Wow! What a weekend here in Great Falls. It was busy to say the least here in the Electric City, but I guess that's just the nature of the news business. I'm still recovering after 40 different high school divisional basketball tournament games just here in the Electric City alone! And while I know it would have been impossible to see everyone of them, I know any of you who attended a basketball game at either the Four Seasons Arena or the CMR Fieldhouse this weekend that it was an incredible show!
Let's begin in the Northern C. The excitement all tipped off at 1 pm on Wednesday afternoon between the Winifred Red Raiders and the Big Sandy Pioneers. The game could have easily been the divisional tournament championship game, and quite honestly, it was too bad to see the two square off in the first round. It turned into a back and forth game until the end. Big Sandy's Ryne Labuda was unbelievable from the outside, but Winifred's Brian Foran stole the show by dunking in the final seconds of the game while the Red Raiders defeated the Pioneers in an emotional 65-56 bout!
The biggest crowd for the Northern C had to be the boys championship game between Winifred and Rocky Boy. Both teams stood 1...2...in the latest Class C poll, and neither team disappointed. The Stars built an 8 point lead in the 4th quarter to see it all crumble apart when the Red Raiders went on an 18-2 run to go on to win the divisional's top prize after a 60-53 win. In my mind, that makes them the frontrunner heading into the state tournament this weekend, while Rocky Boy will have to battle it out against their district friends, Big Sandy, in the first round, which could be a bout for the Class C's other championship game seed.
In the ladies' Northern C, it's tough to forget the Highwood-Big Sandy bout. The two undefeateds going up against each other may have been the best girls basketball game of the year. The Lady Mountaineers seemed to come out either rusty, or nervous as Big Sandy built a 16 point lead. But Highwood came back in the end to pull within 1 before running out of time. They'll be the Northern C's third seed, but don't be surprised to see both of them back in the championship game.
And finally, the Central A brought just as much excitement. In the boys championship game, Browning came from behind in the 4th quarter in front of more than 3,000 fans jammed in the CMR Fieldhouse to watch the Indians defeat Butte Central, earning Browning another ticket to state. But I thought the Central A challenge game was just as exciting on Monday. The Fergus boys came out with authority early on, building a 3 point lead at the half before extending it twice to 6 in the 3rd quarter. But the Maroons put on a show in the 4th, shooting 4 for 4 from 3 point range proving to be too much. However, Fergus continued to knock down shots and even pulled within 3 with 17 seconds left in the game before Butte Central finally put it away.
That's just a simple recap of the weekend that was here in the Electric City. If the divisional tournaments are any preview of what lies ahead at state, then we're all in for a real treat in the next two weeks!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Save the Explorers
I know most people in Great Falls have probably had enough of the Great Falls Explorers and the drama they have created here in the Electric City over the past several months.
Let's take a look, in chronological order, at the Explorers in 2008:
January 3rd: The Explorers pick up arguably their biggest win of the season, a 96-95 victory over the American Conference leading Minot Skyrockets. However, unbeknownst to the team as well as their head coach, Scott Wedman, Explorers owner, Michael Tuckman fires Wedman after a 6-15 start.
January 5th: According to Wedman, he still doesn't know he has been fired as he prepares his team for the final game of a short 3 game homestand against Butte. However, the Explorers are forced to cancel their game due to a players strike. According to Wedman as well as several of their players, the Expos were not being paid for their efforts, and because of it, organized a secret players meeting in which they decided they would not play until they were paid. Later in the evening, Tuckman officially announces the termination of Wedman, and releases all but three of the players on the roster. Meanwhile, Tuckman also announces the hiring of the Explorers current head coach, Rick Turner, a former assistant head coach at Bellevue Community College who also spent a year alongside Lorenzo Romar at the University of Washington.
January 6th: Turner arrives in Pittsburgh to meet his three players as they prepare for a CBA game the next day against the Xplosion. According to Turner, he begins recruitment efforts immediately to rebuild a dessimated roster by adding seven new players.
January 7th: The Explorers play the Xplosion, and lose 133-101.
January 10th: The Expos pick up their first win under Turner, a 105-100 victory against Albany.
