Ramifications: A CSU Football Blog

THE BAR HAS BEEN SET: RAMIFICATIONS / THE GINN MILL

2012-05-31T16:18:00.001-06:00

Ramifications is happy to announce we have partnered with The Ginn Mill to become Denver’s CSU party headquarters. The Denver fan base has been “thirsty” (See what I did there?) for a designated meeting spot for sports and mingling. The Ginn Mill is an ideal venue that will help to usher in a “Bold New Era” for Denver’s Ram fans and generate excitement for the upcoming sports year and beyond.

Our thanks to management at “The Mill” for their support, generosity and enthusiasm. More details on promotions, parties, and specials to follow in the coming weeks…

>>> Visit theginnmill.com website to learn more about The Ginn Mill.

ALL-TIME OFFENSIVE LINE: VOTING

2012-05-29T11:03:00.002-06:00

We know we've been slacking on this but it is time again to continue our all-time team. We need 5 Offensive lineman to fill out our roster. We eliminated Fum McGraw and Bob Kruse on the basis that they played both ways and were known more for their defense. You have two weeks to vote on who your personal favorite maulers who battled in the trenches while leading our mighty Rams to victory. Vote wisely.

We are using a new voting widget so cool your jets if you find any flaws. I'm sure there will be some. Voting ends July 12.

feedback surveys

JASEN ODEN 2012 CSU RECRUIT

2012-05-25T10:09:00.000-06:00

Colorado State continues to bring in talent for the up coming 2012 season by signing a transfer from North Carolina Tech Prep. Jasen Oden is a 205 pound defensive back from East High in Buffalo, New York. In Jasen's senior year, he earned a third-team All Western New York selection but to play for a DI school,

Oden had to attend NC Tech to boost his standardized test score. Enter Billy Napier, who recruited Oden to come to CSU.

This recruitment video is from his 2010 season with East High (he's #5, the video fails to point this out). He pretty much does everything: plays defense, running back, and occasionally takes a direct snap like a Mike Vick. The first thing I notice about this kid is his motor. This dude is all over the place and he seems to never back down from making a play. Check out the crushing hit he puts on the running back at 1:58 in the video. Oh momma! Please tell me you're gonna do that to someone this year.

I think the coaching staff could definitely utilize Jasen's talent on both sides of the ball. If J-Mac sticks to a dominant ground attack this season, I can see Oden in there mixing it up a little bit. With the stock of talent we have in the back field already though, maybe we should just stick him where we need the most help, the defense.

SIDENOTE

As far as our defensive line goes, we lose another talented piece this week in C.J. James. I get he was a Fairchild product but he could have been one of the better players on our defense and in my opinion, another huge loss to this Ram defense. Will we have to count on Broderick Sargent or a young John Froland to bring some pressure from the ends? Or will there be someone else who steps it up this season?

A LESSON LEARNED

2012-05-22T16:04:00.001-06:00

John Marinatto apparently has teenage girl handwriting. Was not aware.

On May 7th news came out of the Big East that Commissioner John Marinatto was resigning. If you have been following the changing college football landscape recently then you would know that this “resignation” was more of a force out by Big East University Presidents. The Big East let Marinatto keep his last shred of pride and dignity by this gesture and what made the resignation worse were his comments after he resigned.

"Our recent expansion efforts have stabilized the conference for the long term, and we are likewise well positioned for our very important upcoming television negotiations,"

"As a result, I felt this was the right time to step aside and to let someone else lead us through the next chapter of our evolution."

Love, John Marinatto

Here is the translation to these statements:

“Our recent expansion efforts have turned our conference from an AQ conference to Conference USA. We set ourselves up to guarantee that bigger conferences will continue to raid our conference of our programs. Our inaction early on made our members constantly look for more money and stability in other places. We are totally screwed with our upcoming TV contract and any negotiating power that we had has plummeted faster than JP Morgan stock. Due to my incompetency I am stepping down and good luck to the poor bastard who has to step into this sinking ship.”

Ramifications has always compared the Big East to the Mountain West because of their similar non-action and unwillingness to grow their brand. The MWC was on the verge of an AQ, and had they been proactive and took more initiative, they would be in a position to move up the conference power rankings this year. Considering that the MWC was poised to negotiate a TV contract this year, this could have been the renaissance of the MWC rise to dominance. Craig Thompson and the rest of the Mountain West minions did little to create any solidarity or stability in the conference. Instead of taking initiative and working tirelessly to make the Mountain West an attractive conference, Mr. Thompson put his head in the sand and hoped that the culture of change would pass this conference by if he just ignored it. BYU, Utah, TCU and Boise State look a lot more attractive and might make the networks want to fork over more money than, say, Fresno State, Nevada, Hawaii and Air Force. All the negotiating power for a lucrative TV contract and AQ status that the MWC had was placed in those teams that left. The MWC can't hang their hats on the accomplishments of members no longer a part of this conference.

Thompson could have had the Mountain West looking like this:

Surf Conference	Turf Conference
Hawaii	BYU
San Diego State	UNLV
Fresno State	Utah State
San Jose State	New Mexico
Boise State	Air Force
Idaho	Colorado State
Nevada	TCU
Utah	Wyoming

All these teams are in the conference or were in the conference, with the exception of Idaho, who is currently 1 of 2 teams left in the WAC. I look at this conference and definitely throw them an AQ bid for a BCS. Even if the BCS does away with the AQ; Who wouldn't want to see a Boise St-TCU or a Utah-BYU conference championship game? That would create more revenue for the conference for sure.

