Chieftain Chatter and the Redhawk Report: Tip Off lunch for Seattle U Men's Basketball 2011 ...

Chieftain Chatter and the Redhawk Report: Tip Off lunch for Seattle U Men's Basketball 2011 ...: See how much fun we have! The Courtside Club will host the first of its monthly luncheons on Monday, November 7 in the Father William F. ...

Tip Off lunch for Seattle U Men's Basketball 2011 Season

See how much fun we have!

The Courtside Club will host the first of its monthly luncheons on Monday, November 7 in the Father William F. LeRoux Room in the Seattle University Student Center. The event will be a feature event of "Redhawk Week" on campus as the university prepares for the opening of the men's and women's college basketball seasons.  

The event will begin at 11:30 with a short reception and buffet lunch. The cost is $25 per person. Guests can pay at the door, but must RSVP at sempadig@seattleu.edu or by calling Greg Sempadian at (206) 398-4420 by Tuesday, November 2. Tickets will not be available the day of the event and tickets are going fast.

"You may be head coach, but I am still your dad."

This is an exclusive inside preview lunch to what is shaping up to be the hottest game in town.

Coach Dollar is headed into his third season as the head coach of the Redhawks with a roster that features five returning lettermen plus eight new players. He has led the program to 28 wins in its first two seasons at the Division I level and was recently named as the Preseason Coach of the Year in a poll of coaches and SIDs of the independent schools.  Senior Aaron Broussard, who led the team in scoring and rebounding last season by averaging 14.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, was recently selected as a first team choice on the Preseason All-Indendent Team. Teammate Sterling Carter, who averaged 13.8 points a game in his freshman season, was also named to the first team. 

Rumor has it the Club is in search of an MC and guest speaker along with coach at the lunch.  I might have the inside scoop and she gets my vote!

"Fox" Sports if you know what I mean

Don't forget the Lady Hoopsters Redhawks Wine, Cheese and Chocolate event at Taste Restaurant on Sunday October 23rd from 6 pm to 8 pm.

That's it for now from the Chieftain Chatter and Redhawk Report

Wear Red Be Loud Be Proud

Chieftain Chatter and the Redhawk Report: Suck it NBA - Seattle U Hoops on a Mission!

Chieftain Chatter and the Redhawk Report: Suck it NBA - Seattle U Hoops on a Mission!: I'm back and just warming up a little before getting into full force for the upcoming B Ball season and have a very important message for al...

Suck it NBA - Seattle U Hoops on a Mission!

I'm back and just warming up a little before getting into full force for the upcoming B Ball season and have a very important message for all you hoop freaks. With the NBA in lock down mode and as we all know there is no live action here in Seattle anyway except the purple team across in Mountlake - whatever, that's like New Jersey to me.

Again playing in Key Arena Seattle University Men's Basketball promises to be even more exciting for the students, the Alumni and yes, the non alumni 'cause you got the best game in town' and it isn't on television, it's live kicking off in November.  Better yet to note we have been accepted in the Western Athletic Conference  (WAC) for the following 2012 season - yes the WAC, the second most powerful conference on the West Coast next to the Pac -something.  Get out?  Yep, right here in downtown Seattle.

Let's talk 2011 schedule -   First, we play five teams this year that made it to the NCAA tournament.  Get out?  Yep. I will start off the season telling you that we can beat three of them- you all can bow to me later in the season.  So back to the schedule. Home opener kicks off against the University of San Francisco of the Wacky Conference then Stanford, Idaho, Virginia, Utah Valley, Arkansas State and the defending WAC champions Utah State.  Get out?  Yep, all in Key Arena.  I'll be there will you?

So let's talk team.  Whoa!  Loaded with height and athleticism Coach recruited the crap out of the country this past year.  Can you say Eric Wallace 6-7 233 transfer from DePaul, can you say 6-5 205 guard out of Colorado and can you say we return the monster Senior Aaron Broussard and we are all waiting for UW transfer Clarence Trent at 6-6 225 to finally ht the court. Let's just throw in Louis Green a 6-9 240 pound center for good measure.

So here's the pitch

Stock is going up and as stock goes up so do ticket prices (fact, this year they lowered the prices) and Seattle U is not going anywhere but up so get in on the ground floor and see exciting collegiate basketball.  Sixteen home games rows 2-4 season tickets for $315 that's $20 a game.  Get out!  Yep, hell you can even hear me in row one. And there's more deals - $225 per season for center court lower seats.  Yep, then you can look down and see me talking 'smack' to the refs. There are even more deals as low as $108 for the year in the end zone for the entire season.

