In the spirit of Valentine’s Day…Love ’em or leave ’em

By Lorenzo Reyna | February 13, 2009

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It may be easy to love, but sometimes you need to just let go.

As you may have already heard, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.

It’s that time of year where we figure out whom we love, whom we should love, and whom we should forget about loving in the Fresno State athletics department.

There are some Fresno State coaches, athletes and teams that have captured our attention here at The Collegian and I get the joy of choosing whom we should love or leave during this Valentine’s Day weekend.

Some of them you’ve praised recently others you might feel sorry for and then there’s some that you just want out of your life because it turns out they have no love.

Here’s a look at whom to love or leave for this Valentine’s Day:

DEREK CARR: Love him. He hasn’t thrown his first touchdown pass and yet he’s already won over some Fresno State football fans. Not by just signing on to play for the Bulldogs, or because of his famous brother (David), but for this recent statement.

“I want to beat Boise. I want to win a WAC championship and win a BCS game, but we first have to beat Boise to win the WAC,” Carr said.

How about that? An incoming freshman already has his priorities straight and seems to know what’s really at stake when he puts on his Bulldog helmet. Some fans on our Web site have already asked for Carr to be the offensive coordinator or head coach instead of quarterback.


Photo illustration by Bryan Cole / The Collegian

TOM BRANDSTATER: Leave him. Derek Carr is already famous for his “I want to beat Boise” quote. Brandstater is infamous for this statement he made to us last season.

“Obviously, the Fresno fans around here are hard to please sometimes. We might be out there with 5,000 people, but that doesn’t matter. We want to get out there and get the win,” Brandstater said.

I think we already know which quarterback will get more love from the Red Wave crowd.

PAT HILL: Leave him. He may have taken the football program to new heights with its national exposure, but how about winning when the nation is watching?

Two important televised games on the Bulldogs schedule in 2008 were a near upset of then nationally ranked Wisconsin and a 61-10 beat down at the hands of the Boise State Broncos.

Hill even has complained about the lack of support Fresno State football gets from its fan base as well as the facilities his team uses.

David Carr helped get his coach to create national exposure. But can Derek Carr help create WAC championships before more criticism comes to Hill? I’m sure Bulldog football fans want to see BCS bowl appearances, not New Mexico Bowl appearances.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE: Love them. We have to. Just for the sake of Title IX and to ensure things are equal here on the campus before the NCAA comes down on us – again.

Plus, I believe in giving people chances. I think it’s only right that I, as well as the Red Wave crowd, give them our support, even if it’s for just two more home games. And even if its a sport that we still don’t understand.

DWIGHT O’NEIL: Leave him. It’s hard for me to say that considering what he’s been through, but if Steve Cleveland wants a clean basketball program, it makes sense that he and the team moves on without the only senior on the roster.

PAUL GEORGE: Love him. He’s already an Internet sensation on YouTube, plus he has already become the leader on the court. Even some NBA scouts believe he could be a lottery pick when he enters the draft.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Love them. They’re the defending WAC champions, and they’re the only winning basketball team on campus.

And finally, FRESNO STATE BASEBALL: The defending national champions, underdogs to wonderdogs, and I won’t say anything else.

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Comments

  • I am pumped that Hill is back for '09. As a lifelong 'Dog, I'm willing to back Hill through thick and thin. There's too much of the hot and cold, back-and-forth feelings from a lot of 'Dogs fans.

    Bill, I never said UCLA was a "big win"...the writer's statement was about the 'Dogs not winning win the nation is watching. Are you telling me the nation isn't watching when Fresno State beat UCLA on ABC? Plus, no matter how bad UCLA was last year (with their QB who played for San Diego State before transferring from a JC), it was still the first time in seven tries Fresno State had won at the Rose Bowl. And Pat Hill was the coach.

    And Rutgers was "awful" last year? Look up its record. Rutgers nearly stormed back to win the Big East and was a game from ending up in a BCS bowl. Was their a hotter team in the nation down the stetch than Rutgers? Maybe not offensively...
  • Bill
    Um hello!!!! UCLA was not a big win. They were a putrid team. Literally one of the worst in the country last year. They played with a JC transfer QB last season that would have never seen the light of day being the 5th string QB until every other QB on the roster was injured. UCLA WAS NOT A BIG WIN! Fresno should have beaten them by 3+ touchdowns. Barely squeaking out a win on a lucky UCLA fumble when they were driving to take the lead isn't impressive. Until the conservative, play to lose instead of win Hill is gone, more of the same bull will occur. Leave Him. Totally agree.

    Rutgers and Wisconsin were awful too last year. The Bulldogs should have blown out them also. But of course, they didn't. That is not even mentioning the 12 year record of the total implosion in WAC play under Hill. The debacle against Boise State? 61-3? (the gift pick 6 against Boise's backup senior QB on senior day shows how little Peterson thinks of a Hill-coached team to beat the Broncos, doesn't count). Not scoring an offensive touchdown? Revolting. Here is to year 13! Yipee!
  • FSDogs2
    The program has been on the decline since September 2, 2001 and Hill is to blame.

    Stop drinking the Kool-Aide
  • So Hill's 'Dogs lost televised games against Wisconsin and at boise state (which was greatly embarrassing). But c'mon, you're saying he hasn't won games while the nation is watching? There were several other televised games this past year, including the opener at Rutgers on ESPN and the win at UCLA on ABC. Etc.

    Rutgers, might I add, ended up being a bigger opponent than Wisconsin.
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