NM State Aggie Volleyball Regular Season Recap 2019

I’m going to be doing a separate postseason recap (and hopefully have plenty to write about).  I simultaneously love and hate doing these recaps.  I like going back and rereading them, but it starts turning into work after the first couple.  Also, I’m not a volleyball coach or expert, so I’m hardly qualified at analyze a team’s season even after watching them play so much.  I hate the thought of unintentionally overlooking some great performances too.     

First up, Coach Mike Jordan’s motivational skills in getting the team to go undefeated in conference this year were unparalleled.  As good as the girls were, they needed his gentle proddings at times.  Well done, sir.  Senior Megan Hart was the overpowering force for the team for kills and blocks.  Other teams game-planned around her presence.  (And she’s beautiful.  I’m just not tired of saying that.)

Savannah Davison was the passion for the team.  In spite of all this team’s talent, they needed her fire to win.  (We saw that in the second Cal-Baptist game.)  Cat Kelly is a lot like Sav in terms of gameplay (big air, lots of swings, gets in on blocks, gets digs), but she’s the quiet one.  When she wasn’t there in the last two games, you noticed it immediately.  Congrats to senior Brigette Lowe, who filled in for her.  I think Brig fully realized her potential as a volleyball player in that last game.              

If you thought getting past Megan was tough, Julianna Salanoa is a national-level blocker.  She also gets her kills at a different set angle than most anybody else, making her hard to defend against.  Ashley Anselmo was right there on the other side with supporting blocks and kills.  Lia Mosher in the front court, flashed brilliance, but never seemed to be on court enough as this team was so loaded with blockers. 

Natalie Mikels and Krysten Garrison were steady on setting, though the team wasn’t that great in passing.  (Being out-of-system was almost a specialty.)  Nat got a long leash with service errors because she also led the team in aces.  Natalie also did a good job of positioning players, so I’m going to say she’s the brains of the team.  Krysten was converted into setting and grew well into the role.  Serving was an issue at times for the team, but her in particular.  She showed some real mental toughness in overcoming it.

Halle Razo was demoted from being a starter early on, but still saw regular playing time as a server and defender (as did Kiley Tonge).  I’m sure the coach wanted to keep her game-ready and her confidence up.  I expect Halle to make a comeback next year.      

Lastly, what more can you say about senior Analyssa Acosta?  There was even an article about her in the paper.  I think she made an off-season decision that she really wanted to play more in her final year.  She must have put a tremendous amount of work and it paid off.  She was like a freshman in enthusiasm, but with an upperclassman’s pose in playing. 

 

These little capsules will just include whatever highlights I found interesting about the games.  The actual game recaps are more detailed (sometimes).

8-29-19 Crimson and White Scrimmage: Senior Analyssa Acosta caught my eye immediately playing defense.  She’d been on the bench for three years.  I hoped I’d see her get into some games this season.  Setters Natalie Mikels and Krysten Garrsion both had swinging kills and blocks in the match.

9-6-19 vs Pacific Tigers: This was the Aggies’ first home match after sweeping three teams in straight sets at the Auburn Invitational, including host Auburn.  It was an auspicious start.  The Aggies straight-setted the Tigers to continue the roll.   

9-7-19U NM Lobos vs Pacific Tigers: This was one of the morning matches of the Borderland Invitational.  I only mention this here because the Aggies had come to watch and some of their freshmen ended up getting drafted as ballgirls for the match. 

9-7-19 UTEP Miners vs Pacific Tigers: For this match, the Aggie assistant coaches were acting as ballboys.  Coach Jordan might have been playing some headgames with his former assistant coach, Ben Wallis, the new UTEP coach.  Graduated Aggie star player, Tatyana Battle, was there as Coach Wallis’ new assistant.

9-7-19 vs UNM Lobos: It was another straight-sets win.  Freshman Katie Birtcil delivered a couple of set-winning kills. 

9-8-19 vs UTEP Miners: And this match was the wake-up call.  The Miners punched the Aggies in the nose taking Set 1, the Aggies’ first dropped set of the season.  The Aggies would win in five bruising sets.  Afterward, Coach Jordan was infuriated that the team wasn’t serving hard enough.  This would have terrible consequences for the first half of the season.

9-13-19 vs Portland Pilots: This remains the most inexplicable game of the season for the Aggies.  They took their first loss hosting the Springhill Suites Invitational.  Portland was a good team, but I’d never even heard of their university before.  I attributed the straight-sets loss to a mention of the flu running through the team earlier in the week.  The team was terrible on serve-receive.  I think this game ultimately cost Halle Razo the libro job.  Also, I wrote some terrible fan-fiction because of this match.

9-14-19 vs Grambling Tigers: The Aggies got back on track with a straight-sets win, but the Tigers aren’t a great yardstick to measure your team by.  The reserves got a lot of work in this match. 

9-14-19 vs Lamar Cardinals: The Aggies played against a team led by an alumni player, Coach Michelle Kuester.  Coach Jordan had to be so proud of her.  The Aggies won in four tough sets.  Halle Razo, who’d sat out the previous game, still wasn’t playing well.  The team had a terrible time serving.  They seemed to be trying too hard to get in a good serve and then it became mental. 

9-21-19 vs Sacramento State Hornets (neutral site): This was a five-set loss that could be summed up with one stat: 19 service errors.  The only reason this went the distance was because the Hornets had 17.  Coach Jordan’s postgame was memorable as he called the team, “Mentally weak.”  When asked about the evening game with the Wildcats, he said, “We’re going to get crushed.”     