What is happening to the Big East is the blue print of what is going to happen to the MWC. The demise of the Big East is painful to watch because fans see another conference that was reactionary like the MWC, and not taking expansion seriously until they were picked dry. Adding insult to injury, the conferences were then patched together with lesser programs, and marketed as stabilizing the future of a conference that is prospering. If I had just bought stocks in the MWC 6 years ago for a dollar I could probably sell it today for a nickel. The MWC is currently a bad investment and any network negotiating with them knows that the MWC has nothing to bring to the table. The Colorado State's of the world can hang their hat on the fact that they might make enough from the deal to keep the campus soda machines stocked for the rest of the semester.

STATE OF THE UNION (Ewe-nion?)

2012-05-20T11:47:00.002-06:00

Back-to-back-to-back... 3-peat... trifecta. These are terms generally used to describe athletic accomplishment, signifying triumph to the third power. What’s better than one championship? Three in a row. When the Colorado Rockies were earning the ‘Blake Street Bombers’ moniker, back-to-back-to-back usually meant some combination of Larry Walker, Dante Bichette, Andres Galarraga and Vinny Castilla were in the process of doubling an opposing pitcher’s ERA. In short, these phrases most often have a positive connotation.

Unless, however, you’re a Rams fan. In that case, you’re likely
reminded that the football team has finished with a 3-9 record, in back-to-back-to-back seasons. Suck it Kobe, I’ve got your 3-peat right here! That’s nine wins and 27 losses... win a game, lose three, rinse and repeat. That is the legacy left by Steve Fairchild (16 and thirty-freaking-three in his Rams career) and to a lesser (but really completely equal) degree, Pete Thomas.

They say bad things happen in threes, so perhaps the Rams football program and their fans have taken their lumps, with good fortune hiding just around the corner (this particular good fortune is REALLY good at hiding). That’s the collective hope of Ram nation, and the weight of that hope rests on the appropriately broad shoulders of Mr. Jim McElwain. Can he shepherd (see what I did there?) this program from the brink of obscurity back into national relevance? He appears to be on the right track, but we won’t really know anything until September 9th. So far his approach seems to be old school - a no BS approach to the game and his team. Removing the three expelled players from the team was a must, as it showed the importance of character and accountability above talent and ability. J-Mac’s first recruiting class revealed a major emphasis on size (no surprise given his background with big-boy SEC football). Two common traits of winning football teams? Size and speed... if Mac can continue to add size and mix in some speed, the Rams should at least turn that corner from cupcake to competitive. But be prepared for the inevitable - it won’t be quick. The rebuilding process will take some time... baby steps...

Let’s shift our attention to the men’s basketball program for a minute. I felt like I lost an uncle when Tim Miles announced he was leaving for Nebraska. A big, goofy, hyperactive uncle that everyone enjoyed being around. For the first time in a long time, I can honestly say that I’ll be cheering for a team that I previously cared nothing about, based solely on their coach. I’m not going to be buying a Nebraska jersey anytime soon, but I really do wish Miles well as he seemed genuinely passionate about Rams athletics.

Coming off their first NCAA tournament berth since 2003 and returning all five starters, Rams basketball looks poised to repeat as the best thing on campus (besides the Ramskeller) in 2013. Larry Eustachy is a legitimate coach, whose prompt additions of 6-10 Gerson Santo and 6-4 point guard Jonathan Octeus (both JC transfers) show that he’s ready to win now. The nucleus is strong, and frankly anything less than challenging for the Mountain West title, along with another NCAA tournament berth, would have to be considered a disappointment. Yes, the answer is yes - it felt very strange to type that sentence... but Saint Timothy has raised the bar and Rams basketball has... (wait for it) expectations. And to take that next step the Rams need to not just be content with getting a bid, it’s time to get into the tourney and do some damage.

In summary, there’s no denying that the current state of Rams athletics could be better. You can’t put a cough drop in a Jolly Rancher wrapper and call it candy. Colorado State has some work to do, but at least there is some momentum in the right direction. Jack Graham is saying and doing the right things, and he seems committed to bringing in personnel with the necessary tools to steady the ship. There are two great coaches in charge of the two main athletic programs, and the prospect of a brand new on-campus stadium could give CSU a never before seen level of credibility. But let’s face it, cough drops are disgusting, and we want Jolly Ranchers. It’s easy to be a fan when times are good, but true fans earn their stripes in the midst of that trifecta of 3-9 seasons. I, for one, am still damn proud to be a Ram! Go out and boldly wear the shit out of those Ram t-shirts. I’m going to go grab my CSU flag, put on my green afro and sprint up and down the streets! Follow me to freedom! RAM TIME!

TRAE MOXLEY 2013 RECRUIT

2012-05-17T10:13:00.000-06:00

Last week, Colorado State received another verbal commit from an in-state big boy that can have an immediate impact on the make-up of this Rams football team in 2013. Trae Moxley is a 6'6" 260 pound, yeah 260 pounds, tight end from Roaring Forks High School in Carbondale, Colorado. I find it pretty incredible that a player this size and athleticism comes from a small town in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. After watching Moxley's highlights, I think you'll agree that this is a great pick up for the Rams. Talk about a human bulldozer, I just love watching this guy use his body like a battering ram. He's got soft hands and some pretty good speed for a big guy.

On a side note. I love CSU's approach on getting early commits from in-state prospects. It will only help the Ram's exposure and hopefully help it become a popular destination for all in-state talent; something CSU has been lacking since the Lubick era.

