Buffs Sign 6'7" Center...Women's Lady Buffs That Is

To say that their is something in the water in Omaha would be an understatement. Its was just announced today that Melissa MacFarlane, a 6-foot-7 center at Millard North High School will be joining the Lady Buffs next year. No, the 6'7" measurement is not a typo. I think the Men's team should go and sign her. I am truly disappointed that I could not find a picture or a bio of the Melissa as that was the entire reason for this post. But a 6'7" number should be enough to gain a visual. As soon as a find a picture, you will have it. Last year, she averaged 11.1 pts/game and was third team All-State in Nebraska. I don't know how she doesn't average 20 and 20 a game but I guess we will find out soon. She picked CU over Illinois State and Louisville.

The Last Day of June News

--Derek Tolan, the ace of the CU Golf team, won the Colorado Golf Association State Public Links Championship on Sunday at Fox Hollow Golf Course. Tolan, who represented the Buffs in the NCAA Golf Championships earlier this month, beat out Pat Grady, a fellow senior Buffalo and defending champion.

--In football news, 2008 recruit Paul Vigo, a 6’ 1”, 205 lb. athlete from New Jersey will not be on the field August 4^th when the full team is supposed to report to Boulder for the upcoming season. Vigo will enroll in January and will grey shirt his first year on campus. Details are hazy on this but an article at the Camera said it was not academically related. Vigo was one of those last second recruits to commit to the Buffs on signing day. He would have most likely red shirted anyway but hopefully Hawkins can get him in earlier than January to start getting him entrenched in the playbook.

--Check out all the Track & Field Buffs who are trying to or have already qualified for Beijing. Very impressive.

Rivals.com Ranks the Buffs, High Rollers Buying Up Folsom Suites

Rivals.com's annual Preseason Countdown cracked the top 40 last week and we were ecstatic and a bit apprehensive that the Buffs were rated this high. Last year, Rivals season ending rankings had the Buffs as the 56th team in the nation. With the recruiting class coming in and an extra year of experience for the current roster and coaching staff, Rivals feels that the Buffs are now the #34 ranked team in the nation. We were ecstatic because, once again, we see the Buffs on the up and up. Recruiting has been solid and youth is starting to turn into experience. We are a little apprehensive about seeing the Buffs crack the top 40 for a few reasons, though. First off, the Buffs had 20 freshman play last year meaning that we will have around 20 sophomores playing this year which is better than freshman but this is still a very young team. Second, as Rivals says, the schedule is like a "tough steak sandwich, its reasonably soft on the top and bottom but darn tough in the middle." Third, the Buffs lost two All-Americans on defense and as Rivals successfully notes, the secondary is a major concern for the Buffs. There is a lot of expectation for this team with a top 15 recruiting class coming in and a bowl appearance season last year. That bowl season was only attained by two major upsets against OU and Tech with embarrassing losses versus Iowa State and Kansas State. We just think the Buffs are still one year away. Hopefully we are surprised.

Rivals.com really likes the Buffs line on both sides of the ball with potential All-American George Hypolite anchoring the defense and Ryan Miller, Daniel Sanders and Nate Solder being solid offensive lineman. Darrell Scott has to like that. My favorite part of the piece was the bit highlighting WR Patrick Williams and DL Brandon Nicolas, two talented players with high expectations year in and year out who have consistently disappointed. Check out this blog by the Columbia Tribune detailing the best WR's and TE's in the Big 12. Williams in on the list but he has had 3 years of experience and he is consistently below players with less experience in terms of productivity. Williams has all of the physical tools to be a great player but I look for WR's Scotty McKnight and Josh Smith, both Sophomores, to be the go to guys. Also, look for Shaun Mohler, a JUCO transfer and stud, to make a big impact at LB. And they also mentioned that Darrell Scott guy a few times too!

In other news...

--The High Rollers in Boulder want to watch the Buffs next year. All of the suites and a large chunk of the club level seats have sold out. Mike Bohn continues to go out and meet across the nation with alumni and donors. Hopefully the money keeps rolling in. Especially since this article shows that Texas has an athletic budget of $150 million, about 3 times the Buffs.

--Many of the Track & Field athletes are competing for a chance to represent the U.S.A in the Olympics. Former Buff Kara Goucher has already clinched a spot in the 10,000 meters.

65 Days til D. Scott

Daily Links

-- Check out this Daily Camera story on Richard Roby… pretty much saying what we said yesterday that Roby was already a late second round pick and with the hand injury, he will probably go undrafted. Bzdelik does have a good point that it may be better to not be drafted then go in the second round due to being stuck with one option and non-guaranteed contracts. At the same time, you are also flirting with European League Basketball.

-- Coach Hawkins is going to….Peru?? This article is hilarious. It goes on to talk about all the measures that the Hawkins’ Family is taking to avoid Typhus and Malaria. I’m sorry but I think if I had to get shots, take pills and even soak my clothes in insect repellent before I went on vacation, I would probably have second thoughts about going there. The article gets even better as Peru was not the family’s first choice. Brazil was the first choice but a recent outbreak of dengue fever in Rio De Janeiro halted that excursion. How about Cancun or Acapulco?

