An insider’s look at Shawna Gordon and Emily Kingsborough from the Women's Soccer Team

Keeping the football fever alive, LBSU Women’s Soccer Team swept the Big West Women’s Soccer Player of the Week awards this week.

The Black and Gold Insider caught up with the two award recipients for a video interview. Shawna Gordon, a junior midfielder was awarded the Offensive Player of the Week, and junior goalkeeper Emily Kingsborough was named Defensive Player of the week as they led Long Beach State to a winning match against No. 21 Arizona State.

Congratulations to Shawna and Emily and hope you enjoy the interview!

Go Beach!

ESPN College Gameday: Win a Meal from Chipotle!

Earlier this year ESPN's College Gameday visited the LBSU campus to film some commercials for the season.

Show your campus pride by watching and correctly identifying where each of the four (4) videos was shot on campus. What do you get?

A free meal from Chipotle!

Here are the rules: watch each of the four videos and then use the comment box on the LBSU Black and Gold Insider to tell us where they were filmed. It's pretty easy! Number your responses to match the video's here (1-4). The first person to identify all four right wins a free meal from Chipotle and will be featured next week here on the Black and Gold Insider.

1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHFMU4W_19w
2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ehQ0LKsbaw
3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFbcM45RDQ8
4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_piU9q2M_no

Athlete of the Week: Caitlin Ledoux

Leading 49er women's volleyball to a pair of 3-0 sweeps vs. LMU and Cal State Fullerton, hitting an outstanding .352 in her last two matches and tallying her 1,000th career kill: all in a weekend's work for athlete of the week Caitlin Ledoux.

We caught up with Caitlin, a junior from Phelan, Calif., and asked her about reaching the 1,000 kill milestone, her pre-match supersitions, what music pumps her up before a match and more. Check out the video below to hear her answers.

 

Again, congrats to Caitlin for reaching 1,000 kills. Women's volleyball, currently ranked No. 21 in the nation, will hit the road this weekend for Big West matches against UCSB and Cal Poly. GO BEACH!

Former Dirtbag Shows Off Skills

Jered Weaver, former Long Beach State Dirtbag, and current Los Angeles Angel took the mound in Sunday's game against the White Sox.

Weaver not only looked stellar as he regained his the major league lead in strikeout with 229 on the year, but he also showed off some that patent Dirtbag style of play. Being a Dirtbag is about playing with guts and grit- which is exactly what Weaver did as he was faced with a line drive coming straight back toward the mound.

Juan Pierre hit a wicked shot straight through the box, seemingly coming directly at Weaver. The pitcher  managed to get his glove in the way and caught the ball in an almost effortless motion. Immediately afterward he laid on the mound catching his breath for what must have been one of the most frightening moments of his career, and was met with a standing ovation by the crowd.

Weaver went on to have a solid outing in a loss to the ChiSox.

Fingers crossed for Weaver to maintain his stance atop MLB's strikeout leaders and bring another Major League credential back to Long Beach State.

Click Here To Watch A Video Of Weaver's Impressive Catch

Tulowitzki having September to remember

Though the Colorado Rockies may be fading out of the heated National League West race, Troy Tulowitzki continues to have one of the most astonishing Septembers in MLB history.

With his 37th September RBI on Saturday, Tulowitzki passed the previous NL record for most RBIs in September held by Cubs' Hank Leiber (1939) and Johnny Mize (1940.)

Tulowitzki went on to have 5 RBIs on Saturday, giving him 40 for the month, three behind the all time record for September set by Babe Ruth in 1927. With seven games remaining, Tulo has an excellent chance of passing Ruth and capping off his prolific month.

Along with his RBI record, Tulowitzki became only the third player in MLB history to hit 14 home runs in 15 games, Barry Bonds and Albert Belle being the other two. Tulo has 15 long balls this September.

Tulowitzki's torrid September led him to win back-to-back NL Player of the week awards, the first Rockie to ever accomplish that feat.

The national media has taken notice of Tulo's September to remember, including this feature in the Wall Street Journal.

Other Dirtbags around the majors
- Danny Espinosa bounced back from a cold streak on Sept. 22 by launching a home run and a triple, his first multi-hit game since Sept. 6.
- Bobby Cramer is off to a 2-1 start with the Oakland Athletics, making 3 starts and posting a 3.71 ERA
- Evan Longoria's Tampa Bay Rays are pushing toward posting the best record in the AL

Meet Jane: The Jonas Brothers Celebrity Softball Game Winner!

Last Friday, September 17, the Black and Gold Insider announced the winner of the Box Seats to the Jonas Brothers Celebrity Softball Game at Blair Field. The contestants were asked to come up with their most clever dig at our rival Cal State Fullerton - our next home game opponent for the Women's Volley Ball team this Saturday Sept 25. (Hope you come out and support the 49er Team!)