RAISING THE BAR

2012-05-15T08:18:00.000-06:00

According to RAMS 5280, “If you live in Denver, you live in Ram Country.” In fact, 43,000 alumni live in the metro area. The “Bold New Era” of CSU sports includes making a concerted effort to connect with the Denver fan base. New AD “Cap’n” Jack Graham and Coach J-Mac brought spring practice to Infinity Field in Glendale and to be honest, I can’t believe this hadn’t be done sooner. It allowed Denver fans the opportunity to watch the team, connect with each other and feel more involved. But, if CSU is truly interested in connecting with their Denver fan base, there is one glaring problem that needs to be addressed: an official CSU bar in the Mile High City.

Are you an Iowa Hawkeye fan? Pub on Pearl in Wash Park or Sports Column in LoDo or
are some good spots. You can hear KU fans chanting “Rock Chalk Jayhawk” at Stoney's on Lincoln and Chopper’s in Cherry Creek. Croc’s downtown is the place to be if you’re a Buckeye fan. Even Husker fans can head to Cap City on Bannock St and practice that annoying “Go Big Red” cheer. Ram fan? Good luck.

RAMS 5280 shows two “official” bars for “Hometown Huddles.” The Whiskey Bar in LoDo is one. The problem? This place is packed more times than not, doesn’t have enough TVs or seating and isn’t a sports bar. It’s a good bar, but more suited for a drunken heart to heart or a game of pool a rowdy football game.

The other option is worse. CB & Potts on Arapahoe Rd. I feel like I should put on a tie and be on my best behavior in this place. The food is expensive and isn't exactly an ideal location for those of us who live downtown, want to watch the game and pound some brews. It’s not completely awful, they do have a large projection screen and don’t switch the channel mid-game. It’s geared towards Ram fans who live in that neck of the woods and it's definitely family friendly, but again, not my style.

So here's what we are thinking... A sports bar in or around LoDo, South Broadway, Colfax etc, who is willing to put up some Ram swag on the walls, hook up some specials and dedicate the biggest TV in the place to Ram football, basketball etc. It's a win/win situation. The program is on the upswing, so a savvy entrepreneur better get under this umbrella before they get rained on.

Whichever bar accepts our offer is going to bring in a ton of CSU traffic, receive some advertising from Ramifications and everyone will a have a great time. Wouldn’t it be sweet if a place like The Pourhouse, Maloney’s, Gin Mill etc, tapped in to the CSU market and gave Rams fans a place to call their own?

We need some help from our readers. Tell us some joints you'd like to see as a official CSU bar. If you own a bar, really like a bar, have any connections, thoughts or ideas, send them our way. We'll do the work.

McELWAIN RANKS HIGHER THAN EMBREE

2012-05-11T10:23:00.000-06:00

Coach J-Mac stealing the spotlight. Embree looks concerned. (RH Photo/AP)

According to the Sporting News' list of college football coach rankings, Jim McElwain doesn't even have to coach a game with the Rams to rank higher than CU's Jon Embree. You would figure it would be sort of close but, 20 spots? Damn. I would say CSU got the right man for the job. I don't know how much stock you can put in these rankings but at least you can say they are more impressive than our stadium stadium ranking.

Jim McElwain (AP Photo)

86. Jim McElwain, Colorado State

Age: 50
2011: Alabama offensive coordinator
At Colorado State: First year
FBS career: Same

"If McElwain could sneak Trent Richardson, Julio Jones and AJ McCarron into Rams uniforms, he surely would. But now is his chance to show he doesn’t need five-star recruits—or Nick Saban—to succeed. CSU hasn’t won a game since last September. This is a big rebuilding job, no doubt, but McElwain has the tools to get it done."

And here is what they have to say about Coach Embree.

Jon Embree (AP Photo)

106. Jon Embree, Colorado

Age: 46
2011 record: 3-10, 2-7 Pac-12
At Colorado (1 year): 3-10
FBS career: Same

"He’s at his alma mater, which is nice. He closed his first season with two Pac-12 wins in the final three games—including a truly surprising victory at Utah—which was something to build on. Not all is bad for Embree and the Buffs. And yet this is clearly the program that’s furthest from competing for a league championship. Embree puts his heart into the job and is easy to root for because of his genuine enthusiasm, but he has yet to prove himself to anyone as a head coach."

With stupid rankings like this, I'd like to think Colorado State is gaining some recognition, somewhere nationally. It only gets me more amped up for the upcoming season. Thank you Sporting News and Zach for bringing this to our attention. Maybe next year he can crack the top 50.

UNDER COVER BLOW TO SAVE HUGHES STADIUM GROUP

2012-05-09T09:24:00.000-06:00

By now, most of you have seen this under cover video. We were going to leave it alone. We were going to let the experts debate the issue. After watching it a couple times; letting the blood boil down to a simmer; stewing over some thoughts; we still can't believe their is actually people out there that are still in favor of keeping Hughes stadium as the home for the CSU Ram football team. The video only provides more ammo for supporters of a new stadium but also solidifies an ugly battle ahead for both sides.

According to the old man with sun glasses, supporter for Saving Our Stadium (SOS), CSU plans to build the world's biggest porn shop, complete with
a 45,000 seated viewing gallery. That's right. His argument is sports, especially football, brings a level of pornography to the University. Uh... what? If you live out of the state of Colorado, please don't make any stereotypes of Coloradoans according to this guy's comments because I have no idea what he is talking about.

Another thing that should be pointed out, most of these SOS people, at least the ones in the video, have lived in Fort Collins for a minimal amount of time OR didn't even attend college at Colorado State. That just tells me that they are only opposing the proposal of a stadium for purely selfish reasons.