9-21-19 at Arizona Wildcats: It was a straight-sets loss.  The coach was even putting in the reserves in the first set.  Analyssa Acosta came in as libero in the third set.  Krysten Garrison had 9 service errors on the day total.  That was a low point.

9-22-19 vs Alabama State Lady Hornets (neutral site): This was a morning game for the last day of the Wildcat Invitational.  Analyssa Acosta was now the starting libero after a great performance the day before.  This was a straight-sets win, but the serving issues continued.

9-26-19 at Utah Valley Wolverines: The Aggies won 3-1, but had a rough time serving and Megan Hart had a hard time with the Wolverines’ blocking.

9-28-19 at Seattle U Redhawks: This was a win in 3 against an unexpectedly bad Redhawks team.

10-3-19 vs UTRGV Vaqueros: Tatyana Battle took time off from her UTEP job to come and watch her old teammates.  Ashley Anselmo made her first two serves of the season to win Set 1 in extra points.  The Aggies won in 3 sets, though Halle Razo was bizarrely playing in the front court to end Set 3.  It was unintentional comedy.  The players won this match in spite of the coach’s rotation decisions.  Also, I think he wanted to work out a trade for the Vaqueros’ star, Barbara Silva.

10-7-19 at CBU Lancers: The Aggies won 3-1 in spite of 18 service errors.  Savannah Davison, Megan Hart, and Julianna Salanoa were incredible in this game. 

10-10-19 vs CSU-Bakersfield Roadrunners: It was a 3-1 victory.  The Aggies finally got their serving issues under control.  The team blocks and kills were tremendous in this game.    

10-12-19 vs GCU Lopes: This was the Aggies’ third game of the week and they were playing the number two team in the conference.  Megan Hart had 19 kills in a straight-sets wipeout.  To give the Lopes credit, since they had a great record, I wonder if they came in sick, like the Aggies may have been in the Portland game.   

10-17-19 at UMKC Roos: The Aggies blocked well in this 3-1 win.  They had 10 service errors, but 7 aces.   

10-24-19 vs Utah Valley Wolverines: The Aggies won 3-1 in four hard sets, two of which went into extra points.  The Wolverines were able to go block-for-block with the Aggies.  NMSU’s kills carried the day.

10-26-19 vs Seattle U Redhawks: They handed out free LED lightbulbs at this game.  I even got a Raising Canes coupon too.  The Aggies won in straight sets and were playing the reserves quite a bit.  Brenda Hernandez got in, but that didn’t go so well.  The coach actually apologized for putting her and Katie Birtcil on the spot like that.

10-28-19 vs CBU Lancers: This game was so epic, it required two posts.  (I think I might have overdid it.)  This was the third game in five days for the Aggies.  The Lancers won the first two sets as Savannah Davison seemed out-of-it.  Then they got her mad and she rallied the team to victory.  Megan Hart was a steady rock with 18 kills.  I give the crowd, with a bunch of young volleyball players in attendance, a lot of credit too.  There were autographs afterward and I was able to heap praise upon the girls.

11-2-19 at UTRGV Vaqueros: Another straight-sets win over the Vaqueros.  Barbara Silva was limited to only 3 kills.  The coach called off the trade.

11-7-19 at UMKC Roos: A big four-set win.  Two of the sets went to extra points.  Aggie blocking was overwhelming.  Aggies serving had double-digit errors, but also double-digit aces.

11-9-19 at GCU Lopes: The only information I got on this match was during an Aggie Football game.  The Aggies beat the number two team in the conference again in straight sets, but more importantly, with the win, they secured the regular season conference championship.

11-14-19 vs Chicago St Cougars: I started this report off with a bit of gossip.  I’m not proud of that, but for once I had inside information.  This was a classic trap game being played at noon on a weekday against a team with only one win in conference.  (The Aggies had already beaten them in 3 sets on 10-19-19.)  Not to mention the Aggies had little to play for.  Cat Kelly was also laid up for this and the next game.  The Cougars took the first set.  The coach threatened to put in the reserves and throw the match.  With that motivation, the Aggies came back to win in four.

11-16-19 vs UMKC Roos: Ah, the tears of Senior Day.  Before that though, it was another bruising four-set win over the Roos.  Three of the sets ended 25-23.  Senior Brigette Lowe had a career game with 11 kills.  The Aggies ran the table in conference, 16-0.  The only good news about the goodbye ceremony was that beautiful Megan Hart would be returning as a graduate assistant.  Yay!

NM State Aggies vs UTEP Miners Football 11-23-19

I finally made it out to a football game this season.  My workplace gave out tickets to this rivalry matchup.  I asked Ron about going and he finally said, “Yes,” and meant it.  Ron has been reluctant to go to any game with free work tickets to the point of stiffing me right before leaving for a game.  Getting fired from a place and seeing former co-workers has a way of doing that.  For whatever reason, or lack of an excuse, he was okay finally doing it this time, but seemed pretty unenthusiastic when he picked me up late.  We even sat in his car for a while after getting there.  Maybe something else was bothering him (he wasn’t feeling entirely well), but Ron wouldn’t talk about it.