Before we introduce you to the winner; check out the winning dig!

Titans, you best step back,
‘Cause Long Beach Women’s volleyball’s ‘bout to attack.
Your mascot’s equivalent to Dumbo,
Sorry to say, but you’re about to crumble.


Our girls are mean and we play rough,
We ain’t stoppin’ till you bow down and cry, “Master, we’ve had enough.”
We’re about to chew you up and spit you out like Trident gum,
Still not scared? Come get some.
I get that I know nothing about rap or hip hop,
But I will come out and admit, the Jonas Brothers, I’d love to sit down with and share a soda pop.
So Titans, you best turn around and run home,
‘cause you’re about to enter a cyclone.


Your tuskers are about to be ripped out, snatched off, and detached,
Add that to your memory elephants, ‘cause here at The Beach, you are unwelcomed and unmatched.
FOOLerTON, or shall I say, TONS of FOOLS, I advise you to save your face now and retreat,
‘cause I’ma be mad doggin’ you in my box seat with the Jonas Brothers and Prospector Pete!

And now it's time to meet the winner JANE!

Jane with her brother Jimmy

The Road Dogs on Blair Field

Jane was kind enough to send us these great photos and answer some questions about the event.

1) What was your inspiration for your dig at Fullerton?

Well, I have a friend that goes to Cal State Fullerton and he swears it’s the best school ever and he is always digging on how it’s so much better than our BEACH, he even got my younger brother Fullerton gear to sport, that really upset me. So the dig was a very quick and easy one to write; it was the perfect way for me to let out some steam. I made him check out our campus’ superb Teaching Credentials Program which I know he’s really interested in but is embarrassed to admit it. He’s gonna be a 49er convert soon enough.

2) what year at you at CSULB? Area of study?

I just recently graduated last semester with a degree in Microbiology and a minor in Chemistry. Last year I was the Secretary for Disability Affairs in Associated Students, Incorporated. and through this form of involvement and networking, I was able to get a job right after graduation with CAPS as Assistant Program Coordinator of Project OCEAN (On Campus Emergency Assistance Network), which is a federal grant that aims at preventing suicide on college campuses. Suicide is the 2^nd leading cause of death among college students. Our goal is to increase awareness in physical and mental disabilities, de-stigmatize help seeking, and encourage wellness on campus.

3) Who did you take with you to the Box Seats at Blair Field?

I took my younger brother, Jimmy, my Godsister Jeannie, and my remarkably spectacular extended sisters Theresa, Tina, and Hannah, might I mention: all CSULB students/alumni! GO BEACH!

4) How was the event? Were you able to get a good view of the action and of Jonas Brothers?

Quite honestly, the Jonas Brothers could have PROBABLY redeemed themselves with a concert or performance. The seats were excellent, which brings up my main issue, I was able to witness the whole game being rigged. The opponent, Jet Flyers, was far better, and was ahead by 5 home runs. Suddenly, during the 3^rd or 4^th inning, the leading team began to pitch badly more than 10 times in a row, allowing the Road Dogs to make 12 home runs without having to bat. What alarms me is the fact that the fans bought into this, and cheered on, despite the obvious rigged game to favor the side of the superstar “hotties”. It seems as if most people have accepted this fixed and biased competition as a reality; the dishonestly involved in their winning doesn’t matter and will simply be pardoned, as long as they come up the winner. It would have been better if it were an authentic game, even if they lost, because it was done rightfully. What made it worse was how Joe Jonas presented himself. It’s apparent that he’s not a softball player, but he still could have showed that he enjoyed himself. Instead Joe threw a hissy fit and displayed bad sportsmanship by throwing his bat on the ground all upset and marching off the field when he kept missing each swing. Not only that, he didn’t even want to run the bases; he made his brother, Kevin Jonas, take his place and run it for him instead. All I can say is that Joe Jonas is much shorter than I thought in person and I am glad that I won the tickets, but I was extremely disappointed to see the game clearly rigged, because it just shows that superstars always get what they want and can live out life to their liking, as if it were still a TV show.

5) What were some of your favorite moments at the event?

Being able to spend time with my friends and loved ones and being able to treat them out. Sure, in the beginning, we all came together for the Jonas Brothers, but in the end it was the time that we spent together, because we were all still happy being together as we talked about how aggravating the fixed game was and how we all got a 1^st degree sunburn for no good reason.

6) In your email you mentioned your brother is a big fan. Was this a special occasion for him? How did you like sharing the experience with him?