-- A Hawk Sound Bite from The Colorado Springs Gazette detailing the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation's College Football Kickoff Luncheon:

“Finally, had to mention that Colorado coach Dan Hawkins had the line of the day at the luncheon. Talking about how young his team was, he compared it to a golden retriever puppy. He said they were really energetic and excited and really cute, “but sometimes we chew things up and pee on the floor.”

-- Nice blurb on CU from Stewart Mandel's weekly CFB mailbag:

Usually by the third year, a coach really makes his mark on a program. So what do you see happening with Dan Hawkins at Colorado?
-- Martin, Austin, Texas

The Buffs are definitely a team you'd be smart to watch out for this season. Hawkins' team improved considerably from Year 1 (2-10) to Year 2 (6-7, with upsets over Oklahoma and Texas Tech). This year's team will be far more experienced, what with QB Cody Hawkins entering his second season and the possibility of as many as eight senior starters on defense. And if incoming freshman Darrell Scott -- the nation's top-rated running back recruit last winter -- lives up to the hype, he will give Hawkins exactly the type of elite skill player he's been missing.

The coach finally feels confident enough in his personnel to go to a no-huddle offense, and we may start to see more of the unconventional plays that marked his tenure at Boise State. The bigger question may be the defense, which absolutely tanked at the end of last season and lost its most important player, All-America LB Jordon Dizon.

We'll find out about the state of the Buffs pretty quickly -- after opening against Colorado State and Eastern Washington, Colorado goes through a daunting four-game gauntlet against West Virginia, Florida State, Texas and Kansas. If Hawkins' team can get a win at home against either the Mountaineers or Longhorns, it could set them up for an eight- or nine-win season.

-- The Mountain West Connection has a preview of the upcoming Rocky Mountain Showdown.

-- Recliners? Free food and drink? This new section may not have the emotion of the student section, but if I were a Jayhawk you could sure as hell count me in.

Wednesday Buffalo Bites

--Looks like the Ex-Buffs armed robbery duo will be charged today. Its a sad story but at the same time, very embarrassing for the program especially since it happened in Boulder near the campus. The team has a lot to prove to the CU administration and staff to gain its credibility back in terms of being thought of as "good citizens." I know its not fair but once again, that is the expectations around playing Division 1 football.

--On a funny note, if anyone listened to the Herd this morning on ESPN radio, he was commenting on college football players committing crimes and the success level of their respective teams after the dismissal of Alabama LB Jimmy Johns for selling drugs. The Herd jokingly said something to the effect of "Bama is now a national title contender. Just look at all of the championship contenders like FSU, Florida, Ohio State, LSU...they all have off the field issues. Duke and Vanderbilt no off the field incidents and they aren't competing for anything." Under this logic, Colorado is a couple more arrests away from making it to the big time.

--Former Colorado Basketball star, Richard Roby is highlighted in a rivals.com article, if you have access, discussing his desire to play in the NBA. Roby, since getting injured in the NBA pre-draft camp, has fallen off of many draft boards and looks to be heading for Europe. The NBA draft is coming up Thursday night.

--Speaking of rivals.com, they are counting down the 2008 College Football pre-season rankings from the bottom up. They are currently on #37 with Florida State taking that spot. No sign of the Buffs yet which is a good thing as they continue to get respect on a National level. I probably jinxed them with the post and they will show up as #36. They can't go much longer with that ridiculous schedule.

--Former Buffs WR, Dusty Sprague has been added to the Colorado Crush (AFL) practice squad in preparation for the upcoming playoffs.

--We need football so this blog doesn't turn into a CU blog about Track & Field. On that note, two Buffs on the Track & Field team are going to compete in the U.S. Trials.

--67 days until kickoff at Mile High Stadium

Former Buff Dizon Arrested For Drunk Driving

I should have written the June 21st post today as I would have had one more ex-Buff to add to the rap list that is now known as "The Buffs Most Wanted." Recently drafted Jordan Dizon was cited April 20th, 6 days before the NFL draft, for a DUI while driving the wrong way down a one way street. Thats a tough one to dispute. Buffs getting in trouble is really getting old. Dizon is the eighth member of the 2007 football team to be arrested or cited by Boulder police since January according to the Daily Camera.

More Monday Links

A decent amount of good reads today for the utter lack of action right now...

-- It's good to hear the Bzdelik is rebuilding the bridges with local Colorado HS basketball programs, but we're going to have to continue to be patient because this seasons looks like it's going to be a rough one.

-- Doesn't look like the Buffs or even CSU will be reentering the world of D1 College Baseball anytime soon...

-- CU may not have a NCAA baseball team but at least they now have a club Bass Fishing team! (On as side note I have tossed back plenty of brew's on ole Lake Eufala, the brownest lake in the world...)

