The staging-live.lbpost.com is proud to present the sports musings of Dan Barber, a longtime local athletics columnist known better as Dr. Dan. His popular Diamond Dust column will live on here as Diamond Dust Plus, but while we set up his new digs, we present this inaugural column. Enjoy!
8:30am | We call this stop on your staging-live.lbpost.com visit Diamond Dust Plus and heading into the fall sporting season at the Beach there is more Plus-ing writing than Dust-ing, unless you include the final touches on the $60 million dollar student wellness center which will open on August 29, 30, 31, or 32, somewhere in that week.
The diamond part of this column began in the final days of the John Gonsalves era of 49er baseball (late 80’s) and as we noted on the photo-copied handouts it was published “when the mood strikes.” Sometimes that was actually before the game began but often the professorial day job got in the way so it happened when it happened.
In part of the pitch to get Dave Snow to take the LBSU job in 1989 then AD Corey Johnson made a lot of promises, including a regular, even before the game started, Dust in every game program. Eventually the column also went to newsprint (early deadlines and short space) and now to the crown jewel of local cyber space the fresh and easy Long Beach Post.
That’s the prelude, so what sort of sampler should we offer, on this the first weekend of competition? On the calendar the first event is Long Beach State women’s soccer on Friday night, and a visit by the No. 22-ranked BYU Cougars who warmed up for the contest by kicking turf in the face of their alums 5-1, five goals from five players. LB prepped with a much tougher outing, a 2-1 loss to talented San Diego State, but Coach Mauricio Ingrassia had some great film to study thanks to an eye in the sky video system (Big Boom Video) which Dana Rupey operates on top of a 25-foot tripod. Good for scouting and as the coach pointed out, now required by Big West rules for the opponent exchange of game tape.
A day later the Saturday scene moves inside the historic Gold Mine where the lady volleyball alums, those not playing for pay overseas or in a wedding party, will face the new look ‘Niners who were picked to win their third consecutive Big West championship. Coach Brian Gimmillaro may find his 2010 Court Queens looking more like a MASH unit but at least the two-a-days are over and insiders say that Misty May is planning on playing for the older folks. (Private note to Misty, the new middle blocker may eventually be the best ever at that position, 6-6 or 6-7 Haleigh Hampton—off the record nickname, The Avatar) so be aware of her “return to sender.”
The rest of the plus is sort of a catch-up of verbals and similar chat about basketball. The big guy is Shaquille, as in Shaquille Hunter, a 6-foot-2 guard who should actually sign in November and the smaller man, also awaiting a November fax, is Michael Caffey, 5-foot-11 point guard. Both are high school seniors this fall. The ladies should be better this season with a nice group of newcomers, the best of which should be Ella Clark, 6-3 post from London and another big ‘un, Janae Coffee, 6-3, from Fresno. The rest of the new comers are guards who hopefully have studied the game tape on recently graduated super star Karina Figueroa.
WHERE ARE THEY DEPT. T.J. Bruce, a former player and assistant coach for the Dirtbags (2005-2010) is moving on to UCLA where he joins the Bruin skipper John Savage for duties as the infield coach, assistant recruiter and all purpose helper for UCLA Associate Head Coach and ex-Titan guy Rick Vanderhook. The new Beach boss, Troy Buckley, had already filled his staff with Shawn Gilbert and Jesse Zepeda as full-time assistants… Next on the shakeup meter, who in the local circle takes the just-opened USC job and what dominoes that would put into motion?
Dr. Doug Richie (whose dad once ran the CSULB 49er Shops and Bookstore) is a nationally-known foot doctor for marathoners and others. He now has advanced past my tootsies to work on foot nerve problem of Haleigh Hampton who should make at least a cameo appearance. Another injured Niner, setter Ashley Lee (hand), may just need time and Tylenol but Jocelyn Neely (ankle) will perhaps wait until next weekend for that double header of Rutgers and UNLV…Neely’s absence opens up a chance for Brian to see newcomers, especially 6-1 outside hitter Delainey Aigner-Swesey.
Reedley College named former LB aide Steve Pearse its baseball coach, his latest address after tours at UCLA, Fresno State, Cal, Pacific etc… Speaking of toasting old Dirtbags, a source has said that Don Heckman’s former AI bar which was re-christened as Riley’s has been sold again… The City of Long Beach and the CSULB brass finally signed their 11-year lease for the operation of Blair Field… next question is how does cash strapped LBSU come up with the multi-million (up to five) resources for maintenance and improvements… On the to list Blair Field’s locker rooms and stadium lights, along with replacing the dugouts, repainting the concourse, and revamping the infield…. Sources hope that more ticket income, filming fees and maybe a seven figure gift from a former Dirtbag player will prime the pump