My brother has a physical disability and it was the first baseball game that he has been to. I am a very strong advocate for accessibility; our campus and parts of it should be accessible to ALL students and I feel that the Blair Field Stadium meets those criteria because it was very easy for us to maneuver around the stadium.

7) What does being a 49er mean to you?

It means being proud of your school and having school spirit. It means being actively involved to make the changes that you want to see happen on our campus, then you will begin to learn about yourself, who you really are, what your true passions are, and what you stand for. Before you know it, you will graduate and realize that you have become the change that you’ve always wanted to see on campus. It all begins with you.



Conratulations to Jane again, and thanks to everyone who participated in the contest! Remember to keep checking our Facebook page for the latest 49er news!

Format and venue changes coming for 2011 Big West Basketball tournament

A new Anaheim address and a redesigned format will bring a fresh feel to Big West March Madness come tourney time.

The first major change is the tournament’s move from the Anaheim Convention Center, where the Big West had been playing its championship since 2001, to the Honda Center, a 17,000+ seat arena which plays host to big concerts, traveling stage shows and is the home ice of the Anaheim Ducks.

"The Big West Conference is delighted to continue its long-term relationship with the city of Anaheim and keep its signature event in the center of the conference's geographic footprint,” said Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell in a statement posted on the Big West’s official site. “The Big West and Honda Center have developed a strong relationship over the years, and this is a great opportunity for our student-athletes to play in a building that has hosted five NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship preliminary round events over the last decade."

As Farrell alluded to, the Honda Center hosted NCAA Regionals in 1998, 2001 and 2003, while hosting first and second round action in 2008. In addition, the Big West and the Honda Center will host the Men’s west regional in the 2011 NCAA tournament.

Along with a change of venue, the 2011 Big West tourney will also see new formats for both the men’s and women’s tournaments.

The men’s tournament will return to a traditional, seeded tournament, meaning no team will receive a bye as they did in years past. Instead, the top 8 teams from the Big West will play four quarterfinal games beginning on March 10. Seeding will be based on conference standings, so: #1 vs. #8, #2 vs. #7, #3 vs. #6, #4 vs. #5. The day of quarterfinals will followed by two semifinal games on March 11 and the championship with the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament on the line slated for March 12 at 5:00 p.m.

The women’s side of things will also see a new format. The top four teams in the women’s conference standings will host the lower four seeds in home contests to take place league wide on March 8. The winners of those games will then join the Men in Anaheim for semifinal games on March 11, with the Big West Tournament’s Women’s championship to tip off at 1:00 p.m. on March 12.

JONAS BONUS! TAKE A DIG AT CS FULLERTON AND WIN FREE JONAS BROTHERS TICKETS!

Long Beach State fans- the Jonas Brothers are coming to the Blair Field in Long Beach this Sunday (September 19, 2010) to host a celebrity softball game and we are giving you a chance to go to the game and sit in BOX SEATS --- FOR FREE! One winner will receive 6 box seats to share with friends.

All you have to do is write your best DIG at rival Cal State Fullerton - the next home opponent for the women’s volleyball team on Saturday the 25^th. Be as edgy, funny, and original as you want!... but keep it clean!! 

One lucky winner will be announced Friday (September 17, 2010) on the official Long Beach State Athletics Facebook page and will be profiled next week here on the Black and Gold Insider!  So be sure to monitor Facebook on Friday by 4:00p in case you're the lucky winner!



The year of the Dirtbag

While no-hitters, perfect games and dominant pitching performances have led many baseball analysts to hail the 2010 MLB season ‘The year of the pitcher’ just as strong of an argument could be made that we are currently in ‘The year of the Dirtbag.’

Four Dirtbags made their MLB debut this year: pitcher Bob Cramer with the Oakland Athletics, catcher Brad Davis with the Florida Marlins, slugging infielder Danny Espinosa with the Washington Nationals and pitcher Vance Worley with the first place Philadelphia Phillies. These four additions bring the total number of Long Beach State baseball players to make the bigs at 38.



The newest Dirtbags to reach the MLB



But it hasn’t been just new coming Dirtbags to make an impact on this MLB season. Both Evan Longoria and Troy Tulowitzski were named starters in the All-Star game, and are pushing their respective teams toward the playoffs with Longoria’s Rays deadlocked with the New York Yankees for the AL East crown, and Tulo’s Rockies making their annual September push in the NL West.

Anaheim Angels’ starting pitcher Jered Weaver (also an All-Star) is having one of his best seasons, already posting a career high in strikeouts and his second lowest ERA since entering the league. Dirtbag alum and former American League MVP Jason Giambi has served as a veteran presence in Colorado’s clubhouse, while still providing clutch hits and walk off home runs.

With 13 players currently in the big leagues, Long Beach State has more professional alumni than any other school in the nation.

