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Paul Hirsch

Is Michael Crabtree Becoming an Enigma?

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The comings and goings of Michael Crabtree have dominated 49er training camps in each of his two seasons with the team. Last year the first round draft choice sat out training camp and the first five games of the regular season in a contract dispute. This year, he made it to camp but a neck injury has kept him out of all the preseason games, and his lack of attention to detail led to a profane and public calling out from offensive captain Vernon Davis.

The exact content of the 20-minute heated discussion between Davis and Crabtree was not shared with the public. What is known is that many on the San Francisco roster are tiring of Crabtree’s diva-like behavior but feel powerless to say anything because of the young receiver’s skill and position in the organization.

Crabtree was selected 10th overall by the 49ers in the 2009 draft after his sophomore season at Texas A&M. In his very first game with the team, despite having become the longest rookie holdout in 49er history, Crabtree caught five passes for 56 yards and played more snaps than any other receiver on the team. Crabtree finished his rookie campaign with 48 receptions, 625 yards and 2 touchdowns in only 11 games. He led all rookie receivers with 56.8 yards per game.

That performance on top of his six year, $32 million contract ($17 million guaranteed) has obviously made him special in the eyes of the 49ers organization, and it appears that Crabtree has taken full advantage by milking his Aug. 12 neck injury for all its value and minimizing his work in training camp. On Sep. 1, Davis decided enough was enough.

Head coach Mike Singletary not only seemed to endorse the 20-minute on-field conversation, he let it continue in the locker room afterwards. When he faced the media after practice, he wasn’t exactly dismayed with what took place even if he seemed to wish Davis had handled things a little differently.

“You have kids and every now and then your kids have some misunderstandings or what have you and they forget that there is a father at home,” said Singletary. “They were both wrong. And we will not have distractions on this team, Vernon just forgot temporarily, and that is not allowed. We don’t do that. We don’t treat family like that. We don’t disrespect each other. And I just needed to remind him that that’s not who we are. He’s fine. He did a great job. He’s one of the captains. He did the right thing, but he did it the wrong way.”

Certainly the 49ers hope that the next bit of Crabtree news relates to his on the field prowess. In college he was the first two-time winner of the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in the NCAA. He also won the similar Paul Warfield Award twice in his only two years as an undergraduate player and was a multiple first team All America Selection.

Beyond his perfect record avoiding preseason games for two consecutive seasons, the Chronicle reports that Crabtree frequently ignores the media and is one of the very few players unresponsive after games, even wins. At age 23 the 6-1, 217 pound physical genius does not seem to understand that the main conduit between players and fans is the media, and that he will have very little goodwill on which to fall back if his on-field performance slips.

What may save Crabtree is the understanding that his financial future is tied up in his behavior as well as his performance. He has endorsement deals with EA Sports to appear on their game boxes, and with Subway to promote their sandwiches. Those jobs will demand that Crabtree develop a positive persona as well as help the 49ers win games.

Is Hope Enough to Sustain Bay Area Sports Fans?

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The Sharks lost to Chicago this spring in the Stanley Cup Playoff Western Conference Finals. They’ve never won the Stanley Cup. The Giants haven’t won the World Series since 1954, when they were the based in New York. The Warriors last won the NBA Championship in 1975, and the A’s haven’t won the World Series since 1989.

The list goes on. Cal’s last Rose Bowl trip came when major college players still routinely played both offense and defense. The Raiders have been at the bottom of their division for years, and even our crown jewel, the 49ers, haven’t been to the Super Bowl since the 1994 season or even made the playoffs since 2002. Stanford points to its entrance requirements when it can’t compete well in football or men’s basketball.

So what sustains us? Why do we buy the jerseys, paint our faces, pay high ticket prices, call KNBR, get tweets on our smartphones, and stay up late to watch the ESPN highlights and get the West Coast scores before bed? Is the rare playoff appearance or odd deep run in the playoffs worth the frustration of regularly falling short?

Why do we put up with steroids, blood doping, cheating, disinformation, tape-delayed Olympic events, and often boorish behavior of high-profile athletes that we have to explain to our children? And based on the size of our market or what local owners are willing to pay, often our best professional players leave for greener pastures once they establish themselves as stars. Yet, for some reason, we keep watching.