Traffic? There's traffic everywhere. Fort Collins is a city of over 150,000. There is no escaping cars using roads for transportation. If only someone would invent a flying car.

Emergency vehicles? One lady in the video tries to make a point that there will be streets blocked off, "what if there's an emergency"? I think the hospital and city can figure that out, plus, MCR just bought a new helicopter, so, not an issue.

What about the CSU garden and green houses? The last I checked, a garden is made of dirt and is very easy to build. I don't think moving a nursery is gonna break the bank people.

One lady makes a point that she lives two blocks away from campus and feels there will be parking issues. The stadium is mostly geared towards student attendance and the majority be living on or near campus. Plus, a parking garage on the south side of campus and a proposed garage on the north west side will take care of that.

The most appalling statement I heard which just proves the selfish point of view of the SOS is the one made by the sun glassed old man. Paraphrasing - they should get rid of the football program as a whole. Our reaction - Do you really want to piss people off? Clearly this dude came from somewhere else and did not grow up green and gold. This is the most ludicrous and insane thought I've ever heard.

This battle has only just begun and trust me, it can only get uglier. If I were to judge who has more logic in this case of argument, I would say the supporters of a new stadium has built even more momentum especially after the Billboard Chart toping hit Puff the Magic Stadium.

My suggestion to the SOS, learn the CSU fight song, learn Fum's song, support the Colorado State University and help build a better tradition rather than tearing down progress. From the words of Garth Algar "Live in the now, man!"

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

2012-05-07T08:54:00.000-06:00

The much heralded NFL draft was held last week, and being a Mountain West fanatic, I sat down to see where where all the Mountain West elite landed as they embark on their mission to continue their football careers and get paid for it. The Mountain West had 2 players selected in the first round, and Boise St. dominated the MWC in players getting drafted by having 6 players drafted. Sadly, no CSU football players got drafted although being a young team I didn't think that any would. The rest of the league represented pretty well though. In all 12 players were drafted, and another 20 were signed as free agents. Below is a breakdown of where people were taken and a summary of their opportunity.

First Round
Shea McClellin DE Boise State by the Chicago Bears. McClellin was thought to be a better fit as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme, and a potential late first early second round pick. Chicago trumped both those theories by grabbing him 19th overall. Some analysts were scratching their heads about this pick but it makes sense to me. Chicago likes to have one quick undersized DE to rush the passer in their scheme. They don't currently have one, and they believe McClellin is this guy.

Doug Martin RB Boise State by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers liked him enough to trade back in the first round to get him. Martin was considered the safest pick in the draft next to Trent Richardson, and is solid in all phases of the game. Tampa Bay let it be known that they wanted competition for LaGarrette Blount this year, and Martin is the guy I see getting the bulk of the playing time at RB.

Third Round
*Ronnie Hillman RB San Diego State by the Denver Broncos. Broncos fans will love this pick. Hillman was the most prolific rusher at San Diego State since Marshall Faulk. Drafted to be a third down guy who can also be a change of pace guy for Willis McGahee.

*Tyrone Crawford DE Boise State by the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys run a 3-4 and Crawford will be the 5 technique where he will be required to eat up blockers so the LB's can make the play.

Fourth Round
*Miles Burris OLB San Diego State by the Oakland Raiders. Good value pick and will provide the Raiders with depth. Could develop into a starter but will only see the field his first year on special teams.

Fifth Round
*Tank Carder MLB Texas Christian by the Buffalo Bills. Carder will be a middle LB in the Bills 3-4 scheme, and could be a starter by the end of the year.

George Iloka FS Boise State by the Cincinnati Bengals. Was a bargain for the Bengals since Iloka was the third ranked safety on many people's board. Which also says something about this years safety class as Iloka wasn't even a first team guy on the Ramifications All-MWC Team. Iloka will make the team and provide them with Safety depth.

Sixth Round
Ryan Lindley QB San Diego State by the Arizona Cardinals. Will be a developmental quarterback that the Cardinals will bring along slowly. Will either be third string or on the practice squad this season.

Billy Winn DT Boise State by the Cleveland Browns. Dropped in the draft due to character concerns but should be on the team as a back up.

Seventh Round
Jerome Long DT San Diego State by the Kansas City Chiefs. Will probably be asked to play end in their 3-4, but will probably play out the season on the practice squad.

*Greg McCoy CB Texas Christian by the Chicago Bears. McCoy was drafted more for his return capabilities as he was Ramifications first team KR. He will make the team if he impresses on special teams. Would not be a candidate for the practice squad since he is no more than a special teamer in the NFL.

*Nate Potter OT Arizona Cardinals by the Arizona Cardinals. Potter will make the team as a depth player on the O-Line. Will need to get stronger to become a starter.

Free Agents Pick Ups
Paul Madsen OT Colorado State by the Buffalo Bills. Has a shot of making the team practice squad if not the team.

Alvester Alexander RB Wyoming by the Chicago Bears. Training Camp body

Bubba Forrest DB New Mexico by the Cincinnati Bengals. Training Camp body

Tashaun Gipson S Wyoming by the Cleveland Browns. I think Gipson makes the team due to his play on special teams.

Aaron Brewer LS San Diego State by the Denver Broncos. If the Broncos decide to go young and cheap Brewer will have a shot. Incumbent Lonnie Paxton is a fossil.

*Carmen Messina ILB New Mexico by the Detroit Lions. Will excel at special teams and the lions are weak at LB. Will have a chance.