I'm just say'in this is the best sports entertainment in town and a great way to take the family or entertain corporate clients or reward employees.  Your gonna be sad when we make the NIT this year and I have first shot before the public and your gonna be sad when we make the Big Dance and you will have no way in hell even touching a ticket.

I have an electronic form so if your convinced ping me at stevenfantello@comcast.com and get on the wagon even before the band does. I'll deliver the form personally to you if you like.  Or call the ticket athletic office go online at www.goseattleu.com and tell them the Chieftain Chatter & Redhawk Report sent you.  Oh, don't forget to mention that's me Steve Fantello.

Done for now from your 'rabid' alumnus and leader of the Courtside Club.  You are also invited to "Select a Seat" day at the Key Thursday November 3rd from 3 -7 pm and test drive your new Ferrari.

Go Seattle U!

Wear Red Be Loud Be Proud!

Warning: This is not an advertisement or solicitation just good 'ol fashion guerrilla love for my Redhawks and the student athlete within the Jesuit educational experience:)

The Seattle U 2011 MBB Schedule has been released!

Yep it's football season but just around the corner is the resurgence again with Seattle University Men's Basketball in our home of Key Arena!  Just released today before the public is the finalized schedule.  Gosh who is coming to the Key this year...USF of the WCC, (suck it Gonzaga) Stanford. My favorite potato heads from the University of Idaho, University of Virginia (who we kicked butt on last year - really?), Utah Valley and Utah State (last years WAC champs - suck it again we will be champs in 2012)  Arkansas State, Pepperdine, UC Davis and our friends to the south Portland State - gotta be kind to our neighbors.. 

This is a great line up in addition to the Elgin Baylor Classic with Coppin State and Nebraska Omaha and the Spartan's from San Jose State that have some dear ties to our Redhawks.

As our Seahawks will truly play their hearts out  and finish 6-10 its really time to start thinking SU Basketball and I for one will bring  the blog back week by week as we get closer to November.  Touchdowns are fun...dunks are better!  Be good, be loud and be a proud Redhawk!

Bracketology Smacketology

The Chieftain Chatter & Redhawk Report has been in hibernation since the Redhawks season has concluded (11-20) 

Today though I decided to stick my head out the the lair with a commentary on this whole March Madness issue.  I just find something inherently wrong with this whole concept.  OK look, yes, I have been participating in the mayhem for over 30 years.  I have played in $5 pools, $100 buy in draft schemes and even have ran the brackets as a manager multiple times.  I remember the days before computers when we tallied everything by hand calculator and yellow highlighter posting results each Monday.  Then came Lotus 1-2-3 and posting with a official looking printout and then Excel and auto sorting, additions and even potential end scores (if you really were a nerd).  Now one just fills out the CBS Bracket and all the work is done and you get up to the minute standings etc...by the end of the first weekend you can even know if you have a mathematical chance of sharing in the prizes.

Now here is my beef.  One gets to spend four days researching, calculating, erasing, adding, listening to so called experts, listening to your friends, be loud about your picks or keeping them close - all this time millions of dollars are being spent and millions of hours of efficient work being wasted as other economies continue to surpass the US - I am sure lots of European currency changes and Foreign policy strategist use the end of March as a focus to get the upper edge knowing the White House staff is in the midst of trying to one up the President.  This is all pretty much common knowledge and I am as guilty as the next millionth American so it is what it is - It is not called March Madness for nothing and CBS is not the number one rated network for lack of brilliance.

My issue is the way the system is set up - it is one and done, then wait and hope.  This is what drives me crazy about the whole set up.  I get three days to fill out a round of 68 teams and choose 1 winner and all the winners along the way.  Statistically speaking, Sally Jo can pick winners advancing on team colors, names, or cute mascots over my RPI, Saragin numbers and conference strength just as easy and I have no course to adjust.  You see real handicappers need to adjust game to game for injuries, turn over to assist ratios, match up, style of play and hours of the day playing etc etc.  I am helpless as a true lover of the sport statistically speaking and educationally touting my IQ for the game - where I can talk true trash.  Why at this point do I care to research the Marquette vs.North Carolina match up - I have no choice.  My pick has been in since March 16th.  I am virtually talking 'nonessential trash' only because I need NC to advance, not because I think Marquette can win head to head.  Why would I read the experts analysis now - so they can tell me Arizona has a legit chance to beat Duke - great, I'll skip that game on TV.

