Stile Smith was our Rookie of the Year and MVP because without him, who knows how the sports desk would have shaped up. His superstitions story was one of the best pieces any of us have written this semester.

Nothing says football like the relationship between a coach and his quarterback. The 1983 National Champion SIU Salukis were no different. Quarterback Rick Johnson and head coach Rey Dempsey led the Salukis to their success and no one is sure they could have done it without one another.

Oh yeah, Johnson and Dempsey were on the sidelines as sophomore kicker Kyle Dougherty nailed the "kick heard 'round the 'dale" in SIU's 27-24 win against No. 5 Northern Iowa.

The SIU men's basketball team was tabbed to finish second in the MVC, thanks in part to the return of head coach Chris Lowery, senior point guard Bryan Mullins and a highly touted freshman class. Only time will tell how it all shakes out. We aren't even in conference season yet.

With a stout 3-4 defense, the SIU football team had little trouble stopping teams who were one-dimensional running squads. However, the Salukis struggled at times against potent passing attempts. Enter stage left South Dakota State University quarterback Ryan Berry, the Valley's most prolific passer. But it was a late interception by James Wheeler that sealed the win for the Dawgs.

The game of the year might have been the Salukis' final regular season game as a Ryan Kernes overtime touchdown catch clinched a share of the MVFC championship and the automatic bid for the playoffs. Even though I wasn't there, it was cool to get the text message updates towards the end of the game.

Oh, and there was that trip to New York City. These are all memories I will never forget.