February 8th: The Four Seasons Arena here in Great Falls reportedly closes its doors to the Explorers after they accuse them of failing to pay $16,000 dollars worth of rent due. According to Tuckman, he won't pay the fee because he believes he was forced into a poor lease agreement with the Arena and had reportedly tried to contact the ExpoPark General Manager, Bill Ogg about restructuring the contract. However, both sides seem to disagree.
February 13th: The Explorers play their first official home game in 42 days at Cascade High School, 30 miles south of Great Falls. They lose to East Kentucky, 111-103.
February 14th: The Explorers redeem themselves against the Miners with a 126-108 win. The game is played again at Cascade High School.
Feburary 16th: Great Falls is forced to postpone their second game of the season after failing to find a location to play.
February 17th: The Explorers score 173 points against the Atlanta Krunk in their first game played at Fairfield High School, 37 miles northwest of Great Falls.
February 18th: Great Falls is forced to postpone the second game of their homestand after their opponent, the Oklahoma Cavalry's head coach Michael Ray Richardson, protests the location of the game which was scheduled to be played in Fairfied as well as the officials being used. Because of their late scheduled notice the previous night, the Expos were forced to recruit college referees for their game against the Krunk.
February 19th: The Explorers finally convice Richardson and the Cavalry to play in Fairfield as Oklahoma hands the Explorers a 112-106 loss. Great Falls continues to look for a permanent location, while negotiation talks with the Four Seasons Arena are still stalled.
As you can see, there has been a lot of drama over the past month and a half revolving around this franchise, and there are talks about the team moving to another city. I might find myself standing alone when I say we must find a way to keep the Explorers in Great Falls. The Electric City went 25 years without professional basketball until the Explorers made their inauguaral mark in the CBA last season bringing back the excitement that was lost here for a quarter of a century. Last night, I saw that same excitement. Unfortunately, for the first half of the season, we saw a bad team here in Great Falls. There was no excitement because it seemed like there was no chemistry amongst the players. For the first time all season long, I saw chemistry on the court from this team. It was exciting to watch. Say what you want about their troubles off the court, but you have to admit, Michael Tuckman has improved the product on the court. I think that's evident in the fact that they scored 176 points in a game! Somehow, Great Falls must find a way to save the Explorers, otherwise, it will just be another failed franchise in the Electric City.
Let's take a look, in chronological order, at the Explorers in 2008:
January 3rd: The Explorers pick up arguably their biggest win of the season, a 96-95 victory over the American Conference leading Minot Skyrockets. However, unbeknownst to the team as well as their head coach, Scott Wedman, Explorers owner, Michael Tuckman fires Wedman after a 6-15 start.
January 5th: According to Wedman, he still doesn't know he has been fired as he prepares his team for the final game of a short 3 game homestand against Butte. However, the Explorers are forced to cancel their game due to a players strike. According to Wedman as well as several of their players, the Expos were not being paid for their efforts, and because of it, organized a secret players meeting in which they decided they would not play until they were paid. Later in the evening, Tuckman officially announces the termination of Wedman, and releases all but three of the players on the roster. Meanwhile, Tuckman also announces the hiring of the Explorers current head coach, Rick Turner, a former assistant head coach at Bellevue Community College who also spent a year alongside Lorenzo Romar at the University of Washington.
January 6th: Turner arrives in Pittsburgh to meet his three players as they prepare for a CBA game the next day against the Xplosion. According to Turner, he begins recruitment efforts immediately to rebuild a dessimated roster by adding seven new players.
January 7th: The Explorers play the Xplosion, and lose 133-101.
January 10th: The Expos pick up their first win under Turner, a 105-100 victory against Albany.
February 8th: The Four Seasons Arena here in Great Falls reportedly closes its doors to the Explorers after they accuse them of failing to pay $16,000 dollars worth of rent due. According to Tuckman, he won't pay the fee because he believes he was forced into a poor lease agreement with the Arena and had reportedly tried to contact the ExpoPark General Manager, Bill Ogg about restructuring the contract. However, both sides seem to disagree.
February 13th: The Explorers play their first official home game in 42 days at Cascade High School, 30 miles south of Great Falls. They lose to East Kentucky, 111-103.