Quick Six with Player of the Week: Janisa Johnson

The LBSU player of the week is women's volleyball up and coming star Janisa Johnson. Janisa had two outstanding games against the University of San Diego and Virginia as the 49ers went 1-1 on the weekend- Janisa scored the winning point in the game against Virginia!

We asked Janisa the hard hitting questions including "How has the transition to volleyball from track been?" "What TV shows are you hooked on?" and the question everyone in the Long Beach State community wants to know the answer to "What does it mean to bleed black and gold?"

To find out Janisa's answers to these questions and more watch her in our player of the week video!

Tough non-conference schedule will again challenge 49er men’s basketball

In what has become a staple of Dan Monson era Long Beach State Men’s basketball, the 49ers will again face some of the top teams in the country during their non-conference run. According to ESPN college basketball analyst Andy Katz, The Beach will face three teams in his preseason top 25.

Trips to No. 11 North Carolina, No. 12 Washington, and a homecoming showdown at the Walter Pyramid with No. 24 San Diego State on November 13 all highlight the preseason schedule.

Utah State, who the 49ers will visit in hostile Logan, Utah and Xavier, who LBSU could face in the Paradise Jam Tournament, are listed as Katz’s teams just on the bubble of the top 25.

These potential top 25 programs, along with a trip to Tempe, Ariz. to face off with the Arizona State Sun Devils and a match up with St. Mary’s as part of the Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif. comprise another schedule that will challenge the 49ers, but as Coach Monson says, will hopefully ultimately prepare the team for a run at the Big West Conference Championship.

“We’re trying to get [the program] back to where it was, but it’s been a long, long time and we’ve got to play some of these teams to let our guys know what that is,” said Monson during Gazette Sports’ weekly Beach Sports Radio show.

For more information about the upcoming basketball season, be sure to come out to the Weekly Wednesdays Basketball Coaches Tour with Dan Monson and Jody Wynn kicking off September 15 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at The Beach Club located at 5755 Pacific Coast Highway.

49 Seconds with a 49er

You see them at every game. The guys courtside, cleaning and passing the balls to the players. Expertly wielding a huge mop to wipe the floor after a player falls. Ever wonder just who those batboys and others like them are?

At the Long Beach State vs University of San Diego women’s volleyball game Friday September 10th, we got a chance to talk to one member of the Pyramid’s event staff whose job tonight was collecting the game balls and delivering them to the players.

Meet Russel!

Russell is going into his fourth year of working at the Pyramid. This is his side job while he attends school at Long Beach City College. Russell is lucky enough to attend every event at the Pyramid, and he says that one of his favorite perks of the job is getting paid to watch the games. His favorite games of the year so far have been against St. Mary’s and the game against UCSD. His favorite sport is basketball- and he is very excited about the upcoming season. And his favorite women’s volleyball player to watch is Ashley Lee.

Now you know a little more about your Pyramid event staff, and give him a shout out if you ever see him when you attend a home game!

Go Beach!

Inside the Black and Gold: All Department BBQ

The sweet and tangy smell of delicious pulled pork sandwiches filled the air as the warm afternoon sunshine welcomed the LBSU student-athlets and Athletic Department to the annual All Department BBQ Wednesday afternoon on Sept 8th.

Friendly competition was the name of the game as the 49er teams geared up and faced off in a round of water balloon toss and showcased their talents in a Karaoke showdown.

As water balloons were exploding left and right, the Dirtbags; the Men's Baseball Team prevailed, coming out on top as the winners.

A karaoke showdown ensued, as each team danced and sang in front of three judges. From Shakira to Black Eyed Peas to Aretha Franklin, students belted out their favorite tunes.

Men's Track and Field breaking it down

Women's Tennis dance to Shakira

Women's Water Polo enjoy a delicious BBQ

Men's Baseball know how to fist pump

Men's Basketball Team gets the crowd moving

Women's Softball team getting ready to sing karaoke

The Athletic Department Staff enjoying Naples Rib Company

Men's Baseball: I love Ribs

Men's Volleyball Team's rendition of Aerosmith's "Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" was the winning song of the afternoon, and were crowned karaoke champions.

The BBQ was a great success as the student-athlets, coaches, and staff members got a chance to mingle and enjoy the begining of the school year.

As the fall sports season swings into full gear, come out and cheer for the LBSU team at the home games! Let's show all the other Big West schools that 49ers have the most spirit!

Don't forget to become a fan of Long Beac Athletics on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter for all the latest 49er happenings!

Go Beach!

Long Beach State Athletics would like to thank the Naples Rib Company for being a valued corporate partner and supplying food for the event. Visit RibCompany.com for more more information about this delicious eatery.