According to the New York Times, some researchers have found that fervent fans become so tied to their teams that they experience hormonal surges and other physiological changes while watching games, much as the athletes do. The self-esteem of some male and female fans also rises and falls with a game’s outcome, with losses affecting their optimism about everything from getting a date to winning at darts, one study showed.

One theory the Times quotes traces the roots of fan psychology to a primitive time when human beings lived in small tribes, and warriors fighting to protect tribes were true genetic representatives of their people.

In modern society, professional and college athletes play a similar role for a city in the stylized war on a playing field; the theory goes as quoted in the Times. Even though professional athletes are mercenaries in every sense, their exploits may re-create the intense emotions in some fans that tribal warfare might have in their ancestors. It may also be these emotions that have in large part fueled the explosion in the popularity of sports over the last three decades.

”Our sports heroes are our warriors,” Robert Cialdini, a professor of psychology at Arizona State, told the Times about sports fans. ”This is not some light diversion to be enjoyed for its inherent grace and harmony. The self is centrally involved in the outcome of the event. Whoever you root for represents you.”

So there we have it. If Professor Cialdini is right, we almost have no choice. We root for teams representing our place or other important association, and we have visceral reactions to the results of those contests. Is that enough to sustain Warrior fans through one playoff appearance in 16 seasons, or Giants fans through years of anemic hitting since the departure of Barry Bonds? Apparently it is.

What do you think? Why do you root for your favorite teams? Do results matter, or do you identify with the old Brooklyn Dodger fan lament of “Wait ‘till next year,” almost no matter what? Is it the journey or the destination? I’ve set up a mailbox, paullhirsch@yahoo.com (don’t forget the second ‘l’) to collect your responses for use in a future column. Maybe we’ll gain some insights as to why we do the things we do in the name of sport.

Is This the Year 49ers Finally Gel?

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Spring and summer have been wonderful for the 49ers. The stadium proposition passed in Santa Clara with more than 60 per cent of the vote. Their draft selections of Anthony Davis and Mike Iaupati promise to shore up the offensive line, and the team was selected to participate in the annual NFL regular-season game in London.

Its coach, Mike Singletary, has had time to put his own imprint on the team, young owner Jed York has put a much better public face on the team than did his father John, and the constant stumbling by the Raiders enhances the 49ers local reputation.

Next month begins the games begin, which can be the hard part. This year, though, looks to be the first since 2002 when the team should be a solid bet to make the NFL Playoffs.

Alex Smith showed signs late last season that he is ready to lead the team. If he falters, former Houston Texans starter David Carr provides insurance. They also have legitimate All Pro candidates in running back Frank Gore, linebacker Patrick Willis, and receiver Michael Crabtree. The best news might be that 2010 looks like a down year for the team’s division opponents.

Arizona should be negatively affected by the retirement of quarterback Kurt Warner and the questions regarding replacement Matt Leinart’s fitness as an NFL quarterback. The Rams are coming off a season where they won just one game, and Seattle is adjusting to a new coach as Pete Carroll escaped from USC just before the NCAA put the Trojans on probation and will try to reverse the losing NFL record he built with the Jets and Patriots in the 1990s.

The schedule also works in their favor. Two of their toughest opponents figure to be defending Super Bowl champions New Orleans and the Philadelphia Eagles. Both those games are at home. They also have a rare showdown with the Raiders, also scheduled for Candlestick Park. The 49ers’ toughest road game is just 500 miles away in San Diego, and they only face the distraction of a Monday Night Football game just once, in Arizona on Nov. 29.

Coach Singletary is upbeat regarding the team’s performance in early drills. “I thought our offense got better, I thought Alex (Smith) did a great job of having a command of the offense and executing the offense fairly well. I thought the receivers did a good job. The O-line continues to progress,” he said. As for the defense, “On the defensive side of the ball, our D-line is working. Our linebackers, it was great to see Willis back in the mix. It’s a work in progress, but I think we’ll get better.”

If Singletary is right and things do get better, then last year’s 8-8 record could become 10-6 in 2010, which should be enough to win the NFC West and earn a berth in the playoffs.