*Kellen Moore QB Boise State by the Detroit Lions. Will be a developmental prospect that should have been drafted. Will make the team as their third QB.

*Tommie Draheim C/T San Diego State by the Green Bay Packers. Has a chance with his versatility. More likely a practice squad player.

Jaymar Latchison OLB New Mexico by the Green Bay Packers. Training Camp body

Logan Brock TE Texas Christian by the Houston Texans. Has a chance to make it on the practice squad.

Brian Stahovich P San Diego State by the Indianapolis Colts. Will have a shot to unseat Pat McAfee.

Jarrell Root DE Boise State by the Miami Dolphins. Training Camp body

Chase Baker DT Boise State by the Minnesota Vikings. Training Camp body

Braylon Broughton DE Texas Christian by the New Orleans Saints. Has a shot to make the practice squad.

Aaron Tevis LB Boise State by the New Orleans Saints. Training Camp body

Phillip Payne WR Nevada Las Vegas by the San Diego Chargers. Can make it with his special teams. Probably practice squad bound.

Deante Purvis CB Nevada Las Vegas by the San Francisco 49ers. Training Camp body.

Quinton Porter S Nevada Las Vegas by the St. Louis Rams. Has a shot as a back up safety if the Rams keep more than 4. Practice Squad candidate.

*Tyler Shoemaker WR Boise State by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Can make the team as a fifth or sixth receiver.

Raymond Carter RB Colorado State by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Steps into a crowded depth chart, but has a chance to compete for that last roster spot.

*Denotes players that made the Ramifications All-MWC 2011 Team.

THE MTN PULLS THE PLUG

2012-05-03T09:09:00.001-06:00

Good Riddance to the Mountain Freaking West Channel. If they burn down the building and all the footage to past Mountain West debacles I say, here's a match. I am the one remaining subscriber to the DirecTV Sports package who actually bought the sports pack for the Mountain West. It's good to know that now I have a better chance of seeing the Rams play on any other channel. Having the Mountain West Channel SUCKED. The coverage was terrible, the picture was circa 1970, slightly scrambled where you would think I'd have to realign my rabbit ears, but no I have DirecTV, not rabbit ears. It's a widely held rumor that the Mountain West Network purchased their TV equipment from a DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) Auction. Is it true...? I don't know but my picture always looked like some crack head fell over with an expensive camera.

I will say the one thing I loved about the Mountain West was the constant replay of games over and over.... and over again. So when the Rams got shellacked once again, I was guaranteed at least 25 more viewings of that ass kicking. Oh wait, I hated that too. For a conference sports network they made a how to guide of what not to do when making a TV channel. Somehow they found a way to only have 4 hours of new content per week. They underutilized each and every aspect of the conference's sports. It probably doesn't help that when you have booming TV markets like Boise and/or Laramie where most of the people can't afford cable, let alone afford an expensive luxury item such as the Mountain West.

I wonder what the anchors of the Mountain West will do. I can't remember any of their names. I usually ending up muting them by the second quarter. I will miss "Hall of Famer Andrea" whatever who did the basketball coverage. Not because she was good, just because I loved hearing the full "Hall of Famer Andrea" whatever every single time she took the mic. I get it! You're a Hall of Famer at something, stop rubbing it in.

In parting I would like to pay tribute to the only advertiser on the Mountain West Channel. Ram Trucks. As a tribute I am going to purchase a Ram Truck, paint it with a stupid MW logo and drive it off a cliff.

TURDS OF MISERY LIVE!

2012-05-02T08:54:00.001-06:00

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

2012-04-27T12:50:00.003-06:00

More details have emerged regarding the beating a CSU student received from football players Mike Orakpo, Nordly Capi and Colton Paulhus. They have been officially charged with disorderly conduct, and that includes the freshman who got his ass handed to him. The juiciest and most depressing part of the investigation shows the lengths to which the players lied to investigators in a feeble attempt to cover up their involvement in stomping a dude half their size. Let’s check out the lowlights.

First things first, it’s 2012 and the cops have some pretty advanced fact finding techniques. Have these guys not seen CSI Miami, Vegas, or NY? These shows are on all the time. Did they know Fort Collins just built a brand new crime lab? Anyways, bloody clothing was found at Orakpo and Capi’s house and in blood in Paulhus’ car. Text messages from Orakpo’s phone show him admitting his involvement and hoping teammates Aaron Davis and Nu’uvali Fa’apito don’t snitch. Well, they did man.

Orakpo and Capi initially claimed they were watching movies and didn’t know anything. (Fight Club?) They then recanted, stating they didn’t want to get in trouble. Orakpo is the same guy tweeting Bible verses about false accusations. I just checked my Twitter feed and “Matthews 5 Verse 11” was tweeted on Apr 9. Thanks for keeping it real man. It gets worse. Possible anabolic steroids and syringes were found in Orakpo and Paulhus’ homes. In addition marijuana, a bong and drug testing kit were found.

They have been charged with a Class 3 misdemeanor and I don’t know if that’s enough to boot them off the team, but it should be. In addition to beating the CRAP out of a fellow student, they lied to their coach and the public that had supported them. I know these guys are good players, but there’s no room for this type of behavior. Depending on Coach Mac’s limitations we’ll see what type of an example he makes out of the three. Do us a favor, boot them and give some other players the privilege of playing for CSU.

SPRINKLE IN A LITTLE MORE RAM PRIDE

2012-04-26T15:34:00.001-06:00

A nice pump-up video has been released for the CSU Rams' 2012 senior class that is worthy of sharing. This was student produced and edited. It's a nice fair well tribute video for the graduating class. Enjoy.