-- Finally, we at The Ralphie Report can not neglect our namesake, so here is a story on Ralphie V.

Monday Summer News

Life is moving at a snails pace right now. Yesterday while conversing with a friend I was talking about Marian Hossa turning down a hockey contract and later on that day, I resorted to watching the Euro soccer thing which made me even more depressed. CU Buff players are getting arrested and the training camp is a couple months away. The Colorado Rockies are back to being dismal. The sports scene is definitely struggling. With that being said, here are some good reads by our friends at the Daily Camera.

-- It looks like the Buffs are finally taking the off-season serious and it couldn't have come at a better time. I guess having Texas, West Virginia, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Florida State on the schedule will do that to you. Plus I don't think any of the vets want these newcomers to take their spot. Looks like good player chemistry and leadership is starting to change the mentality up in Boulder...good news for the off-season.

-- Hopefully this 6'8" incoming frosh can bring some life into the basketball team this year...

-- On a more eventful note (sort of), Folsom Field in Boulder will be hosting the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Boulder Crocs Slam. Misty May and Kelly Walsh will be there...Soccer or Beach Volleyball with May and Walsh? These are the type of decisions we are making right now...brutal.

Buffs in the News for All the Wrong Reasons

I am sure that all programs have some off the field issues but it seems like the Buffs continue to make headlines for all of the wrong reasons. Just in the past week, three more notable incidents have taken place. The rap list is long, but here it is...remember all of this is only in the calendar year of 2008.

In January, LB Nate Vaiomounga was charged with criminal mischief under $500 for allegedly breaking a window in a residence hall and former FB Kai Maiava was cited for underage possession and consumption of alcohol. Maiava has since transfered to UCLA to play for Slick Rick.

In March of this year, Riar Greer, probable starting TE for the season, was accused of attacking two students at an off-campus party. His football season is in jeopardy while we await his arraignment on July 18th. Also in early March, star recruit Lynn Katoa was arrested on suspicion of second degree assault. He has since been suspended for the 2008 season and will red shirt. Katoa was expected to see action in his freshman year especially after the loss of Jordan Dizon to the NFL.

In April, potential starting LB Jake Duren was booted off the team for suspicion of first-degree criminal trespassing after being found bloody and smelling of alcohol in a hallway of the housing complex after smashing a car window.

In May, former DB Clyde Surrell, who was at the heart of the University of Colorado recruiting scandal in 2000, is once again reliving that past as a women is asking a judge to press charges against Surrell for an alleged rape in high school. During the 2000 season, Surrell was at the infamous party that began the CU scandal. Surrell was charged with providing alcohol to minors in 2001.

Just this week, Michael Sipili, a LB who was suspended last year for the entire season as he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault after badly beating another student, was sued for injuries stemming from the same incident that led to the victim having long-term disfigurement and traumatic brain injuries. Christopher Perri, a former DL for the Buffs, was also sued for the same incident due to his role in instigating the ordeal.

And just today, former Buffs QB Bernard Jackson and DB Lionel Harris were arrested in connection with armed robbery of a Boulder complex. Basically, they broke into an apartment, pulled a couple guns and demanded cash. Both should be going away for a long time after being booked with first degree burglary, aggravated robbery and felony menacing. According to police reports, Jackson and Harris may also be linked to several other incidents that have happened in the same area. Jackson was the often embattled quarterback in Hawkins first year as coach of the Buffs. A Barnett recruit, Jackson should never have seen a Big 12 football field as a QB but with injuries and lack of talent at the position, Jackson was forced into action and never had the tools to compete. Its just one more incident to add to the total in the past year.

Also, Sophomore Kendrick Celestine, a WR that runs a 4.4 forty who was expected to be a dynamic big play player, is fighting for his eligibility as he needs to get a B in a summer course or else he will be eligible for the upcoming year. I know its not assault which seems to be popular among CU football players this year but it still impacts the team greatly.

We are definitely proponents of Hawkins and the expectations for CU in the next couple of years shows promise in the program but this off-season is not the way to build a reputation for recruiting, the University of Colorado administration or potential donors. I know Hawkins knows that but before we have second major scandal in Boulder, Hawkins needs to gain control of his players. Yes, some of the arrests listed above deal with former Buffs but it still puts a black eye on the program. And I know that tons of non-football playing CU students are cited and arrested everyday but playing D1 football is a privilege and it comes with more responsibility. Until CU players start acting professional, the program may not be first class either.

