SOAR Blog

As I sit roughly 100 miles south of the Utah State University campus, I believe I can clearly hear Coach Ray Guy’s screams of anguish as he realizes that his all-everything sophomore quarterback has just dumped the hapless Aggies in favor of Brigham Young University.

Elder Riley Nelson, a full-time proselyting missionary in Spain for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, apparently decided over the weekend that he will transfer to BYU after he completes his mission in March 2009.

As an All-American QB out of Logan who opted to join his hometown Aggies’s squad, the left-handed, 6-foot-1 Nelson was a coveted passing and running QB who set all types of records for Logan High, while also leading the Grizzlies to the 3A state championship in 2005 during his senior season.

But as reported today by multiple local media outlets, including the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News, Nelson will don the Cougar-blue uniform in 2009 versus the midnight blue uniform of the Utah State Aggies.

So while this is a sad day in Aggie-town, you can bet that Cougar fans around the world are rejoicing today. 

The setting was an tough battle between two teams vying for a shot at the NCAA Div. II regional playoffs: the league-leading girls softball team from Western Oregon University versus the girls team from Central Washington University, a squad trailing Western Oregon by one game.

In a nutshell, Sara Tucholsky (a part-time outfielder for the Western Oregon Wolves), came to bat last Saturday (4-26-08) in the top of the second inning of a scoreless game with two runners on base. After taking the first pitch for a called strike, the 5′2″ Tucholsky smacked a home run over the center field fence for a commanding 3-0 lead.

Except that in her excitement at hitting her first ever home run, the tiny senior with a season batting average of .114 (4-for-35) missed the bag when rounding first base. As Tucholsky turned to touch first base, the ACL in her right knee gave way, leaving Tucholsky in a heap and others around her with a dilemma.

If a coach or her teammates touched/helped Tucholsky, she would be declared out and her run would not count. Similarly, if a pinch runner was brought in to replace her, her hit would be recorded as a single and not a home run. [NOTE: These were the official rulings on the field; according to the NCAA, both rulings are incorrect.]

Regardless, what happened next will stand forever as an epic display of sportsmanship. Specifically, two players from the opposing team, picked up and carried Tucholsky around the base path, allowing her to touch each bag and then homeplate to complete her home run circuit. Here’s an ESPN video with an interview of all three girls:

As one might suspect, players from Western Oregon were in tears as Tucholsky crossed home. And to be honest, I choked up the first time I read the Associated Press story found on the FOX Sports Website and Graham Hays’ detailed version of the story on ESPN.

The outcome of the game?

Tucholsky’s three-run shot turned out to be the game-winner in the 4-2 tilt, a home run that also knocked Central Washington out of the post season hunt.

But talk about losing out on the post season with one’s head held high. WOW!

It reminds me that as important as winning is in sports, it’d definitely not the most important thing. Thanks ladies.

In a landslide victory Saturday, NCAA Division I coaches overwhelmingly voted to ban the use of text messages in recruiting athletes.

Designed to rein-in overzealous coaching staffs in their use of new technology to recruit potential student-athletes, the ban passed by margin of more than 3-1, with more than 78 percent of the votes being cast in favor of the ban.

According to the official NCAA News announcement about the new ban, Kerry Kenny (the vice chair of the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee), urged coaches to vote against text-message contact of potential recruits claiming that “text messaging between prospective student-athletes and coaches was intrusive, unprofessional and expensive.”  

The vote was held at the annual convention of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, conducted this year in Nashville, Tenn. from January 10-14.

Given how many teenagers have cell phones today and how pervasive text messaging is in their lives, this sounds like a no brainer idea to me.

Good job, coaches.

I went to the BYU-Colorado State football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, on Saturday. My dad brought my my 5-year-old nephew to the game. He loves sports and, just like any kid his age, gets excited to be at a game. He’s been to a few games in the past, and during those games, he’s loved to go see the players up close. Saturday was no different. BYU had the game in hand, so my dad asked my nephew if he wanted to go see the Colorado State players head into their locker room. Of course, my nephew jumped at the opportunity. So they headed off.

What happened while they were standing at the locker room entrance is a testament to the classiness of long-time head coach Sonny Lubick. My dad reported that nearly 80 percent of the players gave high fives to the fans even though they lost. He said one player walked along the line and slapped everyone’s hands. When he came to my nephew, he slapped his hand, and then (almost turning around) he stopped, looked down at my nephew and asked, “Do you want these?” as he pulled off his wrist bands. It goes without saying that my nephew was elated.

Today’s sports world is filled with classless individuals, with A-Rod and Scott Boras leading the charge. They have their millions, yet they demand more, not only in monetary compensation, but in the attention they want from the world. They are the epitome of the “gimme-gimme” syndrome.

Yet, this young CSU football player, who may or may not be on a scholarship and who most likely won’t end up going professional in football, took the opportunity to reach out to an impressionable young boy, even after losing the game. His coach has taught him how to show sportsmanship regardless of the outcome.