As long as we're releasing things, you can now download Ram pride wallpaper for your computer desktop. Click on our Ram Pride page above and select your favorites. For now, there are three to choose from in these sizes: 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x720, 1600x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, and 1920x1440. We'll be adding more in the future.

RAM ROUND UP APRIL 25

2012-04-25T09:22:00.001-06:00

Plenty of things going on this week in Ram sports.

BASKETBALL

First, Larry Eustachy proves he can recruit by picking up this 6'10" 210 pound sophomore JUCO transfer from Southern Idaho. Listed as a power forward, Gerson Santo is a "Brazilian bully" under the basket, and will add some size. Check out these highlights. Dominant.

In other basketball news, Rams will play Evansville in the first round of the Mountain West Missouri Valley Conference Challenge. This is the first meeting for these too and who knows, if the Rams are good enough, we might see the likes of Wichita State, Creighton, or even the Drake Bulldogs. Maybe they can redeem themselves from last years loss to Northern Iowa.

BASEBALL

This weekend, the CSU baseball team plays their final series of the season against Northern Colorado in Fort Collins. If you get a chance, go out and check them out. Here's a link to their schedule so you can see what times the games start. I also wanted to show you some highlights and commentary from one of their games against CU. CLICK HERE

FOOTBALL STADIUM

ugh... Dr. Frank answered and asked questions to a confused Fort Collins City Council about the building of an on-campus stadium. Why the confusion? I've got a way to get rid of all this skeptic talk and confusion. Just build the damn thing! Just turn Hughes Stadium into a Poudre School District stadium for football, track, lax and soccer games, then sub lease it out to the Bohemian Foundation so they can put on concerts and other events. I think someone told me that some old man had a city noise ordinance put in place after a Rolling Stones concert but I think that guy died. So, does that mean the ordinance is lifted? This topic is exhausted.

CONCLUSION TO SPRING BALL

2012-04-22T21:42:00.001-06:00

Another Spring goes by for this CSU Ram football squad, and I'm feeling just about the same way I've felt about this team in past years. Yesterday left me confused and disoriented. At certain points of the game I was trying to figure what I was watching.

As expected, I felt the defenses had a strong showing. I'm pretty excited about our secondary and linebacking core. With the experience Shaq Bell and Momo Thomas have, I feel they can be some solid leaders for this defense. Having said that, I don't know if they looked strong because of miscues from the offense or they played tight d. It also seemed that the defensive line really stepped it up yesterday by putting pressure on all the quarterbacks but with a damaged o-line, even Miss Garrett from the Facts of Life could have gotten a couple hurry-ups. The defensive line is still a big question mark going into this fall and will have a lot of work to do to prepare for next season.

The offenses for me were not impressive. I did like the power and decision making Nwoke demostrated, and clearly is the front runner for a deep running group. I also liked the scrambling ability of Grayson and McPeek. The problem was the sailing of balls over wide receiver's heads, the amount of broken plays, and the turnovers. Some of that was due to the injured offensive line, but most of it was because receivers were running wrong routes. As far as the wide outs go, Marques Law did have himself a game but I saw a lot dropped balls. To paraphrase coach J-Mac, their all fixable errors. Please fix them before next fall.

The best thing I saw there was the amount of support. What a great crowd! The best in years. Plenty of people tailgating and drinking beers on a beautiful day.

Anyway, to give this team a grade going into the summer, I would have to give them a C+. I can tell there is a lot of promise to this team. It will take some more time for them to learn a new system and to gel under a new regime. What do you guys think? What's your grade?

GREEN & GOLD GAME CHAT

2012-04-21T06:30:00.000-06:00

The final day of Spring practice is here. Who came to play? Who came to sit on their ass? Who's gonna make a play that puts someone on their ass? Now's the time to find out!

Thanks for joining our chat and sorry you couldn't make it to the 2012 Green and Gold Game.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=a587f1a359" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;CSU football spring game&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!

2012-04-19T21:37:00.000-06:00

So, I don’t know about you guys, but we are getting pumped for Saturday’s Green and Gold game. Hopefully it’s just as interesting as the practice in Denver.

Last Friday night, Ramifications attended practice at Infinity Field, crashed a Ram Club party, hobnobbed with celebs, avoided conversations with morons and otherwise, made some observations. Looking for a bathroom and possibly a beer, we stumbled into a Ram Club soiree as Cap’n Jack addressed his crew and spun a tale of mistaken identity. The former businessman explained, that while traveling the country and informing others of his Colorado State lineage, the response heard one time too many was, “Oh, the Buffaloes?!” The room fell silent and I almost lost my appetite to finish a delicious pulled pork slider. Almost.

Moving practice to Denver is the start of a great tradition, the AD explained. It allows CSU to connect with 50,000 Denver alumni. Even for someone like myself who tries to stay informed on everything Rams, watching a practice or scrimmage makes you feel connected to the team and what’s happening. This is just one step in reinventing the Rams and their image nationwide. CU has the advantage of proximity and the Denver media. CSU needs to tap that keg. Infinity Field is a great venue and aside from the lack of actual seats, it rivals Hughes Cellblock, err, Stadium. They even had the jumpy castles for the kids.

