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The Goal - See 'em all!

Colorado State Rams Win Head-butting contest with Colorado Buffaloes, 14-10;

CFF meets CU’s Ralphie and Interviews with CSTV’s Ann Marie!

Denver, Co. - Colorado Head Coach Dan Hawkins surprisingly started JR QB Bernard Jackson for his first start this season to get CU (0-2) to a quick offensive start, but Colorado State  Head Coach Sonny Lubick adjusted his defense quickly to hold the Buff offense in check to come up with a hard-fought, 14-10 CSU victory in front of a raucous crowd to win the annual Rocky Mountain Showdown at Invesco Stadium.  It was an intense edition of a great intrastate rivalry as State (2-0) turned the tables on the Buffs who had won the previous three meetings in close contests.  As guests of Dave Plati, SID at Colorado, CFF got to enjoy being down on the field before the game to watch warm-ups and to meet CU's Buffalo mascot, Ralphie IV, and some of her handlers.  In the third period, we were invited back down on the field to be interviewed by CSTV’s Ann Marie who asked a few questions about CFF’s Goal!  Thanks to Dave for sending out some media exposure for us as one fan recognized my “119” jersey and told me he had read about it in a local newspaper that morning!

     CSU’s opening kickoff not only went out of bounds to start the game, it landed in the seats in the corner of the end zone.  The Buffs started from their own 35 with Bernard Jackson as the unexpected starting QB.  The Boulder Daily Camera expounded that morning on the match-up between CU’s Brian Cox and CSU’s QB Caleb Hanie.  Runs by TB Bryon Ellis and the aid of a facemask infraction got the Buffs to the CSU 20.  Jackson ran a QB draw down to the six.  From the three, he started right, reversed back and  went over the left side to score six.  PK Mason Crosby’s PAT gave Colorado the early 7-0 lead.  After an exchange of punts, CSU took over from their 29.  A 27-yard pass from Hanie to WR Johnny Walker (10 catches for 158 yards) put the Rams on the Buffs’ three.  Hanie optioned right from there to take it in standing up unscathed.  PK Jason Smith’s conversion knotted the score at 7-7 before the first period ended.

     A sack forced CU to punt from its own 15 on its next series, but P Matt Di Lallo boomed a 71-yard punt to put CSU back on their own 15.  Kicks and punts travel well at Invesco Field at Mile High!  On the following series, State fumbled and CB Terrence Wheatley recovered for the Buffaloes at the Ram 26.  The Ram “D” would not yield, however, and CU’s All-America PK and captain , Mason Crosby, put three more on the board from 41 yards to take the lead by the same margin, 10-7.  With State starting the next series from the 25, Hanie (20 of 23 for 233 yards) was on target to Walker and WR Brett Willis to lead his offense all the way back down to the CU three.  With play action, he connected with his TE Kory Sperry from there for a 3-yard scoring play.  With 4:07 left in the first half, the Rams held a 14-10 edge.  CU started from its own 20 on the next series.  With 1:00 left at the CSU 46, they utilized their last time-out.  They could have used one more.  With nine seconds left, Jackson couldn’t get the team back quickly enough to spike the ball for another Mason attempt well within his range.  Time expired with CSU in the lead at the half, 14-10.

     Both bands performed at halftime.  CFF had great seats thanks to Mr. Plati – Row 1 at the 35-yard line to the left of the Colorado bench.  Much of the early action was in front of us including the first and last TDs of the first half (eventually for the entire game).  Kordell Stewart, former CU QB known for his famous Hail Mary pass to beat Michigan in 1994,  roamed the sideline in front of us.  Used to usually sitting in the upper stands, sitting low gives one a greater perspective of a game with all the noise cascading on to the field from up above!  It was impossible to hear QBs’ signals from where we were.  One wonders what the players can hear.  The noise levels from both schools’ sections were intense down there.   We also sat about ten feet away from the replay area where the ref comes over to listen to the reviews from up in the booth.  Cops and security personnel surrounded the Ref as the screaming and taunts from CU fans upset about previous calls persisted.  You wonder if those big headphones seal out the noise as he listens to reviews from high above the turf.