Sadly, Coach Lubick will probably be fired at the end of the year because he’s had a bad season after a successful 15-year stint at CSU. But in my eyes, and in the eyes of my family (all staunch BYU fans), he’s a hall of famer in our book. Not just any sports hall of fame, but in the Class Act Hall of Fame.

When one of the top 5-A football teams in the state (Jordan H.S.) loses 22-6 to a 3-7 team (Hunter H.S.), you know it’s got to be playoff time in Utah.

Yup, the 5-A football playoffs are here once again. And having a son on the Alta H.S. Hawks squad makes this season even sweeter and more exciting.

In spite of a lackadaisical start to the game that saw the first quarter end in a 0-0 tie, the now 10-1 Hawks took control the rest of the way en route to a 56-10 dismantling of the Kearns Cougars (now 5-6) in the first round of the 5-A playoffs.

Led by its senior offensive trio of RB Sausan Shakerin (seven carries for 110 yards and three TDs, two on the ground and one by air), QB Ryan Rosenvall (9-9 passing for 192 yards and four TD passes), and TE Brady Hunt (four catches for 121 yards and two TDs) and anchored by Alta’s stunning defense, the Hawks easily handled the Cougars. In fact, Kearns’ only touchdown came late in the game with the bulk of the Hawk defenders coming from its Junior Varsity squad.

Next up for the Hawks, the 6-4 Timpanogos Timberwolves, with start time slated for 7 p.m. this coming Friday, 11/2/07 at Alta’s home field in Sandy.

By the way, we have filled the open job position at SOAR Communications.

Maura Lansford, formerly (and officially) an Assistant Account Executive at Politis Communications, has accepted the full-time position as an AAE at SOAR Communications.

Maura has been actively involved in supporting SOAR clients on an as-needed basis almost since joining Politis Communications. She also proved invaluable in almost single-handedly overseeing media registration for Interbike 2006.

So . . . formally, the position at SOAR Communications is now closed.

However, Politis Communications is now looking for two or more account reps. PR/journalism background preferred. Good writing skills a must.

Any ideas? Reach me via email at dpolitis (at) politis.com or by calling 801-523-3730 xt. 11.

Las Vegas during Labor Day weekend is about the last place on earth you could expect to find me, but there I was the past couple of days nonetheless.

It’s hot as Hades (103-105 degrees Fahrenheit), the city seems to be a magnet for every smoker on the planet, and the gambling mecca that says “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” does just about everything it can to make sure that what definitely stays in Vegas is one’s hard, earned cash.

But Alta High School’s football team decided it was gonna play an “endowment” pre-season game against one of the top teams in California (East Clovis High out of the Fresno area) over Labor Day weekend. So Poppa P, Momma P and our youngest daughter headed off to Sin City to watch our son Jonathan play.

As it was, Jonathan’s Junior Varsity squad ended up playing Saturday morning (9/1) against the JV team from Las Vegas’ own Bishop Gorman High at the practice field on the UNLV campus. And it was not pretty as the Alta Hawks crushed the Gaels 54-0.

That evening, the Hawks varsity took on the Silverwolves at Sam Boyd Stadium on the outskirts of town. I won’t attempt to give a play-by-play rundown of the except to say it was an exciting back-and-forth battle that wasn’t put away until late in the 4th quarter when Kaden Carli picked off a pass and ran it back for a touchdown to put Alta ahead 28-12.

For a nice write-up, check out this article in the Sunday edition of the Fresno Bee.

The Hawks are now 2-1, are ranked 2nd in Utah in the 5A standings, having only lost another heartbreaker to the Bingham Miners, last year’s 5A State Champs and holders of an 18-game winning streak.

All in all, a successful trip to the desert for the Hawks and the Politis clan, withering heat notwithstanding.

Are you as excited as I am for football season?

No time of the year is more exciting to me than the period of time between the end of August to the end of December. Most people would call it Fall, but it’s more than that. It’s football season.

I grew up playing and watching football. Now I mostly watch, but I play too…Fantasy style. In high school, I played tight end for our team, which was pretty good. And in college, I played intramural at BYU. Our team was awesome! Over two years, we went 22-0, winning the championship both years.

And now it’s that time of the year again. We’ve got football in the air, even in the office. Poppa P’s son plays tight end for a local high school, so it’s fun to talk football with Poppa P. We’ve even brought a football into the office to toss around on occasion–I think it helps get the juices flowing.

I’ve also got my fantasy league draft this weekend, which I’m really excited about. I just love the game, the ins and outs of what makes certain plays work. I owe that to my high school football coach. He had a mind for the game unlike any other I’ve ever known. He understood how it worked and instilled a love for the game in most everyone he coached.

So, here’s to Friday night lights, Saturday morning hype and continuing to live the dream. And here’s a little clip to get you exctied…one of my personal favorites.