Instead of the main gate, we parked on the south end, behind the Fulton Center.  There were still a bunch of people there.  Some were tailgating.  (The workplace had a big tailgate on the north end, but I didn’t bother asking Ron about going to it.)  Some were not wearing shirts and had letters painted on their chests.  I question those guys’ sanity.  It was bright and sunny, but there was a cool little breeze going with a low ambient temperature, which made it cold. 

Upon entry, I finally found the elusive Aggie hamburger stand.  It was hard to miss the savory smell as it came from a tent right behind the gate.  Whoa!  $10 for the house double burger.  I’ll pass.  Too much meat for a meal for me anyway.  Ron assured me that the Chihuahuas’ burger was better and sold at a cheaper price.  Kids were rolling down the grassy knoll in front of the suites during most of the game.  A proposed stadium upgrade I saw replaced the knoll with terraced seating.  Unless there was club service with them, they’d be lousy seats.  I’m ambivalent on that proposal.

The first thing we saw out on the field was the Pride Band marching in.  They were majestic.  Striking the Wonder Dog was introduced and he ran down the field too.  During the Anthem, the flag corps had trouble unfurling the giant flag on field.  The UTEP fans seemed a bit amused.  The group got a round of applause when they got it unraveled. 

   

We found our seats on the south 30 in the upper bowl.  It was about where we sat when we went to some games a couple of years ago.  They provide a commanding view of the field.  I left to find something to eat and maybe a program or a giveaway.  I found nothing but a really long line.  So much for an overpriced slice of pizza (but I was willing to overpay for that).  I finally settled on a bag of kettle corn and a lemonade from a stand with no waiting.  I was hungry and thirsty, so it was great.  I found a program in the stands after the game.

The crowd for the game was excellent.  The west side was well-filled with fans.  I saw and greeted some co-workers.  The lower section was stuffed with season ticket holders.  The student section was filled and they stood for the entire game.  (They also chanted, “F UTEP!” before the game.)  The section next to them was for UTEP fans and they filled it.  They stood too, so I’m thinking that was mostly students.  I saw some shirtless guys in their front row.  I don’t think they were the Aggie fans I saw outside, but rather Miner fans.  I only saw the bare-chested Aggie guys on the video screen once.  Of course, they weren’t in order and misspelled, “Aggies.”

Next to the Miner fan section was the UTEP Band and their full complement of Cheerleaders and Dancers.  At times in the game, we’d have dueling bands, so it was kind of cool.  Their band did not play that great remix version of their fight song that I keep hearing on the radio.  They did play the MCU Avengers theme, which sounds excellent live in a stadium.           

I heard the Miner pre-pregame show earlier in the morning on El Paso Sportstalk.  John Tischer, voice of the Miners, thought pretty highly of the Aggies, even though both teams had the same 1-9 record going into the game.  The Aggies were playing an, “Athletic Director’s schedule,” he called it, with three games against Power 5 conferences (money games).  Tischer was also on the Aggies’ pregame show.  I didn’t know he started off broadcasting in this area doing Aggie games for a year. 

First Quarter

I haven’t recapped a football game in a while.  Wow, is this easier than doing volleyball or basketball.  I’m also using my new little notebook, since I filled up the previous one at my last game, and I had a new fountain pen.  I found myself watching the game, mentally noting any significant plays, then writing stuff down after the possession ended. 

UTEP won the toss and deferred.  The Aggies received the kickoff and committed a personal foul.  That seemed like a bad sign for fouls, but instead, it just set the tone.  The Aggies got a first down, but no further.  Kai Locksley was starting at quarterback for the Miners.  In the pregame, the hosts wanted one of the backups in instead, but the senior known for his running abilities got the nod.  Indeed, he did rush a couple of times, but the Aggies broke up a third down pass for a three and out.

In the next Aggie series, senior running back Jason Huntley picked up some yards rushing.  Quarterback Josh Adkins mixed in a completed pass.  Then, Huntley broke off a 39-yard dash for a touchdown.  7-0 Aggies just like that.  The next series, the Miners managed to get a first down from out of their own endzone.  The UTEP band played a short riff from their fight song whenever they had a first down.  I saw Marketing Director Nicole running up the stairs nearby.  She already looked exhausted.  Four penalties would end up sabotaging the Miners’ drive.  Kai was hammered on his final pass attempt.  The Aggies got the ball, but handed right back after four downs.

Second Quarter

UTEP stayed on the ground on their next possession.  Kai had a 20-yard run as part of a touchdown-scoring drive that finished at the start of the second quarter.  7-7.  Huntley came up big again with a 50-yard run to the UTEP 15, but unfortunately this only resulted in a missed field goal.  During the break, there was the fan burger-making contest with the fans dressed as top and bottom buns.  Both top buns enthusiastically jumped on their bottom bun partners.  Funny stuff.

The Miners mixed it up next on their next series running and passing.  A 20-yard pass got them into the Aggie red zone.  The Aggie defense held the Miners to a field goal.  10-7 Miners.  In the break, the Aggie Cheerleaders took to the field for their big routine.  Nice.  The seats in the lower northwest end let you watch the Cheerleaders working hard for the whole game. 

The Aggies went three and out trying to pass downfield.  Adkins did not look good here.  There was a near fight after the punt, but no flags or punches thrown.  The UTEP Cheerleaders congregated by the Aggie Cheerleaders waiting to perform for the halftime show.  I saw no interaction between the two groups.