Certified Divorce Financial Analysts Help Splitting Couples Follow the Money

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Statistically speaking, marriage is a leap of faith. About half of all first marriages end in divorce, and the rates for second marriages are only a little better. One of the biggest knots to untie when a marriage fails is financial, and that is where a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst like Nick Ventimiglio, CDFA, of San Ramon can help.

“Most clients come to me in a huge state of fear caused by uncertainty,” Ventimiglio said. “For some this uncertainty is coupled with grief and others it’s anger. Regardless, the common thread is fear. 

“Is my spouse hiding assets? Should I try to keep the house?  Will I have enough income after the divorce? Should I take assets in lieu of spousal support? How will I move forward and build a new life after my divorce?  Many times, the weight of this uncertainty is so heavy that without the proper support and professional guidance from an attorney and/or CDFA, the client avoids taking action, simply waiting for the entire ordeal to be handled by the opposing party.”

The ostrich-like approach of sticking one’s head in the sand and perhaps surrendering control to their soon-to-be former spouse is rarely effective. “Many times the attorney’s don’t have the specific training or background to know if the asset split  and other arrangements they are negotiating are actually in the long term financial interest of the client,” Ventimiglio explained.  “That is where a CDFA can be most beneficial – in supporting the attorney’s efforts and analyzing the potential outcomes of different arrangements (based on financial facts instead of emotion) before they are agreed to or suggested to the opposing party.

A CDFA is a financial analyst who specializes in the financial issues surrounding divorce. The role of the CDFA includes acting as an advisor to one party’s attorney, or as a mediator for both parties. A CDFA uses his or her knowledge of tax law, asset distribution, and short- and long-term financial planning to achieve an equitable settlement.

Ventimiglio had seven years of financial planning experience before becoming a CDFA. He was required to complete four separate specialized exams and a final written case study to earn his CDFA accreditation.

“Finding professional financial advice in the Bay Area is not hard. There are many well-qualified practitioners in every city. I saw professional financial guidance for those going through a divorce as an under-served niche. In most marriages, one party handles the finances and the other is mostly in the dark. I like helping the person in the dark see the light by providing them with the financial guidance needed to confidently move forward.”

Ventimiglio’s office is at 2010 Crow Canyon Place, Suite 100, in San Ramon. He can be reached by calling 925-824-3191, emailing nick@EastBayCDFA.com, or by visiting his website at www.EastBayCDFA.com.

Danville’s Just Tix Puts You in the Game

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Have you ever wondered how people get great seats for great events? Can you see yourself on the 50-yard line at the Super Bowl or in the front row at AT&T Park? Are you dieing to get out of the balcony and into the orchestra? If so, Just Tix in Danville may have just the ticket for you.

“We make it easy for our customers to get the best seats for the best events,” said Howie Herbert, who runs Just Tix with his father Howard in the Trader Joe’s shopping center next to San Ramon Valley High School in Danville.

Those events include The Big Game between Cal and Stanford, Dodger-Giant games at AT&T Park, Yankee and Red Sox visits to Oakland, Laker-Warrior games, and Shark playoff series. Just Tix also offers theatre and concert tickets and allows its customers to avoid investing in season tickets or planning months ahead when they want to go to a hot show like Wicked.

“Our mission is to be the best ticket company in the Bay Area,” said Howard Herbert. “And we do that by treating our customers as we like to be treated ourselves.”

Surprisingly, some of the tickets Just Tix sells are below face value. “We buy season tickets to all the major professional and major college teams in the Bay Area,” said Howie Herbert. “While that ensures that we have all the premium games, it also leaves us with many lesser events. We might sell midweek baseball games in great seats at pennies on the dollar. When the local teams are having off years, which was the case until very recently for all but the Sharks, we sell even attractive games at less than face value.

“We make it up with theatre and concert tickets, which are always strong, and will collect premium prices for the high-demand games.”

While Just Tix focuses on premium seats, they also have inventory in the less expensive sections. “We discovered that some customers just want to be in the building, and since we want to provide the best possible service to the greatest number of people, we’ve expanded our inventory.” Howard said. “If you want the very best seat in the bleachers or in the balcony, we now have those, too.”