Actually, I won't because that is the truest of March Madness - so many games and so many incredible moments packed into an emotional time capsule - it's not that silly office pool which I have no control over.  One, that silly office pool does not take into account my handicapping nor Basketball IQ, second, that silly office pool is a false sense of knowledge - would I have ever picked VCU?  Hell no!

As the 21st Century advances I suggest the Bracketolgy advance - I suggest points be given for covering the spread in addition to picking the winner, I suggest there be three readjustments where one could re pick the teams based on the previous round results.  I suggest for the non gambling aspect one gets tokens to buy in to teams that were not picked.  Or, I suggest I just book a three week vacation in Las Vegas.  As of today I currently stand 4th after the first weekend of my 21 counterparts.  If for some lucky drop of the orange sphere in the metal hoop I win - I will pull out that four leaf clover from my back pocket that has been there since noon on March 17th, quietly collect my winnings and ride off into the sunset.  If I lose, I expect Sally Jo to pull hers out and jump up and down and yell - "That VCU mascot is sooo cute!  My second cousin's aunt went to VCU - woot woot."

Back into the Lair until the Redhawks return to action in November.  Ugh! I have to endure a whole summer of Mariners.  Well, there is always my own orange ball, Chuck Taylor High Tops and the local park and the dream.

Charlie Sheen & The SU Redhawks take on the Portland Pilots

C'mon, you really didn't think I could pass up folding in somehow the whacked out, insane media hog into one of the seasons last few blogs did you?  Everybody else is on the bandwagon so I'm jumping too. Plus Charlie "everyone is a troll" Sheen also likes basketball, being sited many times on the Lakers courtside so maybe if one day he searches his million post for his pure self indulgence decadence on the internet he will run across this and become a Redhawk fan from afar - and lets hope it is from afar. Although, there is a standing invitation for him to sit with me courtside for the my pure self indulgence of getting on TMZ, E News, etc, etc.  This year I had fun teasing, trashing, joking with the opposing teams mascot, but this guy is like the pinnacle of trash able - physically and intellectually .  He has been trashed so much he even has his own garbage can!

Now there are a few similarities to Mr. Goofball and the SU Redhawks.  First, they both think they are 'winning'.  Now if the Redhawks continue to use that phrase as much as Sheen does in everyday life they will start to see it come naturally.  Yes the Redhawks are winning (eleven games this year, fourteen last year) and those are solidified in the stat column. If Sheen was a basketball team the winning is only in his head and he is 0 for the last two years,  Second, Tiger Blood.  I have never seen real blood dripping from Sheen's fangs, but I have seen it flashed from Cervante Burrell as he drives madly down the court into the lane with acrobatic determination to score amongst the opposing bigs. I doubt Sheen has Tiger Blood running through his veins.  I am sure Cervante does. Third, bringing back the eighties phrase 'gnarly'.  Way to go dude, 'gnarly is back, but I think it was always here on the Redhawks court due to the lovable eighties style floppy mop of our enforcer Gavin Gilmore.  I do believe I heard him say once after a dunk under the basket - "ahhhh dude that was gnarly!"  Fourth, the 'Vatican Assassin'  Sheen is not - he is self assassinating, but if you ever watched Garrett Lever lock up game after game against the opposing lead scorer this definitely holds true to the moniker.

Well, that's it for Charlie and the Redhawks.  I am sure we have not heard the last from Mr. Goofball and we all know it is not the last we will hear from the Redhawks.

SU takes on Final game in the Key against Portland State
How sad the end is close and soon the Chieftain Chatter & Redhawk report may go into hibernation,  There are a few pieces still to rant about, but the big Redhawk will soon laying down his feathers and go night night.

Portland State finishes thier regular season tonight also after finishing 7th in the Big Sky with a record of 13-16 and a 1-11 (in fact PSU has never won in Seattle) road record. In the last meeting PSU beat SU in Stott Arena 83-76, but the rivalry goes back into the 50's with SU holding a 7-6 advantage and Coach Dollar 2-1.  PSU has a one game losing streak and SU a two game on the road losing streak.

Timeout Tidbit
PSU head coach Tyler Geving has some ties to Seattle University and the Seattle area.  Tyler grew up in Burien, attended Highline Community College and studied under present WSU coach Ken Bone and former eight year SU coach Joe Callero.  Tyler spent three years as an assistant with Callero at SU so he is very familiar with the Redhawks.  If you can't catch the game live at KeyArena then listen to it on KIRO 710 AM ESPN or follow it on goseattleu.com

We will recap the season next week.  GO Redhawks