The Face of the Program

ESPNU just finished its three day stint through the college football landscape to name "The Face" of every program. That "Face" could be part of a stadium, a coach, a play and in CU's case a mascot. Yes, it’s good to know that our blog has the name of "The Face of the Program" for Colorado. Other nominees for Colorado include "The Catch" (Kordell to Westbrook at Michigan), Rashaan Salaam, Byron White and Bill McCartney. One definitely could have made a case for “The Catch” and McCartney and if Salaam had a successful NFL career, his name definitely would have been in the running. But ESPN and SportsNation voting currently agree that Ralphie and the player entrance is the most recognizable part of the Colorado Football Program. Here is what ESPN says about our Golden Buffalo:

"Most mascots lie on the field. But the charge of Colorado's iconic mascot is one of the most storied entrances in all of college football. The Buffaloes' live 1,300-pound American bison mascot leads its team onto the field for each half for all home games. The school will debut its fifth mascot this season, carrying five handlers along for the ride. The mascot often receives the largest cheers at Colorado football games, even louder than the team when it is playing well." -- Tim Griffin

Something tells me that we all wouldn't mind Dan Hawkins to be "The Face" when ESPN revisits this subject in the next 10 years! Other Big 12 "Faces" include Barry Switzer for Oklahoma, Tom Osborne for the Huskers and Mark Mangino for Kansas (that just shows you how bad this program has been, I think Gale Sayers may have been a better choice but no one would recognize him as a Jayhawk).

(Advertise Here) Stadium at Folsom Field

With the recent announcement that the University of Colorado is trying to find a suitor to purchase the naming rights to Folsom Field, we found that many Boulderites were a little disturbed that the evil corporation that is now Colorado athletics would do something as unthinkable as trying to make money to support the athletic department which includes sports other than football. We have come up with a list of names for the new stadium in which some of our Boulderite friends may find a logical addition to the name Folsom Field. Here at the Ralphie Report we are trying to stave off disaster, we don’t want a repeat of Cal-Berkeley last year with hippies camping in trees and basically embarrassing themselves and the University. Think of us as civil servants looking out for all.

On a more relevant note, I am a strong proponent of selling the naming rights. If someone is willing to pay, get it while you can. The program has a buzz about it right now and I assume some companies (especially those who have a local presence) would be all about trying to get an early inside track on a program that hopefully returns to relevance in the upcoming years. Plus it looks like a company would get a discount. Maryland and Texas Tech both sold their stadium naming rights for up to $20 million. Heck, Texas sold naming rights to their BASEBALL field for $13.1 million.

Without further adieu, here is our list of new stadium names –

Celestial Seasonings Stadium at Folsom Field – A Boulder-based company could give away a plethora of therapeutic treats to the Boulder natives prior to game time. The only challenging part is the fact that those early September games could get up in the 90’s and some hot Chocolate Caramel Enchantment Chai® samples could be poor form in trying to quench some later summer thirst. Nevertheless, hot chocolate may be in order for the West Virginia night game as we do live in Colorado and I have seen it snow at some crazy times.

Crocs Stadium at Folsom Field – One would think this name is a slam dunk. It’s also a Boulder-based company and you can’t go anywhere with seeing some guy in gray mesh shorts, a red cutoff shirt, high white socks and bright orange crocs. The handouts at games could be a reason to get there early and watch warm-ups. The only concern is that if Colorado where to ever upgrade the stadium with escalators and a kids' foot were to get stuck in that said elevator…I guarantee you would have more hippies in the trees after that little incident. Not so much of a slam dunk now.

Metropolitan State College of Denver Stadium at Folsom Field (MSCDSFF) – If three years ago you said, “Hey I got an idea, lets name a stadium after a college, I would have walked away.” Today, I still may walk away but the Arizona Cardinals are trend setters, naming their stadium the University of Phoenix Stadium, after that goofy college that is everywhere and leaves you wondering, “Who really goes there?” Frankly, Metro State would be a slight upgrade, I mean it has to be right? Metropolitan State College of Denver Stadium at Folsom Field in Boulder would have to be the longest stadium name in the history of man-kind so we have that going for us, plus think of all the writers who would have to note that in every article about the Buffs. Other options could be The University of Colorado at Denver Stadium at Folsom Field, Red Rocks Community College Stadium at Folsom Field or Front Range Community College Stadium at Folsom Field.

New Belgium Stadium at Folsom Field – I think we may have something with this one. The Fort Collins based company brews delicious beer that everyone East of the Mississippi wants and can’t get. From Frambozen to Skinny Dip, these brewers have a way to capture every season. I am sure that they would pay $20 million so they can name their September through December microbrew Folsom or something creative. The problem lies in the student section. I fear for my life when I walk over there…do we really need to promote alcohol to an already imbibed and late arriving student crowd?

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Stadium at Folsom Field – This is the pick for all guys who have wives and unfortunately have to take them to the game. The free-bees and the booths around the stadium would be enough to satisfy any women. The added bonus is if your women is going through “that time of the month.” On any other Saturday you would be dreading the complaints about the heat or the uncomfortable bleachers but on this Saturday, you pop them $20 bucks and the magic of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory comes to the rescue, curing all cramps and bloating. The only catch is that hopefully you have season tickets on the second level so she can work off the chocolate.