For an event like the Super Bowl, Just Tix will quote a price depending on where in the stadium a customer would like to sit. “Then, we get them that ticket…even if it means we take a loss on it,” Howie Herbert said. Just Tix has relationships with hundreds of other ticket brokers all over the country to not only serve big events like the World Series and The Final Four, but also to serve local customers who are traveling and might want to take in a game at Yankee Stadium or see the Packers at Lambeau Field.

Just Tix will even hire someone to stand in line for customers who buy tickets for general admission-only events and want the best location, but don’t have the time to wait for hours at a venue.

The Herberts also strive to accommodate last minute requests. They have helped customers propose marriage from premium seats at big games, and have also bailed out husbands who have forgotten anniversaries and needed last minute theatre tickets.

The most famous last minute request Just Tix handled came from comedian and Chicago sports fanatic Dan Akroyd. Akroyd’s plane was landing at SFO at 12:30, and he called Just Tix as he was taxiing on the runway looking for tickets to that afternoon’s 1:05 p.m. Cub-Giant game at AT&T Park. The Herberts were able to arrange for Akroyd to have seats waiting at will call, and then saw him while they watched the game on TV and the cameras focused on Akroyd…in the front row.

The Herberts emphasize that customers who are not celebrities can also count on the level of service Akroyd enjoyed. “If you need tickets for yourself, your family, your team at work, or a group of 200, we can get you the seats you want to the event you want to see,” said Howie Herbert. Just Tix can be reached by calling 800-367-8499 or via the Internet at www.justtix.com.

Flex Fitness & Pilates in Danville Offers Alternative to Standard Gyms

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Have you ever wondered who might have sweated on the treadmill right before you jumped on for your workout? Or…did they wipe off the equipment? Or…whether or not your self-devised training program was really ideal?

If any of that has crossed your mind, or if you are interested in a personalized approach for improving your fitness in time for that beach vacation this summer, you might want to consider the program that Gary Bush and his personal trainers have put together at Flex Personal Training and Pilates, at Bush’s 5,000 square foot studio near Crow Canyon and Camino Tassajara in Danville.

Fitness has been a part of Bush’s entire life. He was a good enough athlete to play football, basketball and baseball in high school and football in college for Cal State Hayward.
Unfortunately, he injured his knee during his freshman football season which prevented him from playing baseball, “which was always my best sport.”

Injury rehabilitation and orthopedic techniques in the early 1970s were not what they are today. Bush wound up having to rehab his knee himself, and also rehab his shoulder and neck on his own following subsequent injuries. This led to a deeper interest in fitness and training, which he combined with a career as a real estate broker that began in 1976.

Originally a self-made trainer, Bush eventually earned AAFA certification and taught fitness classes at Club Sport, 24 Hour Fitness, and Bally’s. During that time he devised a group fitness camp for Bally’s that in 2003 became a nationwide offering. While working for those other companies, Bush learned what he did and did not want to do in his own shop.

“I grew to understand that individualized is different in reference to fat burning and muscle gain,” Bush said. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach that can be effective for everyone.”

As a result Bush emphasizes personal training and Tandem Training Fit Camps at Flex, which he opened in February of 2009. Classes start at $25 per session. “We’re looking to improve our clients’ fitness, their happiness, and their effectiveness in everything they do,” Bush said. “Fitness levels have a direct correlation to physical stamina and mental well being. Even though we opened at just about the worst possible time to start a new business, we’ve survived and even thrived. We’ve done well because we care and they respond with their loyalty and their referrals.” Bush says that he and his team of 14 certified trainers and instructors follow up whenever a client misses a class or cancels an appointment. “We want to make sure that they are staying with the program, and if they’re not we want
to find out why.” Bush and his team help their clients devise healthy lifestyles for the 265 hours each week that they are away from the gym.

Today Flex completes about 300 sessions per week for clients with room for about three times that many. Bush offers a full range of cardio equipment, free weights, medicine balls, kettle bells, TRX machines and dumbbells for trainers to incorporate into each fitness session. It also offers 15 Pilates classes that can serve up to 90 people, along with Taekwondo, Belly Dancing and Latin Dance instruction. Future plans include Yoga classes and massage.