Some highlights from last Friday:

Pulled pork sliders and mango salsa. Thanks Ram Club.
Watched a cheerleader take a digger.
Watched a little kid take a digger.
Saw Kelly Lyell, Chris Dempsey and Renaud Notaro covering the event. Even Joel Dreessen made appearance. Where’s D-Mac and Al?
Saw this guy. If you rock a CSU flag as a cape to an April practice in Glendale, then, you sir, are the #1 Ram fan.

Should be a great 75 degree day for football. See you at 1:00.

RAM ROUNDUP LAST WEEK OF APRIL

2012-04-18T21:55:00.001-06:00

Alright, let's see what kind of Ram news is circulating this week.

INTERVIEW MASCOT CAM

Erin Udell from The Collegian graced us with a nice little piece on what goes on in the mind of Cam the mascot ram. (Click to read) We decided to take a step further and interview the REAL Cam the Ram. I think it went well.
RAMIFICATIONS: Thanks for taking the time today to speak to us. How did you get involved with Colorado State?
CAM:...
RAMIFICATIONS: So, did you just wonder from the mountains and were you captured by someone from the school?
CAM:...
RAMIFICATIONS: Lured in with some hay, or some half eaten carrots?
CAM:...
RAMIFICATIONS: Were you the one that peed on the basketball court this year?
CAM:...
RAMIFICATIONS: Hahaha! Good one! 'That's what she said' response always makes me laugh!

Interesting stuff!

STADIUM TALKIE

Earlier this week, supporters for the stadium gathered at McGraw to prove the point that building a new stadium will not only gain more athletic support, but will benefit academically as well. Members of the SOS, do me a kindness and please refrain from releasing any more Puff the Magic Stadium videos. (click here to view) I don't know though. It's got potential to go Rebecca Black.

Let's have both sides compromise and have this guy build us a Hughes Stadium out of Legos.

Check this dude out. Paul Janssen built Ohio Stadium entirely out of Legos. (click here for more photos)

So awesome!

MOUNTAIN WEST USA CONFERENCE

NO MORE! We know this has been crumbling for a while but CBS is reporting that it's unlikely. I was really looking forward to those classic Green Wave vs Ram football games in New Orleans.

TEAM GEARED UP FOR GAME

Are you? I know I'm pretty pumped. Get out there Saturday and support your Rams! Game is at 1, party is at sunrise!

4.21.12 CSU SPORTS DAY

2012-04-16T10:36:00.003-06:00

Pick your poison. Saturday, April 21 is a colossal day for Colorado State Ram sports. What's your sport of choice?

FOOTBALL

Spring game at Hughes Stadium | kickoff @ 1pm

Stadium supporters tailgate located south of the tunnel, west of the will call window. Free "be bold" shirts, games, music, beer, should be a good time. | Tailgate starting @ 10am

BASEBALL

CSU v CU Sky Sox Stadium in Colorado Springs | @ 1pm

LACROSSE

2012 Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Showdown CSU v CU | @ 6pm

SOFTBALL

CSU v Boise State in Fort Collins | @ 1pm

TRACK AND FIELD

Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California | All day

WOMEN'S GOLF

Mountain West Championships Wigwam Resort Phoenix, AZ | All day

Show your Ram support where ever you are!

RAM PRIDE

2012-04-14T16:10:00.000-06:00

Let a new era begin! With a fresh start to two major sporting components to CSU athletics, let's remember what makes you a Colorado State Ram. Join us on building a tradition.

WHAT'S YOUR RAM PRIDE?

Ram Pride is when I show up to a football game and I'm high fiving a complete stranger.
Ram Pride is what I wear everyday of my life!
Ram Pride is rushing the court after a huge win.
Ram Pride is jingling keys on “key” plays
Ram Pride is rocking every shade of GREEN
Ram Pride is stopping to pick up your Ram flag after your friend lowered the car window it was hanging on.
Ram Pride is shouting “Dirty hip-pies!” at unsuspecting CU fans.
Ram Pride is kicking a buffalo at every possible opportunity.
Ram Pride is getting an angry look from your wife when you say that, "No I couldn't cheer for my son if he played sports at Wyo."
Ram Pride is commenting with a name instead with anonymous.
Ram Pride is supporting through the good and the bad.
Ram Pride is not eating brown and yellow M&Ms together.
Ram Pride is not claiming a national title on 5th and Goal.
Ram Pride is getting in a fight with my wives in laws at a family Christmas about why CSU is a better school than CU and Wyoming. I have the misfortune of dealing with both when we all get together.
Ram Pride is urinating on your CU neighbor's lawn every chance you get...and all of your friends, your kids, your cousins, your coworkers, your church members, people from your gym, everyone is welcome to do the same.
Ram Pride is rushing Folsom field and owning it for the next 10 years because CU is too scared to play at our house!

These are submitted by fans just like you. Join us on building a tradition.

Tell us your idea for Ram Pride on our facebook page or use #rampride and hit us up on twitter, and we'll add them to our Ram Pride page on ramificationscsu.com.

CSU BASKETBALL READY TO HIRE LEADER

2012-04-12T10:38:00.001-06:00

Larry Eustachy rollin in Moby

Southern Miss Head coach Larry Eustachy is set to become the next head coach of Colorado State's men's basketball team. The good news for Rams fans is that the basketball team returns a loaded roster full of sharpshooters. Another year of seasoning, combined with Eustachy’s coaching pedigree and I have to say, this is a pretty good hire for CSU.

Eustachy is scheduled to be introduced this afternoon, making his hiring official and putting an end to weeks of speculation, where various (and mediocre) coaching candidates were mentioned. Eustachy is best known for his accomplishments with Iowa State from 1998-2003. He was AP National Coach of the Year in 2000 after leading the Cyclones to the Elite Eight, 32 wins and consecutive Big 12 Conference titles. Eustachy’s coaching acumen isn’t in question, it’s his off the court behavior that landed him in hot water at ISU and his eventual resignation.

