The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor
The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor

James Burns, Author

All content by James Burns

National search for president down to three

James Burns
March 5, 2003

After months of scouring the nation and weeding through applicants, the presidential search committee has named its three finalists to succeed President Donald Gerth after 19 years of service. University...

New arena necessary for growth

James Burns
February 5, 2003

The future is now for the Sacramento State men's basketball team. With SLAM magazine's No. 33 dunker Jameel Pugh and the Pac-10's E.J. Harris suiting up next season alongside former all-Big Sky player...

Image: New arena necessary for growth::

Falling banner not a sign of Hornets’ future

James Burns
January 22, 2003

Just minutes into Steve Mooshagian's promising tenure as Sacramento State's new head football coach things started to unravel for the former National Football League assistant. As he prepared to address...

Volek relieved of coaching duties

James Burns
November 27, 2002

Hornet Athletic Director Terry Wanless announced Tuesday that John Volek will not return as the Hornet?s head football coach. Sacramento State will buy out the final year on Volek?s contract, which was...

Aggies take the win and the money

James Burns
October 9, 2002

Pride wasn't the only thing that hurt following the 38-21 loss to UC Davis Saturday during the 49th annual Causeway Classic. Sacramento State wallets just as big a sting. Sac State wallets were sacked...

Don’t count out Hornets

James Burns
September 11, 2002

Don?t count the Sacramento State football team out yet, despite what it?s record and certain preseason polls might suggest. Big Sky coaches collectively believe that the 2002 rendition of the Hornets will...

Can anyone thoroughly examine anything in one day?

James Burns
May 8, 2002

It has taken me almost two years to get a firm grasp on the Sacramento State campus, let alone learn the ins and outs of its athletic department. I still walk around campus wondering where my classes are...

Image: The saga of Ronnie Walton::

Do or die time for Sac State

James Burns
April 26, 2002

Here we are just a few weeks away from the craziest month in college basketball ? "March Madness" ? and our own Sacramento State Hornets, with a 47-game road losing streak, actually have a slim, outside...

Image: The saga of Ronnie Walton::

Coaching from the pressbox

James Burns
April 26, 2002

Players don?t look to me down the third baseline for bunt signs. They don?t look to me for guidance when their first serve continuously misses to the right or clips the top of the net. I don?t make calls to the bullpen and I don?t embrace gymnasts after their floor routines.

I don?t coach. But, I do have a stake in the Sacramento State athletic program and, as the Hornets continue to damage their credibility as a sports program, I?m beginning to think I just might be the only one who gives a damn.

Why did the University of the Pacific host the recent opening-round games of the NCAA Tournament held at the Arco Arena?

It never ceases to fail. Just when you think things can?t get any worse, Sac State goes and outdoes itself. How is a school almost an hour outside of Sacramento going to host the biggest event in intercollegiate athletics, especially when the forum is in our own backyard?

There is no telling what kind of impact this opportunity will have for UOP and their athletic program in the future. This season marks the third time in the past 12 years that UOP "hosted" the NCAA men?s basketball West Regional Tournament. Considering that its name and logo were plastered all over the arena while games were broadcasted into homes, classrooms and offices all across the nation, chances are that all this positive advertisement didn?t hurt its cause.

Sac State lost out to the several benefits that UOP will reap.

Aside from the exposure, UOP could receive an honorarium from the NCAA. UOP will be rewarded financially after the tournament proceeds are counted.

Those that volunteered for UOP at the tournament, namely students of the school?s sports training and sports management programs, gained excellent experience for working at one of the nation?s largest athletic stages ? the NCAA men?s basketball tournament. How?s that for a resume booster? It?s a shame that Sac State students couldn?t benefit from that experience.

Lastly, UOP was given an opportunity to create a network with nationwide media and representatives from other universities and UOP was given the chance to leave lasting impressions on them.

The Tigers will forever be associated with the 2001-02 NCAA Tournament, and, even though they didn?t qualify, prospects and recruits are more receptive to that. Sac State, on the other hand, has nothing to show for it. We?re simply the other school in Sacramento, you know, behind Davis and UOP.

What?s next? Will we be giving the Tigers our lunch money during recess everyday too?

Unfortunately, the athletic department today is paying for the mishaps of yesterday?s faculty. Judith Such-Such, who was director of athletics just before Debby Colberg took over, failed to place the bid to host the tournament four years ago when it was due.

Why are our most successful sports the ones that aren?t sanctioned by the NCAA?

Maybe that isn?t the right question. Maybe the question should be: Why doesn?t anyone know about rugby, men?s volleyball and crew? They should. All three programs combine to have a better winning percentage and stature than our major sports: baseball, football and basketball.

Instead of priding ourselves on losing programs, it might be in the school?s best interest to make a change for the better.

And, from this standpoint, that means one of two things needs to take place. Either we take away from the major sports and start feeding into these more successful programs or we make a concerted effort to start recruiting the best. Not the best of what?s left, but the best of what?s out there. But, we all know that is too much to ask for.

Chico State cut its football team a few years back, feeding what was left to the lesser-known but more successful programs that were hungry for the attention. In turn, Chico State has turned out two highly competitive programs with the likes of water skiing and water polo.

Green and Gold

James Burns
April 24, 2002

Click here for football slide show: Although he was sacked four times during Friday?s annual Green and Gold Game, Sacramento State?s Ryan Leadingham couldn?t help but appreciate the overall improvement...

‘The Best Dunker in the World’ transfers to Sac State

James Burns
April 16, 2002

Contrary to popular belief, Jameel Pugh ? tabbed "The Best Dunker in the World" by SLAM magazine coming out of high school ? can?t jump through the roof or take flight from half court. Nevertheless, his...