“While there is no such thing as a one-size-fits all approach, it is possible to offer one-stop shopping for people interested in improving their fitness and enhancing their lives. That is our goal at Flex,” Bush said.

For more information on Flex Personal Training & Pilates you can visit www.flexptp.com or call 925-964-9800.

Major League Baseball Alumni Help Lazarex Cancer Foundation Raise Funds

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If you like to play golf, hang out with former major league baseball players and support a local organization that gives end-stage cancer patients hope and another chance, then there is an event next month that might be for you. On May 16 and 17 members of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) will swing golf clubs instead of baseball bats to help the Lazarex Cancer Foundation of Danville raise money to continue its mission of providing hope and time to patients who have been told that conventional medicine can no longer help them.

The May 16 dinner and May 17 golf tournament will be held at the Green Valley Country Club in Fairfield. The Sunday evening festivities begin with a hosted wine reception and silent auction of sports memorabilia at 5:30 p.m. Dinner is served immediately thereafter. Registration for the golf tournament begins Monday at 10:30 a.m. with a shotgun start scheduled for noon. Raffle prizes include accommodations at the La Costa Resort and Spa, the Monterey Plaza Hotel, and the Four Seasons Resorts in San Francisco and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Tickets for the dinner and reception are $180 per person and the golf registration is $250 per player. The golf registration includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and awards. Portions of the dinner ticket and golf registration fees may be tax deductible. Those interested can reserve a spot at the dinner and/or the golf tournament by visiting www.lazarex.org/events.

Ten-year major leaguer Jim Pagliaroni will be among the players attending the dinner and the golf tournament. Pagliaroni caught Catfish Hunter’s 1968 perfect game in Oakland, played with Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski on the Boston Red Sox, and Roberto Clemente on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pagliaroni was also a member of the 1969 Seattle Pilots and featured prominently in Jim Bouton’s best-selling book Ball Four. Other players include former Giants Rich Murray, Hobie Landrith and Ed Bressoud and former Athletics Tim Cullen and Chris Codiroli. Each foursome will be joined by an MLBPAA alumnus, and players will participate in the dinner and reception.

“We are very grateful to the MLBPAA and our other sponsors for supporting us in giving hope to cancer victims who might otherwise have no other alternative,” said Lazarex CEO Dana Dornsife. ““We help patients from all walks of life find experimental treatments in FDA-approved clinical trials and, when needed, we provide financial assistance to help with associated costs like transportation and housing. Many of our patients experience longer and higher-quality lives as a result of the support Lazarex can offer.”

Those needing overnight accommodations in Fairfield for the dinner and golf tournament can get a reduced rate at the Staybridge Suites located at 4775 Business Center Drive in Fairfield. The phone number for reservations is 707-863-0903.

More information on the golf tournament is available by contacting Tournament Director Cherie McCammon at cherie@mc2golfpro.com. Those interested in more information on continuing support for the Lazarex Cancer Foundation can contact Director of Development Susan Sappington at susan@lazarex.org.

Local Baseball Fans Celebrate SABR Day in America

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The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) celebrated its first SABR Day in America on Jan. 30 at 34 locations around the world, including Armadillo Willy’s restaurant in Dublin. SABR is a member-driven nonprofit organization made up of nearly 7,000 members who are fans of baseball and its rich and varied history. Although a sizable portion (about 10%) of the membership comes together for SABR’s national convention each year, with 55 chapters scattered through the US (as well as Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and Japan), it would impossible to gather the entire SABR community in one place at one time. The organization’s alternative solution was to have as many members as possible come together on the same day—regardless of where they live.

And come together they did. In Canada, Puerto Rico, New England, the Atlantic Seaboard, the Great Lakes region, the South, and up and down the West Coast, baseball enthusiasts broke up the sport’s winter hiatus with a day devoted to celebrating America’s Game. Typical events included trivia contests, member research presentations, book raffles, guest speakers from local teams, visits from former big league players, and historic baseball videos. Twenty SABR members and guests enjoyed half-price hamburgers and fellowship at the Dublin gathering.

