Disney is probably regretting not releasing “Lady and the Tramp” on Blu-ray this year. Could’ve been huge.
For others – like Lindsay Lohan, Brett Favre, and Tiger Woods – well, 2010 wasn’t so hot.
Here at the Big Sky Conference, it was a pretty darn good year. During the summer, we got some new computers and some new office furniture. OK, it wasn’t new, but it was new to our office. The used desks, chairs and filing cabinets were purchased from a defunct-bank here in Ogden.
Thank you economic collapse!
Seriously, some big and exciting things happened for the Big Sky Conference, our teams, coaches and student-athletes. Let’s take a look back at what we feel are the top 10 stories of Twenty Ten.
1. Expansion.
No doubt conference upheaval is one of the top stories in the entire sports world. One minute the Big 12 was dead and it appeared the Pac-10 would become the Pac-16. Brigham Young opted for independence, while Boise State led a mass exodus from the WAC. TCU felt the Big East was a good fit. Nebraska loaded up and went to the Big Ten, which now has 12 teams. The Big 12 is now down to 10 thanks to the departure of Colorado to the Pac-10. Utah will run with Colorado in the Pac-10. Texas San Antonio, which has never played a down of football, will be in the WAC, along with Texas State.
Big Sky Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton and an aggressive group of league presidents decided to make moves to solidify and strengthen the Big Sky.
In early September, the league announced the additions of UC Davis and Cal Poly as football-only members. On November 1, North Dakota and Southern Utah accepted invitations to join as full members in 2012.
The additions will bring the Big Sky to 11 full members and 13 football-only members in 2012.
Several Big Sky schools have been approached by the WAC, but so far our schools have remained committed to our league.
The expansion story isn’t finished. Expect more movement across the nation in 2011.
2. Eastern Washington Guns For Championship
This is a story, too, that isn’t yet finished. Eastern Washington, led by coach Beau Baldwin, takes on Delaware on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas for the 2011 NCAA Division I National Championship.
The Eagles have won 10 straight games since losing to Montana State 30-7 way back in September.
It’s been a storybook season for the Eagles, starting with the installation of red turf during the summer. EWU won all eight of its games at “The Inferno,” a streak that started with an exciting 36-27 win over Montana in front of a record crowd.
The Eagles’ season appeared over in the quarterfinals against North Dakota State. Trailing 31-24 with under three minutes to play, EWU faced a 90-yard drive with All-American running back Taiwan Jones on the sideline with an injury. Bo Levi Mitchell guided the Eagles all 90 yards, converting a pair of fourth downs, along the way. EWU pulled out a 38-31 overtime win, and then stunned Villanova 41-31 in the semifinals.
Hopefully, the magic hasn’t ended. We’ll find out next Thursday if All-American linebacker J.C. Sherritt brings home the Buck Buchanan Award, and we’ll find out the next night if the Eagles can celebrate their first national championship. Watch it live on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. Mountain, 4 p.m. Pacific.
3. A.J’s Night
Weber State appeared well on its way to claiming the 2010 Big Sky Conference Men’s Basketball Championship on March 10. The Wildcats led 40-20 at halftime on their home court . The Wildcats held Montana senior guard Anthony Johnson to eight first-half points.
Then, Anthony Johnson decided it was his night. Johnson poured in 34 second-half points and put the Grizzlies on his back. Montana outscored Weber State 46-25 over the final 20 minutes to pull out a miraculous 66-65 win, stunning the Dee Events Center crowd of 6,308. Johnson scored Montana’s final 21 points, 25 of the Grizzlies’ final 27, and made the game-winning shot with 11 seconds to play.
The game, which appeared live on ESPN2, made Johnson a national star. His story was chronicled on the front page of the USA Today sports section. His highlights became a staple that night on the ESPN family of networks.
Johnson’s 42 points set a school record, a Dee Events Center record, and a Big Sky Championship record.
Johnson was nominated for an ESPY and was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters.
4. National Champion Twice
Northern Arizona senior running David McNeill captured national track and field championships indoors and outdoors.
McNeill captured the 5,000-meter indoor championship in March in Fayetteville, Ark., and the 5,000 outdoor championship in June in Eugene, Ore.
