FB: Northwest Conference

[MonroviaCat]

Odd that Nike signed Vick again. They certainly dropped him fast enough when he got arrested. Do they think people have forgotten what he did? I'm betting they will get more negative publicity from this than positive. There have to be more of us dog owners and dog lovers than dog fighters and abusers.

A second chance is one thing, but as someone else said, this goes to character.

I could be wrong but isn't there a line about "there's no such thing as negative publicity" (?)

[RedandPurple]

Odd that Nike signed Vick again. They certainly dropped him fast enough when he got arrested. Do they think people have forgotten what he did? I'm betting they will get more negative publicity from this than positive. There have to be more of us dog owners and dog lovers than dog fighters and abusers.

A second chance is one thing, but as someone else said, this goes to character.

I could be wrong but isn't there a line about "there's no such thing as negative publicity" (?)

"There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary." Brendan Behan  
Brendan Francis Behan (9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English.

GO CATS!
54 IN '09!

[D O.C.]

Do they think people have forgotten what he did?

I just remember Nike might supply many teams and do charitable work but they are looking at a GLOBAL economy. I do not suppose many in, for instance, Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, and, of course, CHINA, care about Vick's pre-Dungy moral code.

edit: But then how many of them care about tackle football, eh?

                                                                          OFFENSE!

[d-train]

I've just read that Nike is denying any new deal with Vick.  They claim to have simply provided Vick with some free product (which they give away like halloween candy to pro athletes).  It was one of Vick's agents that over-characterized it as a new endorsement deal.

http://blogs.wweek.com/news/2009/10/01/why-nike-and-michael-vick-would-be-a-strange-relationship/

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2009/10/nike-there-is-no-new-endorsement-deal-with-michael-vick/1

[MacQuiz]

WILDCAT 11s KEYS TO VICTORY:

"-Don't Be Satisfied with Good Start: The 'Cats have started out great but there is now a new challenge: how does this group handle the early season success? Is it just more fuel for the fire or does this cause the team to start phoning it in?"

This is absolutely the true pitfall to guard against after some success.  If the lads can start out like this was (and might be) the crucial game for post season play...they have the game to get the job done.  No question about it...these guys got game!

It's in thier heads now!

I know these guys got the heart, and I'm betting they also have the brains and emotional dicipline to see the other side of the grinder!
MacQuiz sticks his neck out just a bit a offers this...
Cats 41, Oaks 17

[Gig Harbor Cat]

Thanks Dee

[coco]

From me, too, d-train.
Good to have the clarification.

[FarAwayCat]

I've just read that Nike is denying any new deal with Vick.  They claim to have simply provided Vick with some free product (which they give away like halloween candy to pro athletes).  It was one of Vick's agents that over-characterized it as a new endorsement deal.

Does that mean GHC won't be giving away all his throwback Nike gear?

[Gig Harbor Cat]

Thats a fact jack.  Actually FarAway our reps comp us with new gear each year,  without that I guess it would be throw back indeed.

Hey Coco, what brand did you wear to run your latest 4.3 40  Or did you do it in flip flops

[Lever Street]

Go Linfield.  Menlo is in our sights....

[Pat Coleman]

Well, good. Everything fell into place this time.

TEAM OF THE WEEK 4
DB Derek Fisher, So., Linfield
Fisher equaled a Linfield single-game record with three interceptions, plus recovered a fumble as Linfield defeated Southern Oregon 37-21 on the road to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2005.

                                                                 DEFEN$E

I know that the Linfield DBs are athletic but I'm wonder how much longer Derek Fisher will be in our defensive backfield before he has to check into the LA Lakers pre-season camp?  

You are asking a lot for me to know the names of NBA players.

[D O.C.]

You are asking a lot for me to know the names of NBA players

+ 1 !

[Bearcat Press]

Well our website's been updated again, but only up through the SOU game . . . so here's my recap of La Verne.

BEARCATS MAUL LEOPARDS, READY FOR PIRATES

Tim Walsh
Sports Editor

Ask Mark Speckman what he thinks about blowouts, and a cringe comes across his face.

"There's part of me that really doesn't like them," Speckman said. "But I guess to a certain extent, they are valuable. They're good for morale, and they help create depth."

In that case, the 18th-ranked Bearcats should be brimming with confidence and deep at every position after last Saturday's blowout victory over the hapless La Verne Leopards. In a game that was over before the end of the first quarter, Willamette's starters and backups forced three interceptions and five punts (including one that was blocked), and scored a school-record 52 first half points en route to a 52-7 win.

The Bearcats (3-1) scored on each of their eight first half possessions, building a cushion wide enough to allow 97 Willamette players to take the field before the final whistle.

"That was ... crazy," Speckman said. "I don't know if I've ever seen anything like that."

La Verne (0-2) only arrived from Los Angeles the day of the game, and they certainly looked as if they were elsewhere early on. Bubba Lemon picked off the Leopards' quarterback on the very first play of the game, setting up a short drive that ended with a Mitchell Rowan field goal.