Kai got another 20-yard pass to drive the Miners to inside the Aggie 5.  Senior Shamad Lomax broke up a pass in the endzone.  UTEP settled for another field goal.  13-7 Miners.  There was about 1:30 left in this quickly-played half.  A UTEP penalty gave the Aggies a good starting position.  Huntley came up big again with a 40-yard dash down the sideline for another touchdown.  14-13 Aggies going into halftime.            

Halftime

The Las Cruces crowd had the rare treat of seeing two bands perform for the half.  The UTEP band came out first and got a warm round of applause for their performance.  The Pride Band came out and put on a whole production number.  They were doing some recent songs by artists I did not know, but I recognized one of the numbers that gets played in the Pan-Am Center during games all the time.  The UTEP band stayed on the sidelines and watched the performance.

Third Quarter

Before the kickoff, Pistol Pete mounted an elevated platform that raised in front of the video board, taller than the goal post.  He waved a flag, while a banner unfurled from the platform that said, “Cowbell,” which is the official fan noise-maker for NMSU.  During the game, they play a clip from the SNL Cowbell bit to lead the crowd on third downs for the opponents.

The Miners took the kick and worked downfield well, but had to settle for a field goal attempt, which missed.  There was a mass t-shirt toss into the crowd by the Cheerleaders.  This is another reason to sit near the Cheerleaders.  They’re always tossing stuff into the stands.  The Aggies went three and out again when they got the ball back.  Payton Theisler got off a great punt, but the Miners got a good return, as an Aggie was injured missing the tackle on the returner. 

In the break, I think I saw Marketing Intern Emerson take a fan on field for a contest.  The guy had three chances to drive a tennis ball through the uprights with an oversized golf club.  Maybe because he was standing next to such a beautiful young woman, he flat whiffed on five swings.  He got a round of applause just for hitting one.  PA Ed helpfully offered the classic golf advice, “Be the ball.”  The guy only got a ball into the air when he picked one up and threw it through the goalpost.

UTEP moved downfield well again.  The Aggie defense stopped them on a third and short.  The Miners tacked on a field goal.  16-14 Miners.  The Aggies’ next series went well with a pair of completions and face mask penalty.  A 20-yard third down pass to Jared Wyatt got the Aggies into the UTEP red zone.  There was that Huntley guy again.  He cut one to the outside from five yards out for his third touchdown.  21-16 Aggies.

Fourth Quarter

As the sun went down, the temperature dropped and I was shivering a bit.  Unfortunately, this final quarter dragged out terribly in relation to the previous three.  Between the lemonade and the cold, I took three piss breaks during the game.  I’ve been colder at Aggie sporting events though.  The Sundancers performed in the break in the north endzone.  They looked good.  The cheer squads for both teams would put on pants and jackets in this quarter, so you knew it was cold.

UTEP made another drive into Aggie territory.  They were stopped on third down in the red zone, but went for it on fourth down and got a touchdown.  UTEP fans chanted, “Aggies suck!”  The two-point conversion was broken up.  22-21 Miners.  The bands started battling each other with music briefly.

On the next Aggie possession on third down, Adkins evaded a sack and found Caleb Mills for a catch downfield.  The Aggies then went for it on a fourth down play on the Miner 35.  Adkins found senior OJ Clark for another first down.  In the UTEP red zone, Huntley took a direct snap.  He then flipped the ball to Tony Nicholson on a double reverse.  Nicholson then tossed it high to Adkins, who went over the defender to grab it for a touchdown!  Where have I seen this play before (11-19-16)?  Ron saw the play standing by the endzone on the concourse and was amazed.  The two-point conversion was dropped, as the receiver as too wide open.  It was 27-22 Aggies.

The Miners and Aggies then traded three and outs.  Theisler made another great kick and the coverage nailed the returner.  Kai pressed on the next series with time running out.  Rashie Hodge then came up big with an interception over the middle.  It was the first turnover of the game.  The Aggies got the ball, but had to keep the drive going with a fourth and one sneak by Adkins.  On the next third down play, Josh’s pass was blocked, but he caught the deflection to keep possession.  Senior Dylan Brown came out for another field goal attempt and hit a personal best 53-yarder.  Clutch there.  30-22 Aggies.

Right after that, we had our second turnover of the game.  Xander Yarbergough stripped Kai of the ball as he went back to pass.  Matthew Young recovered the ball and ran it right in.  37-22 Aggies.  Kai came back with a vengeance with a huge uncovered run down the field on the next Miner possession.  He passed down to the Aggie 1 yardline.  The ball came out on a dive on another play, but was recovered by the Miners for a touchdown.  37-29 Aggies.

On the Aggies next possession, a third down deep pass to OJ gave the Aggies another set of downs.  Senior Christian Gibson then broke it open with a 60-yard run for a touchdown.  44-29 Aggies.  After the Miners got the ball back, there was an extended delay as a Miner was dumped on his head.  He was able to walk off to a round of applause from the crowd.  Kai made one more good drive downfield.  He was sacked by senior Roy Lopez, but a ruffing the passer penalty later gave the Miners a final play in the red zone with four seconds left.  Kai found a receiver in the back of the endzone as time expired.  The Aggies won the Battle of I-10, 44-35.             

 

I don’t know if I said this out loud before the game, but events transpired for the Aggies the way I thought they would, if they were going to win.  All they had to do was not beat themselves.  Mostly I was thinking they had not turn the ball over by fumble or interception.  I imagined the Aggies could beat the Miners talent-wise and let the Miners lose the game by themselves with their mistakes.  