The group discussed some recent research members had completed, including biographies of Joe Pignatano, Ralph Branca and Ed Roebuck and further research on the Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles. Doug McWilliams of Berkeley shared his collection of Lee Sussman baseball cartoons, including game-day scorecard covers for the Oakland Oaks and Oakland Athletics. McWilliams, a professional photographer who shot baseball cards for Topps among other clients during his career, also announced that his personal collection had been accepted for the archives of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

As a member of SABR’s national board of directors, I moderated a spirited trivia contest won by Mike Tormey of Alameda, with 24 correct answers of 33. Tormey won the book Mathematician at the Ballpark and a box of Cracker Jack. I also shared recent board developments and answered member questions. Topics covered included SABR’s financial state and 2010-2011 convention planning for national gatherings in Atlanta and Los Angeles. For the last hour we settled in to watch Game One of the 1979 NLCS on The MLB Network.

The organization plans to continue SABR Day in America every year on the last Saturday in January, on top of regular events held by its 55 local chapters and its 24 research committees and the annual convention held one long weekend each year between mid-June and early August. SABR also distributes three or four original publications each year sent to every member at no additional cost beyond the annual dues of $65.

If exploring such subjects as the history of spring training, women in baseball or the history and lore of ballparks appeals to you, you can explore joining SABR by visiting www.sabr.org or calling the national office at 800-969-7227.

SAMPLE SABR TRIVIA QUESTIONS

Try your luck with these trivia questions asked during SABR Day in America at Armadillo Willy’s restaurant in Dublin.

Which three players made up the starting outfield for the American League in the 1955, 1956, and 1957 All Star Games?
Ted Williams, Al Kaline, and Mickey Mantle

Who gave up the Will Clark’s National League Championship Series winning hit that put the Giants in the 1989 World Series?
Mitch Williams

Who was the last A’s pitcher to start an All Star Game?
Dan Haren (2007 at AT&T Park)

In 1973 Nolan Ryan threw two no hitters. Who were his two catchers?
Jeff Torborg and Art Kusnyer

College Basketball Excellence Right in Our Own Backyard

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One of the best kept secrets in all of college basketball is the St. Mary’s Gaels Men’s Basketball program as run by head coach Randy Bennett. Since his arrival before the 2001-2002 season, Coach Bennett has taken a program that was 2-27 in 2000-2001 and turned it into a consistent contender in the West Coast Conference (WCC) and a regular in post season play. One of his players, Pat Mills, now performs in the NBA for the Portland Trail Blazers. “I believe that if you do certain things on the basketball court you are going to be successful,” Bennett said. “Those things include work hard, defend, rebound, take care of the ball and be a good teammate.”

“We also get guys on the terms we want,” he continued. “We look for good people and good students who are also have a commitment to being good basketball players. We look for the same guys UCLA wants, that Gonzaga wants, guys who can play with those players and win games.” Bennett is able to do all that despite a lack of resources, disadvantages in scheduling, playing in a conference that is lacks the local notoriety of the Pac 10, and sub-par facilities compared too many of the schools against which he competes for talent. “Kids dream of playing in the Pac 10. We’re not going to change that,” Bennett noted. “We need to find kids good enough to play in the Pac 10 but not being recruited by them, whether they’re transfer students, under the radar, or Australian.”

The Australian connection has been a major success story for Bennett. Since Adam Caphorn and Daniel Kickert joined the program in 2001 and 2002 respectively, Bennett has recruited 10 Australian players, including the Trail Blazer’s Mills. “We’ve gone 10 for 10 with our Australian players, and that’s unheard of,” he said. “Five good recruits in a row from anywhere is remarkable.” Kickert is still the Gaels career scoring leader.

Bennett now has an Australian assistant coach, David Patrick, which helps keep the pipeline filled. The current roster has five Australians, and most of them play a major role in the team’s success. “The basketball community there is small, and good news travels fast,” Bennett says about his program’s success with Australian players. “We’re near the top of the food chain among U.S. College programs. Ever since Mills played for us we’ve been on TV as much over there as their pro leagues.” Bennett himself still makes annual visits down under to help St. Mary’s keep its high profile with top Australian high school players.

