Original Video- More videos at TinyPic

Links:

• Luke Walton, stalked
• Olson, engaged
• Rudy Carpenter, karma’d (with video)
• GoAzCats.com, Erin Andrews’d
• GoAzCats message boarders, lech’d
• RauRaur.com, can’t blame ‘em



• Spencer Larson, started
• Hassel, Hoff’d
• Arizona Stadium, renovated?
• Standings, rauraur’

My favorite part of the broadcast vs. UCLA was not the announcers’ pro-LA bias. Nor was it their inability to tell us that our starting left tackle (a future first day draft pick), missed the third quarter to receive fluids. It was at about the 5:55 minute of the video above. Here’s the condensed version: Somehow the announcer goes from scolding Money Mike’s choice in punt return tactics (”Here’s Thomas, doing a little too much dancing here”) to breathlessly screaming, “What a run by Thomas!” Good thing, $ listened to you, Mr. Announcerman.

Lots to catch you up on…

• The October 4th Washington game will be televised on Versus but the game time has changed
• Monday was Lute Olson’s birthday
  
• Gil’s getting hitched
• Salim is a Spur (and he’s open)
• Emerald or Vegas?
• This is too easy. ASU either cheats or can’t count. Wait, no, both! Rimshot! Fish in a barrel, eh?! High five!
• We’re number 1!!

So the Seattle Supersonics have moved to Oklahoma City where they’ll be refered to as the Thunder. Yes, their mascot is a sound. Tucson has some sweet thunder storms too, and what did we do when we picked our mascot? We went with something ridiculously sweet: the Wildcat. It “rauraurs” when it gets excited, for chrissake. The nickname originates from a 1914 L.A. Times article that claimed that Arizona “showed the fight of wildcats.” Now Wilbur and Wilma patrol the sidelines, pumping up the crowd, while wearing cardinal red and navy blue.

OKC… well, they have a sweet sound, I guess.

What ever happened to naming teams after sweet animals. The OKC Thunder sounds like a reject from the WNBA. Thank God Jerry D. Bayless ended up with the Trailblazers.

And how about the Toledo Rockets? A rocket is menacing, sure, but how can a football team be taken seriously with this thing running down the sidelines. And you’re probably thinking, “Well, maybe they fought like rockets in some game in 1754 or something.” Well, no, that’s not how it happened. Their team didn’t even have a name until 1923 and “skyrockets” just happened to be the first thing that popped into some dude’s head (what a nerd, guess he’d never seen a wildcat before).

Even if Toledo did fight like rockets, it wouldn’t matter. A wildcat would beat a rocket in a fight any day of the week (especially a Saturday!). Now, a mud hen… that’s more like it. But apparently that name was already taken.

Bear Down and beat the Rockets!

• So much has happened lately, and unfortunately not all has been good. Gronk is sick… and we are not talking the good kind.
• In better news Crier is back! I love 83 yard punts to the one yard line!
• The annual Herbies have been awarded by Kirk Herbstreit of ESPN and it looks a lot like the preseason before Tui’s sophomore year. If Herbstreit keeps up the Arizona love, he may get a Raurie award at the end of the season. (See best receivers, tight ends, old school QB’S, going bowling, movin’ on up, Pac-10 sleeper, and coaches who will exceed expectations)
• Herbstreit is not the only one making Arizona the fashionable pick though. Todd McShay of ESPN Insider has Arizona as his Pac-10 sleeper, (discusses Stoops on hot seat, introduction of Dykes last year, returning offense, and winnable schedule). Also check out #24 on the oddsmakers preseason poll.
• Ryan Finley of the Daily Star say this could be one of the coolest things you ever put your mouse on…we agree.
• Arizona Basketball picked up a commitment for a point guard for next year, but missed out on a guard for the year after.
• Also be sure to wear red on Friday.

(Photo: Wilbur, Wilma, and the ‘Cats/Tucson Citizen)

• It has been quite the exciting weekend for the Wildcats, as optimism is now reaching epic proportions. Even ESPN is seeing us start 6-0!
• The past few days in Fort Huachuca are partially the reason for this increased optimism. For example, Gronk has been unstoppable.
• Tui also seems a force to be reckoned with. In Saturday’s scrimmage, Tui completed 21 of 25 passes for 303 yards and five touchdowns. Why is it not August 30th!!
• Also Gilbert Arenas may be the first “blog superstar,” but there is another ex-Wildcat blogging out there. Yeah, we are talking about Channing Frye’s sweet blog.