February 14th: The Explorers redeem themselves against the Miners with a 126-108 win. The game is played again at Cascade High School.
Feburary 16th: Great Falls is forced to postpone their second game of the season after failing to find a location to play.
February 17th: The Explorers score 173 points against the Atlanta Krunk in their first game played at Fairfield High School, 37 miles northwest of Great Falls.
February 18th: Great Falls is forced to postpone the second game of their homestand after their opponent, the Oklahoma Cavalry's head coach Michael Ray Richardson, protests the location of the game which was scheduled to be played in Fairfied as well as the officials being used. Because of their late scheduled notice the previous night, the Expos were forced to recruit college referees for their game against the Krunk.
February 19th: The Explorers finally convice Richardson and the Cavalry to play in Fairfield as Oklahoma hands the Explorers a 112-106 loss. Great Falls continues to look for a permanent location, while negotiation talks with the Four Seasons Arena are still stalled.
As you can see, there has been a lot of drama over the past month and a half revolving around this franchise, and there are talks about the team moving to another city. I might find myself standing alone when I say we must find a way to keep the Explorers in Great Falls. The Electric City went 25 years without professional basketball until the Explorers made their inauguaral mark in the CBA last season bringing back the excitement that was lost here for a quarter of a century. Last night, I saw that same excitement. Unfortunately, for the first half of the season, we saw a bad team here in Great Falls. There was no excitement because it seemed like there was no chemistry amongst the players. For the first time all season long, I saw chemistry on the court from this team. It was exciting to watch. Say what you want about their troubles off the court, but you have to admit, Michael Tuckman has improved the product on the court. I think that's evident in the fact that they scored 176 points in a game! Somehow, Great Falls must find a way to save the Explorers, otherwise, it will just be another failed franchise in the Electric City.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Stepping Up to the Challenge
I love how the MHSA organizes the Class C District tournaments. They're double elimination, so you can afford to have one bad game and still move on to the divisional tournament. However, unlike most double elimination tournaments, Class C district touraments work a little different. The loser of the championship game moves on to play the winner of the consolation bracket in what's called the "Challenge Game." However, if the two teams have already played each other once before during the tournament, then the loser of the championship game already gets a free pass into divisionals considering they've already proved themselves by beating the winner of the consolation bracket. For example, if Highwood beats Augusta in the first round of the tournament, and Highwood moves on to the championship game where they lose to Belt, then they would be forced to play in the challenge game. However, if Augusta went undefeated through the consolation bracket, Highwood would receive the district's second seed in the divisional tournament since they already beat Augusta in the first round. However, let's say Centerville wins the consolation bracket. Then, the Tigers would meet Highwood for the right to play in the Divisionals. You have to love the challenge game, because an entire season's worth of hard work, dedication and determination are on the line. One bad game, or even one mistake can ruin all of it. There are no tomorrows, there's only one game. It's brilliant, and it's why they call this time of year, "Madness!"
Saturday, February 16, 2008
February Madness!
It's that time of the year again when high school basketball tournaments are as common around the state of Montana, as stop lights are on 10th Avenue South here in Great Falls. While I'm not a major fan of the NBA, I have to admit, I love both college and prep hoops. Maybe it's because they still play the game the way James Naismith invented it by playing with a team concept in mind.
Here in Great Falls, we wrap up the first round of Class C tournaments with the 8C District at Paris Gibson. Last night, we were treated, in my opinion, to one of the best shows in America. In the boys district tournament, top seeded Highwood squared off against fourth seeded Belt. Both teams battled back and forth the entire game, and of course, it came down to a game winning shot by Tyler Snyder with 2 seconds left.
Football may be over, but that's okay, because basketball has refreshed those of us who call ourselves sports fans. For the next three weeks here in the Electric City, we can look forward to seeing some of the best prep athletes in the state. Of course the Northern Division C tournament tips off next week at the Four Seasons Arena, and in two weeks, Great Falls will host the Class AA state tournament. All I can say is, I hope you enjoy basketball, because we're in for quite a show here in Montana. That's why I call it, February Madness!