The Ralphie Report Presents...The 1st Annual SBNation Preseason Big 12 Team Selection

While we anxiously await the 2008 - 2009 college football season, we at the Ralphie Report have decided that since everyone with a PC is predicting the outcome of the upcoming football season, that we should get some fellow big 12 bloggers at SBNation to join us in selecting the 1st Annual Big 12 Team. The selection process is two-part. First, we ask the representative blogs of each team in the Big 12 to submit from each of their respective rosters the following number of players at each position whom they wish to nominate- (1) QB (2) RB (2) WR (1) TE (3) OL (3) DL (2) LB (3) DB (1) K (1) P. Most of the sites have posted their selections on their blog so go and check them out as they come up. Here are the rosters which the sites will be choosing their team from. Instructions for the next phase of the process are included on the first page. What we need from you, CU fans, is to help us pick our team or offer us any insight before we submit and go to round 2 of the process which all representatives will be choosing from the master list to hammer out our first ever Big 12 team. The catch...no site can pick players from their own team in phase 2. Should be interesting.

Here is how our team shapes up right now -

• DB - Gardner McKay, Daniel Dykes, Ryan Walters
• DL - George Hypolite, Maurice Lucas, Brandon Nicolas
• K - Jameson Davis
• LB - Michael Sipilli, Brad Jones
• OL - Ryan Miller, Daniel Sanders, Nate Solder
• P - Matt DiLallo
• QB - Cody Hawkins
• RB - Demetrius Sumler, Brian Lockridge
• TE - Patrick Devenny (would have picked Geer here but his season is in jeopardy)
• WR - Josh Smith, Scotty McKnight

You agree...disagree? Let us know.

June 14 News

Barringer Wins Title

One of the most decorated and successful runners in Colorado history, Jenny Barringer again showed her prowess in Des Moines, breaking her collegiate record in the 3000 meter steeplechase by a astounding 4.75 seconds. The run just over 9 minutes was the second fastest time ever run by an American and 5th fastest time this year in the world. Barringer was part of the US National Team last year.

Bubble Talk

So apparently Oklahoma State is finally getting a practice bubble this year. I was under the impression Boone Pickens had already built them everything except a winning program so it was shocking that even the land-deprived and liberal non-spending Colorado Buffaloes adminstration had beaten Boone, I mean OSU. It does sound like CU has the weakest bubble but I am guessing once you have a bubble up, it will serve its purpose just fine.

Hawkins Family at the Center of ESPN Article

In honor of father's day this weekend, ESPN has written a pretty good story about the father-son relationship that is Dan and Cody Hawkins.

Preseason Magazines Everywhere

Here is a little excerpt from Phil Steele's Magazine. More to come from Athlon, Lindy's and Steele's Magazines. Colorado continues to get mentioned in the top 10 most difficult schedules coming in at #8 in Steele's Rankings.
Looking at the other 7 teams ahead of Colorado, Washington has two national non-conference contenders in BYU and Oklahoma on their schedule along with Notre Dame and USC. In a pressure filled year for Ty Willingham, this is not a great season opening schedule with an 0 -3 start likely. They do have most of their tough games at home. I still think most of the PAC 10 teams are overrated like Oregon after losing Dixon, California is coming off a down year and UCLA with newly acquired Slick Rick and no QB (who knows what will happen their). Arizona State should be a contender but do they have a defense and will Carpenter continue to be a hot head? Washington State, Arizona, Oregon State and Stanford will still be mediocre to bottom tiered teams in the conference. But there is no denying the USC, OU and BYU will be difficult. No one should have to play OU and USC in the same year.

Its pretty close between Baylor and Colorado as the #1 Big 12 schedule...Steele must put a lot of stock in Oklahoma. Everyone on Baylor's conference schedule is on CU schedule with the exception of OU and Texas Tech and adds Wake Forest, Wash St and UConn to the non conference schedule. Colorado has West Virginia, Colorado State and Florida State plus Orange Bowl Champion Kansas. I think Kansas and Tech is a push. West Virginia beat an OU team last year, I know it is last year but it is still a close match-up. The battle is between Wake Forest and Florida State and the edge might go to FSU because it is in Florida and Wake is in Waco but CU does have Eastern Washington the schedule. Either way, both schedules are very hard.

The Art of Recruiting

One of the great things about college football these days is the ability to follow your team 12 months of the year from spring ball to conference play to bowl games to recruiting. At the same time, the non-stop football season causes information overload from blogs like us to recruiting sites like rivals.com and scout.com, over analyzing everything and everyone, comparing this coach and that player and this team. One of the comparisons going on right now is surrounding the current recruiting standings of the Big 12 football teams. More than ever, there is greater pressure on high school kids to commit early for whatever reason, probably for all the programs so they can form a roster and get the players in early or so they can focus more on the upcoming year.