Four Hornets rewarded for performance

James Burns
April 2, 2002

With a week jam-packed with games and events, there was little break for Sacramento State?s athletes and coaches to actually enjoy their spring break. There were no foam parties or long trips to San Diego...

Huskers take Capitol Classic title

James Burns
March 20, 2002

Something had to give, eventually. After surrendering a 3-0 lead in the seventh inning and allowing the University of California, Berkeley to tie the game, the University of Nebraska?s Lisa Wagner finally...

Committee finally addresses vacancy

James Burns
March 20, 2002

Somewhere in the stack of 50 applications lies Sacramento State?s new athletic director, waiting to be looked at and weighed by the selection advisory committee. Somewhere on Vice President of Financial...

2002 All Big Sky TeamMen’s Basketball

James Burns
March 10, 2002

With Montana on its way to the NCAA tournament having won the Big Sky Conference Tournament and the 2001-02 men?s basketball season behind us now, the battle amongst league leaders persists. Only this...

Garcia signs with 49ers

James Burns
February 2, 2002

The San Francisco 49ers added another Garcia to the quarterback position this past weekend, with the signing of former Sacramento State signal-caller Aaron Garcia. Garcia was lured out of the Arena Football...

Athletic director steps down, sets focus on coaching

James Burns
January 27, 2002

After juggling both the responsibilities of athleticdirector and women?s volleyball coach for the past twoyears, Sacramento State?s Debby Colberg recentlyannounced that she will be vacating the athleticdirector...

Men’s soccer battle to standstill

James Burns
September 12, 2001

Sacramento State?s Michael Linenberger, head coach of the men?s soccer team, wasn?t happy. He wasn?t happy at all - not with his team or with its 1-1 draw Sunday with the University of California, Riverside....

Softball ends worst season with losses

James Burns
May 9, 2001

After dropping a doubleheader against the third-ranked Stanford Cardinal at home last Wednesday, allowing 14 runs on 17 hits, the bottom just fell out for the Sac State Hornets during the season-ending...

Stanford sweeps Hornet softball

James Burns
May 4, 2001

Sac State?s softball team was a just a victim of nature during their non-conference doubleheader against the third-ranked Stanford Cardinal Wednesday at Shea Stadium at Sac State. Cardinals just fly higher...

Feldt and the Beavers belt the Hornets, twice

James Burns
March 29, 2001

In the midst of a lengthy losing streak and mired in inconsistency, the Sac State Hornets took the 15th ranked Oregon State Beavers to the brink during a double-header Tuesday at Shea Stadium, before being...

Louisville defeats Sac State in Saturday rematch

James Burns
March 21, 2001

After being trounced the night before by the Louisville Cardinals, 12-7,Sac State got its chance at redemption Saturday during play in theconsolation bracket of the ninth annual Capital Classic SoftballTournament....

Hornets’ stay in tournament ends with loss to Ole Miss

James Burns
March 21, 2001

Ole Miss pieced together a run in the third and fourth innings, givingthem all the run support they would need, as they eliminated the SacState Hornets from the 2001 Capital Classic Softball TournamentSaturday,...

Iowa takes the Capitol by storm

James Burns
March 20, 2001

In the championship game of the ninth annual Capitol Classic SoftballTournament, both the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Texas Tech Red Raiders provedwhy they were the two best teams to take the field during the...

Men?s basketball ends painful year

James Burns
March 7, 2001

Blistered by hot shooting, Sac State lost handily to the Montana Grizzlies and Idaho State during their recent road swing, rounding out their regular and Big Sky conference seasons. Against the Grizzlies,...

Spoiled senior night

James Burns
February 28, 2001

In what was their final home game in a Sac State uniform, Rame Batta, Pablo Gonzales, and Rickie Glenn combined to score 53 of the Hornets? 68 total points. It wasn?t enough however, as Eastern Washington,...

Unkind road trip for Hornets? basketball

James Burns
February 21, 2001

Even when the ball drops, it seems that the Sac State men?s basketball team can?t catch the breaks. On a two-game road trip that carried them through Montana State and Weber State, the Hornets topped the...

Hornets fall to Montana in final seconds

James Burns
February 9, 2001

Jerome Jenkins and his swarm of Hornets left the gym on Thursday feeling robbed after their game with the Montana Grizzlies. The Grizzlies Ryan Slider grabbed a questionable offensive rebound and finished...

Just getting’ it done

James Burns
December 6, 2000

Huddled around sharp-shooting swingman Pablo Gonzales, the Hornets' men's basketball stretched and warmed their muscles getting ready for another afternoon in Jerome Jenkins' playground. Everyone in the...

If the shoe fits..

James Burns
October 18, 2000

If Spike Lee got one look at the Sac State athletic program, he?d be screaming in disbelief, "It?s gotta be the shoes!" In an era of sports where stick marks and grass stains define the heart of a team,...

Former WNBA player joins Hornet coaching staff

James Burns
October 5, 2000

This year's version of the women?s basketball team will feature an impressive line-up of recruits that will not even take the court. They're quite possibly the best group of basketball talent to ever represent...

Fans fill Stadium; Use tickets

James Burns
September 13, 2000

When the Hornets took the field Saturday against Cal Poly, they did so in front of a crowd of 16,557?many of which were students admitted via ticket, much to the delight of Sac State ticket manager David...

Men?s soccer: Hornets and Dons play to a stalemate

James Burns
September 7, 2000

With a 1-1 tie against the San Francisco Dons (1-1-1), Sacramento State's men?s soccer team continue to rewrite their history - chapter by chapter, game by game. Off to their best record to date (2-0-1),...

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