Though they acquired a flag on the first play of the game, the Aggies were magnificent in avoiding penalties, which is the other way football teams beat themselves.  The Miners didn’t do as well in that category, but weren’t that bad either.  Hmm.  Ron later confirmed what I thought; the refs stayed out of the way and just let them play it out.  Lastly, let’s hear it for the Aggie seniors.  They wanted to go out winners on their home field.

   

Even with much of the crowd gone and being at the south entrance, there was still a traffic jam.  It wasn’t too bad though.  Ron found a back road in the dark to avoid most of it.  Regrettably, he took a wrong turn to get to the pizza place we had planned on going to.  “You knew where you were up to a point,” I said.  Suddenly, we were at What-a-burger with about 50 other people.  Neither of us wanted to delay eating, so we went with it.  The meal was okay, but even better, it was fairly quick.  After the chill, neither of us wanted ice cream.  This was definitely the best case scenario for getting to see an Aggie Football game this year.  Thank goodness I got see this one in person.   

Comic Reviews: TMNT vs Dracula

Ooh, I like that thought.  I’d read that one.  (It’s probably already been done.)  This isn’t a competition though.  Instead, we’re reviewing two otherwise unrelated comics using cheesy blog title.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Road to 100

When I went to the counter at Zia Comics, I noticed they had a stack of giveaways there.  I picked this one up.  There were also some new comics without covers in the pile.  Surprisingly, they were selling some returnable comics at the shop, which means they could send back the covers of unsold comics and get credit.  Comics at comic shops are normally sold on a non-returnable basis; the shop has to keep whatever they don’t sell. 

I’ve never bought a Turtles comic.  A long time ago, I remember seeing some of the original black and white comics new at a comics store.  Too bad I wasn’t interested, those are worth some serious money now.  Apart from that, I only watched the cartoon in the 80’s.  I thought the figures looked cool, but I was too old for action figures.  This was before you could justify such purchases as collectible investments. 

I’d recently heard that the Turtles were originally a pitch to Marvel as a spinoff of Daredevil.  The transforming ooze was the radioactive material that blinded young Matt Murdock.  This also explains the ninja angle.  I’m not sure if this story has been officially confirmed though.

This was pretty well-produced for a giveaway.  Unfortunately, it was a bit incomprehensible for somebody who hasn’t been reading the IDW series.  I mean, I know some basics of the mythology, but I was lost past that.  What I saw looked interesting.  In another time and at a more reasonable price for new comics, I might want to try it out.

In the back, they advertised a couple of miniatures games.  Since they haven’t been released yet, I couldn’t get any information, but they look pretty cool.  Recently, after listening to an RPG podcast, I downloaded a copy of the old TMNT RPG from the 80’s.  Palladium had picked up the rights for a song, since the Turtles hadn’t hit it big at the time.  The game was oriented towards playing all sorts of mutated animals.  The rules for character creation were pretty well-done.  Unfortunately, the Palladium rules are a bit complicated for beginners, who were probably the main audience.  Palladium later set up an alternate setting for mutated animals outside of TMNT, so they could keep using the rules without the license. 

The Tomb of Dracula #10 facsimile     

I thought I said I wasn’t going to buy any more of these overpriced reprints?  I feel like a bit of sucker on that level.  But come on, it’s the first appearance of Blade!  How could I pass this up?  Am I a huge Blade fan?  Well, no, but I’ve watched the three Marvel movies on the Bounce network recently.  I’ve also seen him in a couple of classic Doctor Strange comics from the 80’s fighting Dracula. 

What an entrance!  This comic doesn’t explain anything about Blade.  There’s no origin story here.  He just shows up and kicks vampire ass.  That he wears oddly colored goggles at night and has the physical strength and agility to take on Dracula single-handedly, lets the reader know that there’s something up with him, no explanations were forthcoming this time. 

Yeah, this is about how I could see Dracula being introduced to a crowd.  There was an issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic book that had Harmony “coming out” as a vampire and becoming a reality show celebrity.  That story disturbed the hell out of me; it was entirely too plausible.  Dracula would be a hit on social media today. 

Soon enough, the façade comes down and Drac attempts to force a ship full of rich people to become his pawns.  The passengers fight back.  Who picked the Arab guy to whip out a cross?  No wonder Dracula was surprised.  Blade comes aboard to save the day, but the fight ends up being inconclusive.  

This was a lot of fun.  Whatever criticisms you might have on the depth of the characters or the story, you’d still enjoy it.  If it was 1973, I’d be seeking out the next issue.  Now, I’d have a track down some kind of reprint omnibus, which is probably out of print.  Shoot.  What a tease!

There was even a companion magazine, which I also would have picked up in 1973.  The Bullpen Bulletins section mentioned a zombie comic.  The early days of Marvel weren’t just superheroes.  They even did romance comics.   

I showed this comic to a friend at work.  He liked it too, but he really liked the old ads.  I liked this one for the Strategy & Tactics wargaming magazine.  Interesting they were doing a Vietnam scenario dated 1972.  The war was still going on. 

Of course, this ad is just timeless.

These two comics were essentially samplers, but pretty entertaining ones.

NM State Aggies vs Pepperdine Waves Women’s Basketball 11-20-19

I wasn’t able to get the night off for this game.  Gosh darn it, it was also Aggie Sports’ first Pride night and they were handing out rainbow-colored t-shirts.  I would have looked so good wearing one with my ass-less leather chaps.  There was supposed to be a radio call with Jack Nixon filling in, but I never found it.  (Too bad, I was looking forward to hearing him do a Women’s game.)  There was single-camera video coverage without any sound.  (I thought I saw Jack at the press table.)  They didn’t start putting the score on screen until the second half.  I wasn’t able to watch much while at work anyway.