If you were to take the time and go through every single Big 12 teams commit list, you would see the following breakdown of commits about 8 1/2 months before the supposed "National Signing Day": Texas 19, Oklahoma 13, Texas A&M 10, Missouri 9, Texas Tech 9, Kansas 6, Nebraska 5, Baylor 2, Colorado 2, Oklahoma State 2, Iowa State 1, and Kansas (JUCO) State 0. Until last Friday, Colorado had the distinction with KState as being the only 2 schools in the Big 12 that hadn't signed a recruit. To give you some perspective surrounding these numbers, last year Texas signed 20 players the entire recruiting season. They already have 19. Looks like Mack Brown wants to take a long vacation this summer. Oklahoma signed 21 recruits last year...they currently have 62% of that total as we sit here on June 11th. To any common man, there might be some cause for concern for all teams not named Texas, OU, A&M, Mizzou and Tech.

Well, there have been a few references to the supposed late start that Colorado got this year. They have been paired with the strange recruiting program in Kansas State and made to sound like they are taking a step back off of a strong recruiting season in 2007. Looking back at how things shook out last year, Texas signed all 20 of there recruits before June of 2007...the same as this year. Oklahoma signed 12 of their recruits before June 11, 2007...almost dead on to last year. Colorado didn't sign a recruit until....June 24th, 2007. Yes, the Buffs have a better start to this year as they did last year. That is hard to believe since most of the press around the Buffs recruiting has negative this year. Buffs fans had to scratch there head when Hawkins said something to the effect of, "I tell the recruits to take their time and not rush into a decision, I only want players who want to be a part of this program and it is an important decision for your life."

But maybe Hawkins has something here. OU and Texas are in a different class of recruiting in the year 2008. They can sell the program now. Hawkins has to sell the future. He has to be similar to be that guy on the other side of the table convincing you to put your money away for the future instead of having fun now and spend it all. He might be giving himself more time to convince a Darrell Scott or a Lynn Katoa to commit to Colorado over the biggies by making them believe in the sweetness of the deal as a senior taking a program in Boulder to new heights. Maybe its not planned at all. Who knows. But it worked last year as they had a top 15 class, ahead of Missouri, Tech, Kansas and Texas A&M. Hawkins job now, if the plan is to sell the kid on the future, is to get them to slow down. You read most articles on rivals.com and it says, "I am narrowing my list and want to make a decision before my high school football season starts." Thats Texas talking, that's Stoops whispering in the kids ear saying, "Don't you want to enjoy your senior high season without Coach Hawkins calling you every other night ?...Don't you want every newspaper in your town to say your name followed by the words, "Oklahoma-bound?" Hawkins job is to tell the kid to visit, look at the weather, see the campus, do you like the dorms, do we have your major, what about life after football, do you want to be a trend setter? That's why what Hawkins did last year was amazing, its easy to go to Texas, OU, LSU and USC if your Darrell Scott, Jon Major, Ray Polk, Lynn Katoa, Ryan Deehan, Max Mariner or Shaun Mohler. He had to convince them to put there money in a trust fund and wait for the benefits. So before we start getting antsy and worry about being tied with Baylor for 8th place in the Big 12 in recruiting, have a little faith in investment banker Hawkins and the rest of the coaches.

NCAA Track & Field Championships Begin Today

UPDATE - Five Buffs Advance to Finals

Once again the Buffs extended their dominance of the distance events at the NCAA Championships, sending 5 to the Finals in the upcoming days. The 5,000 meter event and the 3,000 meter steeplechase were the events of success for the Buffs. Two Buffs will be competing today to try and qualify for the finals.



Stay tuned to the Ralphie Report for updates as the Buffs try to extend the domination.

Buffs Pifer, Vaughn Aim for 1-2 Finish
Barringer Takes Stab at 2nd Title
Dodson, CU Teammates Could Improve on Relay Record

Monday News

Slow news day in Colorado today...NCAA Track & Field Championships will get under way this week so we will have some good material tracking the Buffs as they try and continue their hot streak from the Big 12 Championship and Regional Championship.

I did spot an article on ESPN.com about Michael Westbrook that I thought was a good read. Most of us remember Michael Westbrook for two things - as the guy who caught the Hail Mary from Kordell Stewart versus Michigan in a game that will go down in infamy as having one of the best plays in football history and his dismal NFL career with the Redskins highlighted by his practice incident with Stephen Davis. Westbrook was a beast at Colorado and is arguably considered the best WR to ever wear black and gold. His on the field and injury issues in the NFL kept him from his full potential and placed him on a list of biggest busts and underacheivers. Westbrook disappeared for what seems like an eternity and has resurfaced as a World Champion in Brazilian jujitsu. Crazy, I know. Westbrook still looks like he could play. Good read for those fans wondering what ever happened to Michael Westbrook.

There's No Room for Football in Westbrook's Heart
Westbrook Wins World Title

Finally Someone Speaks Some Sense

I know I am revisiting a subject that has been covered but when you find someone who actually does some investigating like we do before calling CU out for removing LSU from the schedule, you have to bring it up.

