Accused of rape and then exonerated after serving five years in prison, Brian Banks finally faces the possibility of achieving his professional football dreams.

In the land of the mid-major, in the not so wild Big West, the competition is measured. Not too many TV games, or big crowds, or (with apology to the incredible Jared Weaver) famous alums.

This weekend, Long Beach will host the 2012 Global Open Water Swimming Conference—an annual gathering of the most charismatic athletes from one of the world’s most intense (and least-known) sports. This year’s theme: “From London to Long Beach.”

One of the benchmarks for college sports programs on the move is how they are viewed by accomplished athletes who originally passed on your school. If that is a good barometer for college soccer then Long Beach State (6-3) has some nice numbers.

On Saturday afternoon, many of Long Beach’s past and present medal-winning athletes—including many just back from London—paraded through Belmont Shore.

Long Beach is celebrating the achievements of its many past and present Olympic athletes tomorrow afternoon. The Parade of Olympians, which begins at 2PM in Belmont Shore, will include three-time beach volleyball gold medalist Misty May-Treanor, Naples resident and gold medal swimmer Jessica Hardy and 1968 pole vault gold medalist Bob Seagren.

How do players on the country’s best public high school football team come back from its most devastating loss since 1916? Forget about the pain and keep pushing forward.