The Australian also competed for the national team in the Commonwealth Games in October, just before winning his third consecutive Big Sky Cross Country championship.
McNeill leaves Northern Arizona has one of the most decorated runners in Big Sky history, and has his sights set on the 2012 Olympics.
5. Vikings Dance
For the first time in school history, the Portland State women’s basketball team won the Big Sky Championship and earned a spot in the NCAA Women’s Championship.
Sherri Murrell’s squad beat Montana State 62-58 in the championship game behind a record eight 3-pointers from senior guard Claire Faucher.
Portland State, which lost the previous year in the championship, entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed. The Vikings knocked off No. 4 Idaho State in the quarterfinals, perennial power and No. 2 seed Montana in the semifinals before beating the Bobcats.
Portland State lost to Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
6. All Good Things Must End
The world lost “Dandy” Don Meredith in 2010, a man famous for singing “Turn Out The Lights” at the end of Monday Night Football on ABC. Well, the party also ended for the Montana football team in 2010.
The Grizzlies finished a respectable 7-4, but failed to win at least a share of the Big Sky Championship for the first time since 1997. It’s 12-year string of conference championships trailed only a string of 14 straight conference titles by Oklahoma in Division I history.
Montana also saw its record streak of 17 straight playoff appearances come to an end. The Grizzlies qualified for every playoff from 1993-2009, winning national championships in 1995 and 2001, and finishing second in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2009.
7. Eagles Claim Cup
The first the first time in school history, Eastern Washington captured the Sterling Savings Bank Big Sky Conference Presidents’ Cup.
Buoyed by strong all-around athletic performances and stellar academic efforts, the Eagles edged Montana and Northern Arizona for the coveted trophy.
Eastern Washington’s women’s basketball program deserves a lot of credit for the Eagles’ bringing home the trophy. Wendy Schuller’s squad won the regular-season championship, picking up an important 24 points for the Eagles in the Cup standings. The Eagles were selected seventh in the preseason polls by the coaches and media.
EWU failed to win the Big Sky Championship, but earned a trip to the women’s NIT.
8. Good Times in Greeley
The Northern Colorado men’s basketball team won a school-record 25 games in 2009-10.
Led by guards Will Figures, Devon Beitzel and league defensive player of the year Yahosh Bonner, the Bears soared into the top 10 of the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll.
Northern Colorado participated in the Collegeinsider.com Postseason tournament, beating Portland at the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion. The Bears’ season came to an end at home with a 63-59 loss to Pacific.
Northern Colorado won 12 conference games and went 13-2 at home. The success led to the departure of coach Tad Boyle, who is now the head coach at Colorado.
9. Diversity on the Sideline
Never in the 47 seasons of Big Sky Conference had an African American been a head coach of a league football program. That changed when Portland State hired Nigel Burton.
The 34-year-old former Nevada defensive coordinator coached his first game for the Vikings on Sept. 4, a 54-9 loss to Arizona State. Burton won his first game the following week, beating UC Davis on the road 41-33.
The year came to a close with the hiring of a second African American coach. On Tuesday, Dec. 28, Northern Colorado hired Earnest Collins Jr. to take over the Bears’ program. Collins, a former Bear standout and assistant coach, spent the previous two seasons as the head coach at Alcorn State.
10. So Long Dr. Dennison
Dr. George Dennison ended his 20-year tenure as the president of The University of Montana this past fall. Dennison was a leader amongst Big Sky Presidents, and during his tenure Montana athletics experienced unparalleled success.
Montana won 15 Big Sky Conference football titles, seven postseason and four regular-season men’s championships, 13 regular-season and 12 postseason women’s basketball championships, four regular-season and three postseason championships, three regular-season and one postseason volleyball championship, one golf championship and a Sterling Savings Bank Big Sky Presidents’ Cup.
Dr. Dennison was replaced by Dr. Royce Engstrom on Oct. 15.
Certainly there are many other stories out there. Let us know what you think of our list. What story is rated too high? Which was is too low? What did we leave off?
Jon Kasper - Big Sky Conference
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