The Bleacher Report, a blog that has been writing a lot about the Buffs lately with a very unbiased approach to every single post (if you don't believe me, read this one), has brought up some amazing points about the Buffs past and future scheduling and how nobody in the Big 12 even comes close to playing top non conference teams like the Buffs do.

Here is an excerpt from The Bleacher Report:

Finally, if you have any friends who still give you grief about the Buffs ducking the Tigers in order to get out of a tough series, don’t back down. Colorado has to apologize to no one when it comes to non-conference scheduling. Try this stat on any CU detractors you encounter: Colorado has played 27 games against ranked non-conference opponents (not counting bowls) since 1990, the most in the Big 12. The other five teams in the Big 12 North, over that same period of time? 42 games - combined! Nebraska is a distant second to the Buffs, with 14 such contests, and no other team in the Big 12 North has hit double digits.

Buffs Land Big WR, QB

CU is finally on the board, landing there first two recruits of the 2009 class. Rivals.com is reporting that both WR Jarrod Darden and QB Jordan Wynn have verbally committed to joining the team in 2009. Wynn is a 6'2" pro-style QB from California led his team to the Division II State Championship last year. He threw for over 2,500 yards and 21 touchdowns during his second team all-state season last year. Wynn, from Oceanside, has a teammate OL named Brian Schwenke that the Buffs are recruiting as well.

Jarrod Darden was one of the athletes that the Ralphie Report mentioned as a must have in 2009. The big WR measures 6'4" 211 lbs something the Buffaloes have not had since Michael Westbrook. Darden took his second visit to Boulder last week and committed while he was there. During his first unofficial visit at the spring game, Darrell Scott and Darden spent most of their time together with Scott making a strong pitch for Darden, even calling him "The Tower of Power." Score one for Scott as he is already making an impact at Colorado. Scott will continue to be an ambassador for the program especially in the state of Texas where Darden is from. Its good Scott understands that it will take more than just him for the Buffs to be competitive in the Big 12 and on a national level. Darden understands the need for a star WR in Boulder which was one of the main appeals to joining the Buffs. While Wynn will probably be a red shirt his first year in Boulder, we expect Darden play instantly across from Josh Smith and Scotty McKnight as the Buffs are starting to develop a nice receiving corp. Scout.com ranks both Darden and Wynn as 3 star recruits but before it is all said and done, I expect Darden to probably be in the 4 star range after his senior year due to his size and strength.

Here is how ESPN.com evaluates Darden. Although they mention his inconsistency as a route runner and ability to reach top flight speed, Darden has all the measurables. You can learn to run crisper routes which will lead to more explosiveness. You can't learn 6'4" 211 lbs. Every highlight video I have seen has shown good speed and the ability to go up and get any ball over any cornerback. Definitely a physical specimen that will only get better.

ESPN.com seems to love Wynn stating that he is one of the best passers and wasn't getting enough attention from the big boys as he should have. His bulk is a little concerning but he has enough mobility to buy himself time. As ESPN.com says, Wynn is a "very good prospect."

"Hawk the Blogger"?

Coach Hawkins, once again, shows his dynamic ability to relate to masses. For the past year or so between games and recruiting trips, Hawk has inundated fellow CU fans with words of wisdom through the art of blogs that are not usually about football. Somehow I get the opinion that if you sat down all the Big 12 coaches at a table and you had anyone to sit next to, you would probably choose Hawkins. He seems to have more to talk about other than just CU sports or whether his son is the key to the hurry up offense this year. He would probably sit you down and talk about anything other than football which is why I think he relates so well to recruits even in CU's rebuilding efforts. As a person once recruited by smaller college football schools, you make the best bonds with those that didn't drill you with X's & O's all day, everyday. You made the bonds with the people who ask about your little brother, about your family, about your interests. Hawks most recent blog is about 25 years of parenting. Something that most 20 something bloggers don't have too much appreciation for but still works into Hawkins whole realm of being able to connect with families of recruits and people, in general, on a different level other than football.

Another example of Hawkins ability to connect with recruits is shown in his one day camp called "Friday Night Lights" which was a staple at Boise State. While most recruits probably worry about attending camps and having a good showing in front of the coaches, 40 of CU's most coveted recruits really don't have to worry about 40 times or cone drills at "Friday Night Lights." The only thing that is of concern is whether they are locked in on there XBox skills. Yes, that is not a typo. With all of the pressure that high school kids feel from the recruiting process, Hawkins has recruits playing XBox on Folsom Field's Jumbotron, competing in punt catching out of a jug machine and obstacle courses. How awesome would it be to play NCAA '09 on the field of Folsom? Its just one of those ways Hawkins connects. You rarely hear a recruit say that they went to CU because they are a powerhouse now, you hear them say that I made a connection with Coach Hawkins and they will be a powerhouse soon and I want to be there for it.

Hawkins Shown Some Love

Not a lot going on this week in the sports world let alone in Colorado sports. We are officially in the dog days of summer or technically spring. There are only a few good news items to report. Stay tuned, though, to The Ralphie Report for a new feature that should get the other Big 12 blogs on sbnation.com involved.