Here in Great Falls, we wrap up the first round of Class C tournaments with the 8C District at Paris Gibson. Last night, we were treated, in my opinion, to one of the best shows in America. In the boys district tournament, top seeded Highwood squared off against fourth seeded Belt. Both teams battled back and forth the entire game, and of course, it came down to a game winning shot by Tyler Snyder with 2 seconds left.
Football may be over, but that's okay, because basketball has refreshed those of us who call ourselves sports fans. For the next three weeks here in the Electric City, we can look forward to seeing some of the best prep athletes in the state. Of course the Northern Division C tournament tips off next week at the Four Seasons Arena, and in two weeks, Great Falls will host the Class AA state tournament. All I can say is, I hope you enjoy basketball, because we're in for quite a show here in Montana. That's why I call it, February Madness!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Movies For Two
In honor of Valentine's Day, I decided to take a little break from sports today to talk about several movies that you just can't go wrong with on Valentine's Day. I want to note, that I'm not a huge romanticist, and by no means am I a fan of "chick flick" movies, but there are several films that I can guarantee, both of you will like on this Valentine's Day.
1. Hitch: One of the funniest movies of 2005. Kevin Smith is hilarious playing the role of the overweight, nervous, uncoordinated slob who somehow gets the girl, while Will Smith plays the "perfect" matchmaker. As a guy, I can guarantee most men will enjoy it, while I haven't met any women to disagree.
2. How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days: Yes, I did say I'm not a fan of "chick flick" movies, however, this is one exception. Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson are great together. McConaughey is quietly trying to win the heart of Hudson in order to win a bet which will make him the account representative on one of his advertising company's biggest campaigns, while Hudson is secretly using him as a scientific experiment for writing an article for her magazine in which she is trying to figure out all of the ways she can lose a guy in 10 days.
3. Top Gun: How could I pass this one up? It's an all-time classic. This will just tell you how young I am. This was the first movie I ever saw in a theatre. You've got to love the music, writing, and even a little action. Of course, the ending is what makes it a great Valentine's movie!
4. Music and Lyrics: Here's a show that recently came out just this past year. While I'm generally not a big Hugh Grant fan, I did enjoy the show probably because of the musical element. The writing is good, the music is good, and the story is simple. Most girls will love it, while if I can enjoy it, you guys can, too!
5. The Wedding Singer: You have to have at least one comedy on this list, and here's one that molds around a love story. Adam Sandler is brilliant as the Wedding Singer. I love the 80's theme, and the covers are awesome! It's short, funny and sweet, which makes it a Valentine's Day classic.
1. Hitch: One of the funniest movies of 2005. Kevin Smith is hilarious playing the role of the overweight, nervous, uncoordinated slob who somehow gets the girl, while Will Smith plays the "perfect" matchmaker. As a guy, I can guarantee most men will enjoy it, while I haven't met any women to disagree.
2. How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days: Yes, I did say I'm not a fan of "chick flick" movies, however, this is one exception. Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson are great together. McConaughey is quietly trying to win the heart of Hudson in order to win a bet which will make him the account representative on one of his advertising company's biggest campaigns, while Hudson is secretly using him as a scientific experiment for writing an article for her magazine in which she is trying to figure out all of the ways she can lose a guy in 10 days.
3. Top Gun: How could I pass this one up? It's an all-time classic. This will just tell you how young I am. This was the first movie I ever saw in a theatre. You've got to love the music, writing, and even a little action. Of course, the ending is what makes it a great Valentine's movie!
4. Music and Lyrics: Here's a show that recently came out just this past year. While I'm generally not a big Hugh Grant fan, I did enjoy the show probably because of the musical element. The writing is good, the music is good, and the story is simple. Most girls will love it, while if I can enjoy it, you guys can, too!
5. The Wedding Singer: You have to have at least one comedy on this list, and here's one that molds around a love story. Adam Sandler is brilliant as the Wedding Singer. I love the 80's theme, and the covers are awesome! It's short, funny and sweet, which makes it a Valentine's Day classic.Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Sad Day In Sports
Hello Everyone and Welcome to My First Blog!
What a day to start one! Usually, we'll devote this to many of the issues which concern us locally, but today, the national spotlight has overshadowed many of us who have designated ourselves to sports.