     At the beginning of Q3, CSTV sideline reporter, Ann Marie (formerly with ESPN), came over to invite me down for an interview about The Goal!  I was easy to spot with my blue, “See them all”, #119 game jersey especially since everyone else in Invesco was wearing black, gold or green!  I had been contacted earlier by John Norton, the CSTV producer, to arrange this interview.  With my pre-game sideline pass to meet Ralphie, I worked my way back up through the main concourse, through security to elevators to take me down to the playing field.  I found my way to the entrance to the field at about the 50 right behind the CU bench.  Things were intense there as I was only a few feet behind the CU defense huddled with their coaches.  There was pad-pounding and shouting going on.  It was great to be there! Evident was the spirit of college football.  I spotted Ann Marie about 20 yards to my right and went to meet her.  The game continued and the crowd was roaring.  I thought the cheers were for CFF since I entered the field (not really!), but I noted fans were more intently focused on the action on the field – definitely a great perspective for a first-timer on the field in front of 65,701.  Ann Marie introduced me to the camera crew and told me what she would ask.  We then had to work our way to the North End zone to our left  as CU was driving.  I had the presence to wink at my Guest Game Analyst, Laurie Koreivo (Mrs. CFF.com) as I walked by.  She laughed.  Ann Marie and I stood together waiting for a break, I thought.  Meantime, Ann Marie asked me to check her teeth for chocolate stains.  No!  She passed inspection, and has very good teeth, I must say.  In the meantime, the Buffs were setting up for a 61-yard FG.  Crosby nailed it, so we thought, but CSU Coach Sonny Lubick called a TO right before the play started.  Ann Marie told me to follow her to midfield.  She hustled down while I followed trying to avoid all the electrical cables and to watch Crosby’s second attempt at the same time – not even close!  CU held their 14-10 lead.  Then quickly, the red light was on, and Ann Marie quickly introduced me to CSTV Land as a “True college Football Fan” whose Goal is to see all 119 teams play.  She hit me with my first question “Why do you want to do this?”  I could see we were going to be pressed for time, so I left my three-page speech in my pocket (just kidding!).  I told her I had always enjoyed college football as a kid and liked the action on the field and enjoyed being surrounded by the atmosphere at games like the one here.  “How many teams does this game make?”  I told here that these were #108 and #109 with ten left to go after this one.  “What teams are  left?”  As I was about to start, she held up her hand as she listened to her headset.  Action was continuing on the field behind me, but I didn’t know what was going on.  The red light went back on and she asked again.  “Oklahoma. Oklahoma State, Kansas State and a few Sun Belt teams, “ I said. “ I’ll finish up next year with Idaho and Nevada.”  Presumably pressed for time, I refrained from telling her about my upcoming double header with Tulsa at Navy and FIU at Maryland.  I didn’t say SMU would be added at East Carolina later in the season.  I figured everyone was anxious to get back to the action on the field with a close game at hand.  I’m sure there would have been more time if a blow-out was taking place, but that’s not something we at CFF.com want, especially after traveling about 1,600 miles.  We always root for a close, memorable game.  She signed off, and I thanked her for my two minutes of fame.  I told her that maybe I would see her at some other game in the future, and I proceeded back to my seat in the front row.  With coverage to 70MM households, someone must have seen it on CSTV.  Let me know!  Q4 ended with State still leading, 14-10.

     The Rams were at the CU 27 to start the last period.  On third and short at the CU eleven, they gained a first down on a QB sneak which looked like a questionable spot from our close vantage point.  However, a penalty and a pass for a 1-yard loss forced CSU to try a short FG – wide left!  10:04 remained.  From the 20, Hawkins brought in QB Brian Cox.  He threw one pass for no gain and came back out after one play.  With third and ten to go, the Buffs used a time-out.  Qwest Business Services presented a $500 check to CU for the better spirit between the two schools.  GGA Laurie wondered aloud, “Can they spare it?”  DE Jesse May blocked Jackson’s pass attempt and CU punted.  After the exchange, the referee came over to the replay station to get a word from above.  It turned out that after the incompletion, the clock continued to run.  The clock had to be re-set from 7:41 to 8:24.  Being at Invesco, home of the Denver Broncos, we wondered if the clock operator thought that college rules were different than NFL rules.  We never saw that much time put back on a clock before!  A sack by DE Walter Boye-Doe made CSU punt from its own 31.  PR Stephone Robinson was smacked as he fielded the ball at his own 19 where CU took over for a needed, game-winning drive.  On a third down play, Jackson dropped back to pass, but slipped with 3:57 left, and the Buffs punted from their own 25.  The Rams started at CU’s 45.  After the next two plays, Colorado called their last two time-outs to stop the clock.  The Buffs held hope to get the ball back with CSU going for it on third and eight, but Hanie threw a 32-yard pass to Walker who streaked past us as he was covered closely by two defenders to end up tackled on the CU 11.  The Rams used the clock to get to the six before time expired.  Ram fans were ecstatic as the teams entered the field, and the clock ran down to :00!  A hard-fought 14-10 win over the intrastate rival was sweet for CSU after three consecutive, tough losses to the hated Buffaloes.