This was a reciprocal engagement, as the Aggies had visited Pepperdine two years ago (12-17-17).  Former Coach Mark Trakh, who’d actually coached both programs, attended the game and cheered on the Aggies.  They’d won by 20, as Brooke Salas was also playing in front of friends and family there in California. 

This time, Pepperdine apparently brought a whole cheering section with them.  They were all in black shirts behind their bench.  The Aggie crowd looked a bit thin.  After losses to UTEP and UNM, enthusiasm may have dimmed.  From what I was able to watch, with little in the way of in-game stats or commentary, the Waves led for most of the game.   

When the game got near the end, I finally sat down and watched.  The Aggies were down by 9 with 30 seconds left.  There were a bunch of timeouts to stop the clock.  The Aggies managed to force 3 turnovers in that time.  Soufia Inossa got 2 steals.  Her and Aaliyah Prince both got layups.  The Aggies had a chance to tie with a near last-second shot, but Gia Pack missed a three.  72-69 Pepperdine was the final. 

With the game over, I looked over the stats.  Gia only had 6 points and three fouls, including a technical.  Our star tonight was freshman Shania Harper with 14 points and 12 rebounds.  I thought she looked like a player.  Next was another freshman, Soufia with 13.  Let the kids play!  Prince had 12, and Amanda Soderqvist was 3 of 5 in three-pointers.  This was a disappointing loss, but I’m encouraged by some of the performances tonight.

Cheer up ladies.  Things will come together for you.

(I wasn't sure what to do this short report other than post it by itself, since it's too long for a recap.  I should have been there anyway to do a full report.)

NM State Aggies vs UNM Lobos Women’s Basketball 11-17-19

I don’t know what’s a worse sign.  Starting off an Aggie post with a picture of a Lobo player, or pulling into the parking lot of the Pan-Am Center and seeing nothing but Lobo fans there.  Take your pick.  What’s frightening was that their chartered bus hadn’t even pulled up yet.  The Lobo fans had even come early.  Ron wanted to make sure to get the giveaway hat (of which, he already gotten one), so we’d come early too.  He was afraid they’d get all of them. 

Outside the ticket office, we met the ever friendly and effusive Aggie Marketing Director, Nicole.  Ron expressed concerned about all the Lobo fans, but Nicole was glad they were coming, because they were buying tickets.  (Not to mention, they charge extra for rivalry games.)  She was a bit bummed over the Aggie Men’s current score against Arizona in Tucson.  They were down 20 at the half.  As busy as she is, I was amazed she was keeping up with the out-of-town game.  (I’d forgotten about the game and had only tuned in for a couple of minutes, right before Ron had picked me up.)

Inside, we received our hats.  (Honestly, I have pile of hats at home.  I gave this one away at work.)  The stunning Emerson was there, but I chatted for a moment with her co-worker, who I recognized as the “Softball PA,” who’s also been doing some Pan-Am games.  I tried to get his name and asked twice.  It was something like, “Seer.”  Crap.  Anyway, I got to tell him he was doing a good job.  He wasn’t doing the announcing today.  They had regular PA Ed for this big rivalry game.

The Lobos were warming up on court, as the Visitor’s section filled up behind their bench.  One of their assistant coaches out there was rather attractive, Laneah Bryan.  I immediately picked out one of the players, Jaedyn de la Cerda, who’d torched the Aggies so badly last year (12-15-18).  She’s also really cute (as seen up at the top). 

Holy crap!  Over at the Lobo bench was Taylor Swift!  Apparently her current album is flopping so bad, she’s decided to switch careers and become a Lobo Assistant Coach under the pseudonym, “Valerie King.”  I hate her even more now!  Still, Ron was right; I did want to go down and meet her.  (To set her straight in her social and political beliefs, of course.)  [Okay, given she was across the court and my vision isn’t that sharp, there’s a possibility that it wasn’t her, but I’m pretty sure it was.  If this, “Valerie King,” is an actual different person, she’s gone to some lengths to do her hair, makeup, and wardrobe just like Tay.]

When the teams weren’t on court, a couple of staffers took care of the toddler that I think is Coach Atkinson’s son.  They were playing ball with him, I’m guessing under the coach’s instructions.  It’s never too early to start training.  When both teams were practicing, Aaliyah Prince and Lobo Jayla Everett met briefly at halfcourt and slapped hands.  I guess they know each other.  Jaedyn went over and gave the refs a sweet smile and a handshake when they came out. 

Listening over the radio I’d brought, the Aggie Men lost 83-53 to the Wildcats right before this game started.  That game didn’t seem take very long.  Brooke Salas was nowhere to be seen.  I was hoping she was still in town and that the coach might try to sneak her into the game.  Her and Jaedyn had a little personal rivalry going in their last meeting to see who would be the high-scorer.  (Even in the loss, Brooke still had the most points.)  I’m sure Brooke would have been game for a rematch. 

  

Thankfully, there ended up being more Aggie fans than Lobo fans present here.  The Lobo fans were louder though.  The Roadrunner Revue band played the obscure 80’s classic, Word Up.  I wonder how that happened.  Where would they have even heard the song?  I got ready to hear Taylor sing the Anthem, but she blew it off!  I cannot believe how anti-American she’s become.  What has happened to America’s Sweetheart?  Just as well.  If she had sang it, she probably would have taken a knee. 

