2:30pm | The root word for fanatic is fan and in Forty-Niner-ville they have fans but maybe not too many fanatics. Such is the case when you share your days and nights with all sorts of competing attractions: pro, amateur, scenic, cinematic, or just surviving in America’s shaky economic setting.

The best of the fanatic work was a Dedan Brozino production, “Homecoming 2010,” where 5,413 filled all the spaces around, in and maybe on top of the Pyramid and for 35 minutes the ‘Niners either led (by seven at 13 minutes in), were tied (42-42 at the half) or trailed by a reasonable count (4 points with 5:48 left to play). So much for hoops.

The Thursday and Friday Pyramid matches were of the volleyball variety, ho-hum three-zip sweeps of CSUN (25-13, 25-15, 25-23) and Riverside (25-14, 25-14 and 25-12). Across campus, long-suffering water polo continued to suffer (losing to USC 10-4), softball played their alums (alums used seven, yes seven, players in the outfield), and a lot of the cyber-connected CSULB-ers tracked the soccer team in their NCAA first round at Stanford. That contest went almost 88 minutes at nil-nil before the beleaguered Broncos of Santa Clara snuck a player deep on a counter attack, scored from in close, and won 1-0.

For a season that was supposed to be sour for soccer (pre-season picked for sixth) the Beach booters won the Big West tourney, finished at 14-6-2 and have a great recruiting class coming in. Oh yes, LB played former NCAA champ Santa Clara very tough, with a shocking 22-to-5 advantage in shot attempts and 7-2 in corner kicks.

DUSTING UP–The previous Walter Pyramid attendance record for a game was 5,118 when Misty May and friends played Hawaii back in the late nineties but the largest crowd in the ‘Mid was a year or two later when the Dali Lama had a special visit, free admission and chairs everywhere including the floor and several rows deep around the concourse. And that surprise entrance for the ‘Niner players was a little scary as they made their way from the concourse level at the top of the Pyramid through The Maniacs cheering section down a steep flight of stairs. I would re-think that gimmick before the next game.

The 22 NBA scouts in the house were at the game looking primarily at SDSU’s very strong forward Kawhi Leonard, 6-7 out of Riverside who led everybody with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

For those who are just occasional fans of LB ladies volleyball you might think that coach Brian Gimmillaro has added a new player, a sprightly, hard-swinging middle blocker named Michelle. Compared to the first of the season, the new look number 18 has been so much more productive. And then there is her name over the public address system. As pronounced by the dulcet-toned Dan Smith, Osunbor is now “oh-zun-bo” with a silent R but a loud game, especially with blocks and off-balance tips. Hidden amongst the more spectacular antics of swinging stars like Caitlin Ledoux (LUH-doo), Haleigh Hampton, and Janisa Johnson, she is fourth in the stat sheet but clearly a bother to opposing coaches.

Footnote: As is the case with BG-led teams, everybody gets better during the season and Saturday night’s player of the game was super-sub and outside hitter Delainey Aigner-Swesey who got the Army Strong Player of the Game recognition tying the team high with eight kills, .467 hitting and five block assists. A mountain girl from Wrightwood, the freshman with a huge family following in the stands now adds another page to the opponent scouting report.

Finally a baseball note. Troy Buckley has 14 players back but as few as three will likely start—starting pitcher Drew Gagnon, center fielder Brennan Metzger and infielder Kirk Singer. The 24 new Dirtbags are a mix of 19 freshmen and five JC transfers. Brightest stars coming in are pitcher/outfielder Jeff Yamaguchi from Lakewood, Millikan High pitcher Josh Frye, La Quinta High shortstop Michael Hill and Yuba City’s pitcher/outfielder Jake Stassi. Practice for real begins January 15.

Still have to rotate the couch cushions and sort the sock drawer but the calendar does have more weekend work for the Beach kids. Monday night as you know (or knew), both basketball entries will be working, the women at LMU and the gentlemen hosting San Francisco State. Friday, the ladies home open with big time Oregon and the men road trip to a paradise of sorts, The Virgin Islands. Their game one is against Clemson and after that a push through the brackets until all the pineapple drinks have been downed—or Monday, which ever comes first. Lastly, still looking good for an NCAA at-large invite, volleyball road trips to UC Irvine on Thursday and CSUN on Friday.
 
Back to the top. Translation on who the heck is Dedan Brozino? As LBSU’s Director of Marketing, he gets our first salute for the new attendance record. When asked how it happened he quipped, “Must have been the videos,” referring to the clever bits that have been a YouTube sensation. He then credited all sorts of other folks like Bill Brady who organized the football reunion, the alumni association who put on the parking lot party and Golden Graduate salute, and the Beach Pride/Monson Maniac contingents who brought passion to the party.
 
Closing quote, left over from Homecoming. How soon they forget. From 1969 through 1975 SDSU was a member of the Big West conference. Saturday night, the postgame crack I heard from the SDSU’s was “Gosh, Long Beach could be pretty good; they ought to win whatever their league is…”
 
And finally, one of my readers sent this in.  “A friend was sitting in the front corner of the endzone by the SDSU bench where there was a group of very passionate Aztec students. I guess when the PA announced it was the “largest ever attendance for a sporting event in the Pyramid history…they all said “YOU’RE WELCOME!”