Yes, this story is over 10 years old, but if we are talking about a leader of young men then character comes into play. Long story short, Eustachy was photographed at a University of Missouri frat party, drinking and kissing several young co-eds, following a loss. Now this sounds like a successful party to me, and it’s not as if he was doing keg stands, driving drunk or beating the crap out of anyone (too soon for that joke?). He admitted he had a problem with alcohol, entered rehab and has kept his nose clean ever since. Everyone is entitled to a second chance.

While at Southern Miss from 2004-12, Eustachy took a team with an 11-17 record his first year to 25-9 and the Round of 32 in 2012. Following a disappointing 2008-09 season (15-17), Eustachy reportedly returned a $25,000 bonus because he felt he hadn’t earned it. Someone tell me the last time they heard of a player/coach doing something similar, please.

So Ram fans, what are your thoughts on the hire? Was it a smart move by Cap’n Jack to snag a coach that recently recorded his 400th career victory? Does this move reek of desperation?

Also, in line with Cap’n Jack and Coach Mac, we need a nickname for our new coach. Help us out people!

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=ddda09bc65" &amp;gt;Colorado State basketball introduces new coach&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

COACHING SEARCH CONTINUES

2012-04-10T08:03:00.005-06:00

And the rumor mill continues to turn….

Depending on what you like to read; various news outlets are reporting that Cap'n Jack & Company have narrowed the list of basketball head coaching candidates to 5 or 6 guys (apparently down from the ridiculous 75 names the search committee generated. Sounds like $75k well spent….)

Amongst the most commonly mentioned names are Larry Eustachy (So. Mississippi), Marvin Menzies (New Mexico State), Randy Rahe (Weber State), Mike Dunlap (St. John's), Craig Neal (New Mexico) & Ernie Kent (Commentator, former Oregon coach), but…..

According to NBCSports.com; Menzies interviewed last Friday, two days after members of CSU's search committee met with Eustachy. Meanwhile, CBSSports.com writer Jeff Goodman tweeted yesterday that Eustachy, Menzies & Rahe are the top 3 candidates with Dunlap still on the periphery.

Conspicuously absent are the internal candidates Craig Smith and Niko Medved.

In any event, a number of sources are reporting that Graham would like to announce the new head coach by the end of this week. (Surely announcing a big basketball hire can only help to lighten the rancid smell surrounding the football program this week).

Stay tuned…..

FIRST SCRIMMAGE IN THE BOOKS

2012-04-07T11:20:00.001-06:00

What a beautiful day to take in a football "game"! Yesterday was the first time the public got to view this bold new era and... well. Overall I did not see very much improvement from last year, Granted, it was their first scrimmage under a new coach and it's still Spring but damn, that was... hmmm.

Our quarterback play needs to improve A LOT. I saw a lot of over and under thrown balls yet at the same time, our receivers had bricks for hands. Our offensive line looked paper thin and winded most of the day. It was brutal to watch.

On the other hand, I thought our running backs had a strong showing. Nwoke looked as strong as ever and the rest of the ball carriers looked as if they had a little more speed than last year. Our defense looks wonderful! They flying all over the field and causing havoc for the offense. They will definitely carry this team in to the fall.

As far as practice differences from last year goes, it's like night and day. Everyone was moving. There was little standing around which seemed to be Fairchild's forte when he was here. It looked very military based and was very noticeable when the team started their scrimmage. I liked how when players were in the dog house, they were sent to walk the stands. At one point, I was watching at least ten players going up and down the bleachers like I was watching someone play Centipede. I just totally dated myself.

Anyway, I can't wait to see what they look like next week. Hopefully we'll see a vast improvement from yesterday.

THE LURE TO LINCOLN

2012-04-04T11:32:00.000-06:00

I'm not a Husker fan by any means, and I realize dwelling on Tim Miles' departure does nothing for anyone, but I think it's worth looking into the lure of Nebraska. We were sent some interesting videos that we wanted to share. This first video shows the $100+ million expansion to the east side of Nebraska's Memorial Stadium that incorporates academics with state of the art MRI technology.

"Sad that 1/4th of their stadium is better than all of Hughes." - Ramifications fan

Great point but... with no pro-sports team with in 200 miles of Lincoln, where else are Husker fans going to dump their 401k's and life savings into. On the other hand, you're right though. $100 million apparently can go a long way when you involve careful planning and community support. I was talking to someone about this whole CSU stadium business yesterday and we both came to the conclusion that the opposition is completely two faced. They support CSU but yet they want to keep the athletic department in this time capsule that suspends them in the 1990's forever. And yet, they expect to see the school to become successful in athletics? I don't get it. Maybe they should skip building the stadium and the football team can play in the middle of the Jack Christiansen Memorial Track. Or better yet, play in the in the 70-yard indoor football that J-Mac disapproves of.

On the basketball side of things, check out what Nebraska U is constructing. It's no wonder why we couldn't keep Coach Miles. This basketball palace opens 2013 and before we know it, the state of Nebraska will have a BIG10 contender to be cheering for.

New coach, new stadium, and basically a whole new basketball program.

"It's amazing what's possible when a town supports it's schools athletic programs." - Ram fan. Couldn't agree with you more. I guess all we can do is keep supporting CSU and spread some Ram Pride.

Thanks for sending in these videos reader. Those facilities look amazing.