We begin with baseball and the whole Roger Clemens mess. Whether he's guilty or not really doesn't bother be as much as how all of this is affecting the game itself. Clemens is just one figure in baseball. It's clear that the entire sport is suffering right now due to the allocations, and it needs to somehow clear itself. My belief is that we simply need to realize the past is the past, and move on. You can designate the past decade and a half as the "Steroid Era" if you choose, but in order to save America's pastime, we must move on. I'm not suggesting we forgive and forget. We must learn something about the past and try to devote our attention on eliminating illegal substances from all sports. However, allowing this issue to linger, will only make it worse. I believe Clemens said it best by saying, "No matter what we discuss here today, I am never going to have my name restored." There is truth to that. Whether he took illegal substances or not, most people's lasting image of The Rocket will be that of steroids and not of his accomplishments.
Secondly, in the NFL today, commisioner Roger Goodell met with U.S. Senator Arlen Specter in regards to the issue of the New England Patriots' Spygate case. This is just another example in another sport which its theme is centered upon "cheating." Have we gotten this bad in that most of our professional sports are now centered upon cheating? The same could be said in the NBA following last Summer's investigation of referree, Tim Donahue, and his illegal gambling on basketball games. It seems anymore that cheating has become a major theme in sports, and it is slowly killing many people's desires to watch.
Then I begin to tell myself, maybe this is what we need. Perhaps, sports have overwhelmed our lives over the years, and we need something like this to force us to step back and look at our priorities. Anymore, the cheapest ticket for an NFL game runs you $40 dollars. A hotdog is another $4 bucks, and don't even ask me how much they charge for a 16 oz. cup of beer. You can buy the same size of coffee at Starbucks for half the price, and that's saying something! Sports are supposed to be fun, and its intentions have slowly escaped many us. It appears the only purity left in athletics is within the youth of our elementary, middle and high schools. Just ask yourselves, when's the last time you walked away from a high school athletic event feeling you were cheated? Still, I must say, this is a sad day in sports.
What a day to start one! Usually, we'll devote this to many of the issues which concern us locally, but today, the national spotlight has overshadowed many of us who have designated ourselves to sports.
We begin with baseball and the whole Roger Clemens mess. Whether he's guilty or not really doesn't bother be as much as how all of this is affecting the game itself. Clemens is just one figure in baseball. It's clear that the entire sport is suffering right now due to the allocations, and it needs to somehow clear itself. My belief is that we simply need to realize the past is the past, and move on. You can designate the past decade and a half as the "Steroid Era" if you choose, but in order to save America's pastime, we must move on. I'm not suggesting we forgive and forget. We must learn something about the past and try to devote our attention on eliminating illegal substances from all sports. However, allowing this issue to linger, will only make it worse. I believe Clemens said it best by saying, "No matter what we discuss here today, I am never going to have my name restored." There is truth to that. Whether he took illegal substances or not, most people's lasting image of The Rocket will be that of steroids and not of his accomplishments.
Secondly, in the NFL today, commisioner Roger Goodell met with U.S. Senator Arlen Specter in regards to the issue of the New England Patriots' Spygate case. This is just another example in another sport which its theme is centered upon "cheating." Have we gotten this bad in that most of our professional sports are now centered upon cheating? The same could be said in the NBA following last Summer's investigation of referree, Tim Donahue, and his illegal gambling on basketball games. It seems anymore that cheating has become a major theme in sports, and it is slowly killing many people's desires to watch.
Then I begin to tell myself, maybe this is what we need. Perhaps, sports have overwhelmed our lives over the years, and we need something like this to force us to step back and look at our priorities. Anymore, the cheapest ticket for an NFL game runs you $40 dollars. A hotdog is another $4 bucks, and don't even ask me how much they charge for a 16 oz. cup of beer. You can buy the same size of coffee at Starbucks for half the price, and that's saying something! Sports are supposed to be fun, and its intentions have slowly escaped many us. It appears the only purity left in athletics is within the youth of our elementary, middle and high schools. Just ask yourselves, when's the last time you walked away from a high school athletic event feeling you were cheated? Still, I must say, this is a sad day in sports.
Welcome!
Welcome to Jake's Journal !
Jake serves as a sports anchor and reporter at KRTV in Great Falls, Montana.
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