(Photo: Willie Tuitama & Mike Thomas/AP Photo)

Contrary to what you might have heard, Lute is not engaged. J-Lo must be crushed…

• Bret Brielmaier will be coaching as a graduate assistant. Think we can transplant his brain into Fendi’s Abrams tank of a body?
• Stoops looks to “change up the everyday routine” by moving practice to Fort Huachuca for the rest of the week
• We talkin’ ’bout practice
• Mike Bibby, Hassan Adams, Channing Frye, Joseph Blair, Sean Rooks and Jerryd Bayless will be on campus for the annual Lute Olson Elite Camp. Surprise appearance by Gilbert?
• Jordan Hill got Tasered
• Nic Wise has been given the keys to Lute Olson’s brand of basketball. How’s his offseason going? Subscribe to goazcats.com and you’ll find out

We have a habit of hoping that every Friday is a payday because we’re always spending money on former Wildcat merchandise. If you’re like us (scary thought), we don’t want you wasting cash on a Fleer New Jersey Nets 1:80 Die Cast Tractor Trailer to support RJ when you should be adding a leather Milwaukee Bucks check book (on sale!!) to your cart. So here’s a recap of ‘Cats who found new habitats, and those who just boosted their financial stats:

• Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers - 6 years and a dollar for every dunk (which comes out to $80 million)
• Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards - 6 years, $111 million (took paycut because he is best person alive)
• Richard Jefferson, Milwaukee Bucks - Traded from Nets for Bobby Simmons and the Chinese guy who isn’t Yao
• Hassan Adams, Toronto Raptors - 2 years, financial terms not disclosed (hope you still have your retro Damon apparel… I do!)
• Loren Woods, Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania - 2 years, probably a bunch of Euros (he was actually in the NBA for the last month of 2007-08, warming the bench for the Rockets when Yao got hurt, good luck finding that jersey)
• Kevin O’Neill signed with the Memphis Grizzlies as assistant coach — Gordon Bombay-inspired “shoes for kids who want to coach” not yet in stock

Still unsigned are both Stoudamires (if Salim can find the right fit, All-Star next year… heard it here first) and Marcus Williams (the Camby trade to the Clippers meant Marcus out).

Last but not even close to the least:

• Jerry-D Bayless, Portland Trailblazers - Not sure what the contract is but it’s not enough

So grab your paycheck and (now without worry) buy the Upper Deck Washington Wizards Gilbert Arenas 07-08 Dodge Charger with Trading Cards. If, for some weird reason, you aren’t into Gilbert Arenas cars or Richard Jefferson checkbooks, you could always peruse this fabulous collection of Iggy jerseys.

Congratulations ‘Cats on making your money, keep spending it wisely.

(Photo of Andre Iguodala: NBA.com)

Storming the Floor recently put together an intriguing fantasy roster of would-be Olympians had the United States decided to go with college rather than pro players for the 2008 Games. Using without using incoming freshman or recent draftees, their roster included the likes of UCLA’s Darren Collison, ASU’s James Harden, and — surprisingly maybe to everyone but us –- Arizona’s Jordan Hill (STF did note that finding amateur big men was a difficult task, but congrats to Jordan all the same).

Glaringly omitted, however, was Wildcat small forward Chase Budinger. Others left off the list were Kyle Singler, Luke Harangody, Austin Daye (injured), Hasheem Thabeet, Gerald Henderson and Pac-10rs Taj Gibson and Jon Brockman.

Here’s how our line-up would break down, if such things were up to us (all biases being western, obviously):

1st Team

PG: Darren Collison, UCLA
SG: James Harden, Arizona State
SF: Chase Budinger, Arizona
PF: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
C: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

2nd Team

PG: Ty Lawson, North Carolina
SG: Stephen Curry, Davidson
SF: Kyle Singler, Duke
PF: Jon Brockman, Washington
C: Hasheem Thabeet, UConn

And then round out the roster with Florida PG Nick Calathes, Notre Dame’s PF/C Luke Harangody, and Duke’s G/F Gerald Henderson. Sorry, Jordan… Feel free to prove us wrong.

The World Wide Web produced some solid Wildcat interviews today.

• Ted Miller of ESPN.com speaks with the guy behind the — hopefully high octane — Airzona O, Sonny Dykes. Some great quotes about both the offense and defense, plus some thoughts on his potential as a future head coach.
• Over at SI.com, an interview with Chase Budinger reveals the junior-to-be’s thoughts on Coach O, his Halloweeen costume not-so-scandal, the decision to come back to school, and much more
• ASU basketball plays some vicious competition in the upcoming Anaheim Classic. I mean a whole TWO of the teams made the NCAA Tournament last year (neither being ASU, burn!)
• And finally, Amanda Beard does not like wearing clothes
  

(Photo: Sonny Dykes/Tucson Citizen)