Dan Hawkins, upon approval by the CU board of regents, is in line for a pay increase and extension to his current contract. Hawkins, who is about to take on his third year as head coach of the Buffs, should be locked in until 2012 which would be a 2 year increase to his current deal with a $200k pay bump. Hawkins currently earns $850k a year with incentives built in to get him up to $1.6 million. This is a sound move for the program and recruiting.

Also, the story from the Daily Camera gives us a look into how much the assistant coaches get paid each year. They all will be in for a raise July 1st and according to the article, Colorado coaching salaries are on the same level as Nebraska and Missouri assistants. The 9 full time assistants get paid $1.465 million while Nebraska and Missouri coaches get paid $1.575 million and $1.451 million respectively. Former Colorado Buffalo, Darian Hagan makes just over $88k. After being the lead recruiter for Darrel Scott, one would expect Hagan to get a raise for his ability to relate to recruits. There have been multiple CU alumni turned coaches whom the Buffs have not been locked up in the past (see Eric Bieniemy) and Hagan looks to be a current and future star in the coaching ranks, hopefully for the Buffs.

In other news, CU men's Track & Field team moves up two spots to the #9 ranked team in the nation as they prepare for the NCAA championship in Des Moines.

We're Getting Closer...

So here we go...! Some of the first signs of the upcoming college football season are starting arrive and they couldn't have come at a better time. Less than 100 days to kick off and pre-season time killers are slowly filtering in:

-- The fantastic Excel helmet schedule is been completed by some anonymous super fan. Get your copy and save it to your desktop.

-- The first of the 6 or so College Football preview mags has hit the newsstands. Head on over to your local bookstore and pick your own copy of Lindy's.

-- Just under a month and a half until the release of EA's NCAA 09. Can you say online dynasties?

CU Has Been Nominated for a New Award by "LSU Fan"

Now, now LSU... slow down, take a breath and stop feeling like your team and the SEC gets an unfair shake on everything. Over the past couple of days since CU announced that it was going to place Fresno State on the 2011 - 2012 schedule instead of LSU, the Bengal faithful have been acting extra distraught. The comments have ranged from "these are the types of things that keep us from scheduling BCS out of conference games and why we get reamed for playing weak schedules" to wishing "all SEC teams beat those hippie bastards" to my favorite, "still, Colorado is now dominating the front running for gaping vajayjay of the year for dropping us for Fresno State. Dan Hawkins, this is Division One football brother, you don't like it, go play intramurals. And from the appearance of your scheduling, you should be playing girls lacross in Bossier, punk."

Makes me laugh every single time I read it.

First of all, nothing was really official with LSU and CU. The papers weren't signed and no one had officially committed to anything. Second, CU got a better deal. They got 2 home games from Fresno State. You would have to be stupid to not take that deal regardless of the team. Third, in all likelihood CU would probably get torched by LSU. I don't think there is a Buffs fan that would ever argue against that, even the most passionate would say that in 2011, LSU would win. That being said, "LSU fan" is acting like CU is the difference to a make or break their schedule in 2011. Hey "LSU fan", I thought the Big 12 was overrated...? Finally, I think the 2011 LSU non conference schedule with or without Colorado is in the running for this new "gaping vajayjay" award. Lets see, week 1 we have the powers of Northern Illinois coming in followed by the courageous Cougars of Houston and then the powerful waves of Tulane in the middle of the season. I can hear it now, "LSU fan" will try to rationalize the Tulane game as "trying to keep money in the state of Louisiana." Save it, Ohio State already used that one. Meanwhile, Colorado will be playing Colorado State (not scheduled yet), California and Hawaii. Not brutal but I am pretty sure no one will argue who is playing a non conference schedule closer to girls lacrosse or lacross, as "LSU fan" calls it, in 2011.

It's June News

Track & Field -

Track & Field has two more Regional Champions to add to the 5,000 meter championship they bagged Friday. Jenny Barringer and Billy Nelson claimed the 3,000 meter steeplechase title with Barringer running the fast collegiate time this year and Nelson winning his third title in as many years. Also advancing to the NCAA championship were the 4 x 100 meter team (Hugh Charles, Jeremy Dodson, Ryan Campbell and Nate Terry) who finished second while recording a school record, Jeremy Dodson also qualified in the 200 and Pete Jansen in the steeplechase. The CU men followed up there first place finish at the Big 12's with a third place finish at the Regional Championship. Texas A&M won both the men's and womens team event.

Next up for the Buffs is the NCAA championships in Des Moines, Iowa June 11 - 14.

Football -

The Buffs and CSU are talking an extension through the 2013.

Darrell Scott (#1) and Shaun Mohler are a few of the top newcomers this year to the Big 12. With the impact that the freshmen made in the Big 12 last year (see Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray), all CU fans would love the trend to continue this year.