      

First Half

It all started so well.  Aaliyah Prince made a steal.  She was tripped and took a hard fall, but got the bunny.  Soufia Inoussa hit a three.  I have the words, “Blistering action,” written as an excuse for not being able to take notes while standing.  The Lobo fans were also standing.  We were both waiting for the Lobos to score, but for different reasons.  Gia Pack picked up her first foul.  Nana Sule got a pair of rebounds.  Gia missed a three, but Soufia got the rebound and the basket. 

There were no scoreboard stats, so thank goodness for the radio call.  (What is up with the scoreboard operator this year?)  Gia got an assist to Prince for a layup.  Timeout Lobos.  It was 12-2 Aggies, after only a bit more than two minutes of play. 

Everyone got to sit after about ten minutes.  Ron pegged the turning point of this game to the timeout.  Taylor sany an inspirational little ditty for the team after Coach Bradbury finished yelling at them.  Najala Howell, who I remember from UTEP’s team, was now playing for the Lobos, though she’s not a graduate transfer.  The Lobos also had a broadcaster there for the team.  I’m in no hurry to get back to the coverage.

Nana got three rebounds on one possession, but no points.  Gia missed another three.  Her and Prince came out early after picking up a couple of fouls.  Amanda Soderqvist came in and hit a three right off the bench.  It was 15-2 Aggies with five minutes left in the first quarter.  It was nice of the Lobos to spot the Aggies a double-digit lead while they were getting warmed up.

Then the wheels came off for the Aggies.  Jaedyn got a shot and a foul.  Given all the fouls, Coach Atkinson must have told the team to play hard.  Right after that Micayla Buckner got a technical.  It seemed that a Lobo player had precipitated it, but a double technical wasn’t called.  The Lobos went in the bonus with the next foul.  Jayla hurt her wrist on her shooting hand on the play.  She took the shots anyway, made one, and then came out. 

Prince had to come out again after getting called for making a hard charge.  It was 15-10 Aggies with the Lobos on an 8-point run.  Jaedyn then got two layups and a foul shot to put UNM up 17-16.  With 1:30 left, Gia made an assist to Adrianna Henderson.  Gia wasn’t scoring, but was getting assists and rebounds, so she was still playing hard.  Coach Bradbury screamed to hold for the last shot, but the Lobos fouled and turned it over.  19-17 Aggies after ten minutes.

Second Quarter

Dino Dash was replaced with Dino Free Throws.  They apparently didn’t think this one through.  The contestant couldn’t shoot in the costume and had little chance to succeed.  The Roadrunner Revue played a Taylor Swift song.  It was either a troll or a tribute.  Tay pretended not to notice either way.

Gia missed her first shot and bumped Jaedyn to pick up her second foul.  These two were guarding each other most of the time, though Gia was taller.  Amanda came in for her.  Prince was also still out.  Without Gia, the Lobos got a couple of offensive rebounds and got a basket.  They were trying, but missing on several three-point attempts. 

UNM took the lead, 24-20.  Prince came back in and got a steal and a layup.  It was 26-20 Lobos with under five minutes.  During a timeout, the Lobo fans were trying to cheer over our Cheerleaders.  Lobo Corina Carter nearly got a steal out of the timeout.  Prince fouled her and went back to the bench.  Jaedyn was fouled to put the Lobos into the bonus again. 

28-20 Lobos with under four minutes left.  Soufia took a shot.  The ball hung on the rim for a moment and then fell off.  Amanda hit another three.  Ahlise Hurst answered with the first Lobo three.  31-23 Lobos with under two minutes left.  Shania Harper got a steal.  Soufia missed the layup off it, but made a jumper.  Hurst made another three. 

The Sundancers were escorting a troop of kids in for halftime on one end of the court.  Lobo Antonia Anderson got a block.  At the buzzer, Jaedyn drained her first three at the buzzer.  She stood there for a second to admire it.  It was 40-25 Lobos at the half.  Aggies fans were like, “What the F just happened?”  Lobos fans answered, “You just got schooled.”       

Halftime

Taylor Swift did not perform at halftime.  That b*tch!  What a snub to myself and Aggie fans and even the crummy Lobo fans here.  The band even knows a couple of her songs.  Does she really think she’s fooling anybody with this whole, “Assistant Coach,” bit?  It’s unlikely she could perform live without embarrassing herself anyway.  (Sniff.  I’m still disappointed.)  The little kids did something out on court.  Whatever.

When I left to go to the bathroom (and to see if anyone was selling Lobo gear in the concourse to change into), I saw Volleyball Coach Mike Jordan sitting by the aisle.  I couldn’t resist congratulating him on his great season and wishing him luck in the WAC Tournament.  I also asked about Cat Kelly and her injury.  He didn’t sound hopeful.  I said something nice about Brigette Lowe filling in for her and the coach was noncommittal.  When I came back, I told Ron about seeing him.  He went to go pay his respects as well.

PA Ed and Pistol Pete were chatting on the sidelines.  Two icons.  The video board showed a clip from Ferris Buhler’s Day Off, where he was singing the Beatles’ Twist and Shout at the parade.  The Revue then played, Hey (or whatever that song is called).  The section of Lobo fans were cheering along with it.