Just as remarkable as the Australian connection is the fact that St. Mary’s lost six of its ten top players from last season’s 25-7 squad, including Mills, and has maintained its winning ways this year. Bennett credits the leadership of last year’s upperclassmen for setting the tone for this season’s success. “Guys like Mills, Diamon Simpson, and Ian O’Leary not only played heavy minutes for us last year, they were great leaders who built the program and showed the younger players how it should get done. Now, four of our top eight players are freshmen, so we have a chance to be pretty good for the next few years.”
Bennett says his goals for the program include becoming a perennial NCAA Tournament team and winning games once it gets to the tournament. As the head coach of what is known as a mid-major program, Bennett points to the success of Xavier, Butler and Gonzaga and calls them role models for what he is trying to accomplish at St. Mary’s.

With all the notoriety the program gets for its Australian connection, it’s sometimes easy to forget that the featured player on this year’s team is San Ramon Valley High School graduate Omar Samhan. The 6-11, 265 pound senior moves well under the basket and controls a lot of games when opponents can’t match his size and strength. “Omar was under the radar in high school,” Bennett says. “He’s been a great leader for this team.”

“We have a beautiful campus and a small school where great relationships are built,” Bennett said. “It’s a unique place. We have a lot that bigger schools can’t offer.” Lately, that has included entertaining and winning basketball for local fans.”

Village Theatre Peanuts Exhibit Showed Baseball for the Fun of It

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There is perhaps no better embodiment of the old saying that “it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game,” than Charley Brown’s baseball team from the old Peanuts comic strip. Several dozen of those strips, dating as far back as 1952, were on display from Nov. 14 to Dec. 20 at the Village Theatre in Danville in an exhibit entitled Peanuts at Bat.

It was the first of a series of visiting exhibits to be displayed at the newly renovated historic theatre. The building, opened in 1913, was almost turned into a parking lot in 1987, and was re-opened in its current form as part of the Peanuts at Bat Grand Opening on Nov. 14.

According to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, the owners and organizers of Peanuts at Bat, the Peanuts team won six games over the years and suffered innumerable losses. The fact that they kept on playing season after season captures the spirit of participation that the Town of Danville aspires to in its own sports program through its slogan, “Everybody Can Play,” said Assistant Town Manager Marcia Somers.

Everybody can play is a hallmark of the Peanuts team. Its regular lineup, according to the Village Theatre’s docent notes, included a dog at shortstop and an all-girl outfield. Charley Brown pitched almost every game, which led to his developing Little League elbow. Linus replaced him on the mound and the team went on a rare, but brief, winning streak.

A small part of the Peanuts exhibit pays homage to Schulz’s love of the San Francisco Giants. In one strip, Charley Brown lost a spelling bee when he was asked to spell maze, but instead spelled the last name of Giants centerfielder Willie Mays. In a December 1962 strip, Linus and Charley Brown sit morosely on a curb for three panels before Charley Brown blurts, “Why couldn’t McCovey have hit it three feet higher?” This is in reference to a line drive McCovey hit that was caught by the Yankees’ Bobby Richardson at second base to end Game 7 of the 1962 World Series. Had the ball landed safely two runs would have scored and the Giants would have been World Champions.

Schulz also took note of baseball trends. In one strip the Peanuts gang is at an autograph show discussing how much each had paid to get an autograph of their favorite real-life player. Charley Brown’s favorite player was the fictional Joe Schlabotnik. He was so bad that he paid Charley Brown a dollar to take his autograph.

The Peanuts at Bat exhibit is the first of a series of art exhibits that will grace the Village Theatre lobby on an ongoing basis. “We chose the Peanuts exhibit first because we wanted to draw families,” said Somers. The exhibit’s contents earned overwhelming approval from the Town’s Art Commission, and according to Somers, children as young as 3 and up through the teen years have visited.

Somers says that the 1,100 square foot space in the Village Theatre lobby will regularly host traveling exhibits available for public viewings. On Jan. 30 an exhibit of contemporary Irish stained glass will begin a two month stay, and a collection of art work celebrating Mt. Diablo will be featured from April 10 to June 6. Gallery hours are 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Wednesdays to Saturdays and from 11 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. There is no charge for admission, and a docent is always available during regular gallery hours. Those attending theatrical productions at the Village Theatre can enjoy the lobby art series at no additional charge.

Further information is available by calling 925-314-3400 or by visiting www.ci.danville.ca.us.

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