It was Willamette's only first-half drive that failed to end in a touchdown.

Following the Bearcat kickoff, La Verne went three-and-out when Andrew Ross blew up an option play on third down, and Arlin Taylor returned the punt 17 yards to the Leopard 38. In fact, Willamette's first seven drives all began in La Verne territory – though Speckman was not convinced it made that much of a difference.

"I think we just would have had longer drives," Speckman said. "Field position gives you confidence and you can be more aggressive, but we were playing really, really fast."

A 32-yard scamper by freshman flanker Terrell Malley (one of 18 Bearcats to rush for positive yards) followed Taylor's punt return, allowing Chad Pollard to punch into the end zone. Another La Verne three-and-out led to another punt – this one netting only nine yards – and backup quarterback Kevin Ramay eventually ran into the end zone from 12 yards away.

"We needed to get Kevin [Ramay] in," Speckman said. "I don't know if we're going to keep [rotating quarterbacks] or not, but Kevin's practiced well and he deserved time."

Ramay rewarded the coach's confidence with a gorgeous 20-yard touchdown pass to Pollard on Willamette's next possession – after another Leopard three-and-out – to make the score 24-0.

And that was just the first quarter.

Desperate to get something going, La Verne switched quarterbacks and strategy, opting for a bizarre formation with huge gaps between their offensive linemen. The Leopards got two quick first downs, but Cory Lowe pressured La Verne's quarterback into an ill-advised throw across the middle, and linebacker Ralph Pineda intercepted the pass at the La Verne 45.

"We were ready for [the formation]," Speckman said. "It's kind of a fusion-spread-Texas Tech thing."

A 27-yard rush from Deon Horne set up Pollard's second touchdown of the evening, and after Lukkes Gilgan blocked the Leopards' by-now-inevitable punt, senior flanker Tony Krikorian brought a sweep into the end zone from 26 yards away. On the next La Verne possession, Harmon Bruno exploded onto a screen pass to force another punt, and Ramay cashed in with his second rushing touchdown.

When the Leopards' last punt of the first half actually landed on the Bearcats' side of the field with 2:06 left in the period, La Verne might have thought the carnage was over, but Ramay directed a crisp, seven play, 61-yard drive, capping it off with Jamiere Abney's remarkable, pinball-like 25-yard touchdown run as time expired.

Halftime statistics were remarkable: Willamette out rushed the Leopards 273-3, while holding an 18-4 edge in first downs. The Bearcats had no turnovers, no penalties, and had scored on every one of their drives.

"Usually us coaches are pretty critical and nitpicky," Speckman said. "But that was a great half of football. Pretty much everyone was in the right spot all the time."

Willamette cleared the benches during the second half, letting three more quarterbacks play before the night ended. La Verne scored a consolation touchdown with 12 minutes left, but Willamette dominated every meaningful statistical category.

With non-conference play finished the Bearcats can look toward a grueling Northwest Conference schedule that begins on Sat., Oct. 3 against Whitworth.

"We're still a work in progress," Speckman said. "Rankings only matter at the end of the season or if the team you're playing is ranked. We know we've got a target on our backs."

[Bearcat Press]

And the "Game Day" preview for Whitworth.

GAME DAY #5
#18 BEARCATS VS. PIRATES

WHEN: 2:00 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: McCulloch Stadium

RECORDS: Willamette 3-1, Whitworth 2-2

ON THE AIR: Webcast at www.willamette.edu/athletics

BRIEFLY: The Bearcats open Northwest Conference play this weekend by playing host to the Whitworth Pirates, winners of the 2006 and 2007 NWC titles. In their season opener, the Pirates led then-#4 Hardin-Simmons 24-13 at halftime before falling 48-31. Despite losing tailback Adam Anderson to injury  in game two, the Pirates managed wins over La Verne and Chapman sandwiched around a five- point loss to #21 Redlands. Speckman, who last year compared Anderson to a "refrigerator," expects the All-American to play this week. "We're preparing for the Adam Anderson show," Speckman said.

Last season's matchup between the teams saw Willamette snap Whitworth's 12-game NWC winning streak with a come-from-behind 32-23 win in Spokane. This time around, Speckman hopes his team can get off to a faster start against Whitworth's aggressive, physical defense and punishing power-rush offense. "We've got to execute and get some early defensive stops," Speckman said. "They pose some problems for us. ... They're a legitimate contender."

Around the NWC, #8 Linfield demolished Southern Oregon 37-21 last weekend, while Menlo snuck by Whittier 28-24. Those two schools will meet this Saturday in Atherton, Calif., while Lewis & Clark visits Pacific Lutheran.

[speedybigboy]

I won't be heading for Parkland for my 25 year Reunion.  A decision partly made based on thinking that if I was going to catch a Lute game live I'd like to see a good one, like against Linfield.  Now based on the way we've started the season I'm concerned that this might be a good game, for Lewis & Clark.  Hope the guys can put it together this weekend and start the rebuilding.  Won't be surprised if it's close though.