Third Quarter

Gia got an assist to Adenike Aderinto to start.  The Aggies went to a high pressure defense.  Soufia knocked a ball away and Prince got a layup.  40-32 Lobos with 8 minutes left.  The Lobo fans were standing again, waiting for the first UNM score.  On the radio, Adam mentioned that Prince had 11 points in 9 minutes of play.

The Lobos got a steal and a layup.  Gia made her first shot of the game.  There was a Lobo turnover.  It was the fourth travel call of the game on Bride Kennedy-Hope.  The coach sat her down.  Nike broke up a home run throw across the court.  Gia earned two free throws on a very hard foul.  She made them.  The Lobos made another turnover.  Taylor Swift became very upset and started yelling at the team, like she thinks she’s an actual coach. 

Nike got a bank shot under the basket to make it 44-37 with four minutes left.  After over 10 fouls in the first half, the Aggies had their first foul of the second halfway through the quarter.  The coach must have told them to chill on the overly physical play.  The Revue played another Taylor Swift song.  They were taunting her. 

Jaedyn got her first points of the half out of the timeout.  Gia was hammered again driving the lane and got two more free throws.  Gia then hit a three, but Anderson got two jumpers in the meantime.  52-42 Lobos, 2:30 left.  Gia was fouled again and made the free throws, but the Lobos kept scoring.  Give Gia a Purple Heart, as she took yet another trip to the nail.  She made 8 free throws in a row for the quarter.

Harper out-boxed the Lobos for a rebound.  Coach Bradbury bumped one of the refs complaining, but she didn’t call him for it.  Amanda hit another three to make it 59-49 with 30 seconds left.  Prince was fouled and made her shots.  There was Hurst again with a three at the buzzer.  62-51 Lobos.

Fourth Quarter

One of the Cheerleader girls started salsa dancing while being held up by one of the guys.  It was a brave maneuver.  Hurst picked up where she left off with another three to start the fourth.  Prince hit a jumper coming back, but Jaedyn then put in a three.  Hurst made another three.  The Lobo fans were going wild.  Timeout Aggies. 

Hurst hit another three for her fourth in a row.  She must be living right.  74-53 Lobos.  Gia hit a jumper.  Hurst finally missed, but the Lobos stuck it in on a putback.  Gia hit a three.  This would be great if it were still the first quarter.  The officials stopped play to check the time, as if anyone wanted this one to go any longer. 

Jaedyn had another three.  At some point, you just have to admire the show.  Prince had a steal and a layup.  Amanda hit another three.  I think the Aggies have found an outside shooter.  79-63 Lobos, four minutes left.  Soufia passed to Nike under the basket for two.  Hey, I’m on the last page of the notebook I started with this fall.  Good timing.  Late, we had the unlikely combo of Prince passing to Amanda for a layup on a fast break.  The crowd and the band cheered that one.  Hurst made another three.  Why not?  Gia missed a last-second three to end the game.  86-67 Lobos final.

What’s really scary is that the Lobos are without their best player, Aisia Robertson.  They lost her going into the Mountain West Tournament and for the NIT Tournament last season.  I’d wondered what happened to them, as they were eliminated in both in the first round.  She may be back when the Aggies visit Albuquerque next month. 

 

Jaedyn de la Cerda finished with 26 points.  She played up to the Lobo fans in the stands as the team was leaving.  I’m told she’s just a bench player, scoring in single-digits for the games where the Lobos aren’t playing the Aggies.  Jaedyn is clearly on a mission whenever she plays NMSU for some reason.  Ahlise Hurst had 22 points off of 7 three-pointers and a free throw.  Whew!  That’s some damage.  I missed a couple of baskets on the scorecard today, but can you blame me?

Coach Atkinson was oddly low key in the postgame interview.  The Lobos have absolutely had her team’s number during her tenure.  Adam Young on the radio thought this was probably the best team the Women would be facing all year.  (They also went on to destroy UTEP a couple of days later.) 

Gia Pack led the Aggies with 18 points.  They were all in the second half, which was essentially garbage time by that point.  8 were off of free throws.  It’s good she got her shot back from losing it against UTEP, but it was too little, too late.  Aaliyah Prince had 17, which wasn’t far off from the minutes she played.  I think the Aggies might have at least made it close if those two had been playing more, but all the fouls in the first half ruined that.  Losing Gia and Prince at the same time, killed the offense.  Amanda Soderqvist was a bright spot with 14 points on 4 threes.  

I tried to get Taylor Swift’s autograph in the Lobo locker room, but was forcibly removed.  “All right for you!  We are never, ever getting back together, Tay!”  While being ejected, I pointed at Jaedyn and tossed her my number.  Miming a phone with my hand, I mouthed out, “Call me, maybe?”  Awkwardly, I ran into the Aggie team outside of the locker room, who saw the whole event.  “What!” I said and stormed off.

Well I never!  What a terrible experience!  Outside, me and Ron (who was pretending he didn’t know me) saw the charter bus for the Lobo fans waiting them.  Even with all of the fouls and points, the game took under two hours.  I had hoped to see the end of the NASCAR Championship race.  Our first stop for dinner was nearby Raising Canes, but it was closed for some sort of accident cleanup inside.  We settled on 5 Guys, but by the time we got to my apartment, Kyle Busch had already won.  I didn’t even turn the TV on.  Shoot, we could have gone anywhere for dinner, if I wasn’t going get to see the race.  Disappointment abounds.