     The Rams, our last Mountain West Conference team to be seen, are 2-0 and travel to Reno next week to face the Wolf pack of Nevada out of the WAC.  As our third MWC team watched this year, they are the first to come up a winner as both San Diego State and Utah fell last week.  We’ll see Air Force visit Army at West Point later this season.  For the Buffs ,the road gets no easier after this weekend with #23 Arizona State coming to Boulder next followed by a visit to #9 Georgia whom we saw humiliate a Dan Hawkins’ Boise squad last season in Athens, 47-13.  CFF stays close to home this weekend to see the Princeton Tigers open their season at Lehigh (1-1) who come off a 31-28  road win at Villanova.

     According to post-game radio reports and newspapers after the game, Hawkins remains optimistic saying that hard work will get things straightened out for his team.  It’s confusing as to what Hawkins’ strategy will for upcoming games.  We expected to see Colorado come out with a wide open offense reminiscent of Hawkins’ benchmark at Boise, but instead, we saw a short passing game with a little option mixed in.  On the day, the Buffs rushed for only 75 yards and threw for only 71.  We’re interested to see what the new coach in Boulder will do next.

 Extra Points:  We can’t thank Dave Plati enough for his hospitality.  Dave, SID at Colorado, saw the article about Our Goal in Lindy’s last season, and noting that we’d not yet seen Colorado or CSU, invited us as his guests to last year’s game.  We were already obligated to see Hawkins and Boise visit Georgia at that time, so he told us to come when we could.  We planned it for this year.  He sent us media guide, a parking pass, tickets, and sideline passes to meet Ralphie.  We briefly met Dave toward the end of the game as he walked along the front row.  We recognized him from his picture in the media guide he sent us.  We regret we didn’t have time to meet him earlier to talk, figuring that he’s a busy man on football weekends.  Not only did he host us, but we have to thank him for the media hype he gave us while we were out there.  Thanks, Dave!

    We got down on the field and met Ralphie IV to have some pictures taken before the game.  Ralphie just stared at my blue jersey probably trying to figure out where I fit in amongst black, gold and green!  Laurie and I got to talk to Junior handler Taylor “Bubba” Leary.  The poli-sci major was in his second year as a Ralphie handler.  Handlers have to try out every year, and Taylor says that he plans to come back out for his senior year as well.  They’re already training a young Ralphie V for next season, as Ralphie IV, in her tenth season, is starting to get a little too mean and ornery.  You could see her swinging her horns close to the nearest handler when she ran out in the second half.  Part of the training entails her to run across the field and right into her trailer.  Taylor says she appreciates doing it just to get away from the maddening crowd.  Females are always used because their size is significantly smaller compared to the bulls.  As big as Ralphie is, it was a CSU Ram handler who got tripped and dragged a little by the Ram mascot toward the end of the game. These kids take some knocks on the field during the season as well.

     From previous end zone pre-game experience at West Point and Blacksburg, VA,  we learned to pay attention to pre-game kicking warm-ups.  One TV cameraman learned a lesson the hard way Saturday when we were down on the field before the game as a typically high, Mile High punt conked him squarely on the head knocking his camera to the ground.  He was OK, more embarrassed than anything.  Let’s be careful out there!

    Speaking of tough camera work, the guy with a thankless job is the guy driving the mobile TV camera up and down the sideline.  Figure that he’s always getting that camera in somebody’s way, but give the guy driving credit for not running over anybody down there!  He has to be ready to stop that cart on the dime because nobody’s paying attention to him down there with the game going on.  Reporters, photographers, trainers, security people, band members, recruits, etc. create foot traffic behind the benches.  They need to do one of those beer commercial on the radio!  “Here’s to you Mr. Mobile TV Camera Cart Driver!   We curse you when you get in the way of our front row seats…and curse you when you almost run us over! But, millions could no see the action up close because of you… ”

    Friday night on the Mall in Boulder was good.  The Buff band performed in front to the Court House and then marched though the mall.  We found Neal Connors Irish Pub, a Sports bar, and a Cheesecake Factory for dessert.  It probably hops a little more when the Buffs play at Folsom Field which was in walking distance from the Millenium Harvest Hotel where we stayed.

    On the way to the game, we drove through a downpour close to the stadium, but ninety minutes before the start of the game, the sun was out, and the weather was good throughout the game.  We were in town on what we understand is a rare overcast weekend.

     One complaint we have about Invesco is that they didn’t give scores of any other games!