From: CougarFan Insider Subject: Call's Court Date: 05 Jan 2001 09:22:53 -0700

Call's Court

Coach Nathan Call Answers Subscribers Questions

Assistant BYU basketball coach Nathan Call answers subscriber questions in a weekly feature called "Call's Court". The subscriber that asks Coach Call the best question will win a BYU basketball T-shirt. This week's winner is marked with asterik (*).

Send your questions to callscourt@cougarfan.com .

*Question from Paul Georgia: "There are some rumors cropping up on internet discussion boards that Meads and Pinegar will never play a minute for BYU. The story is that they are either unhappy and want to transfer or the coaches are unhappy with them and want them to transfer. Could you lay these rumors to rest?"

Coach Call: "There are always rumors about players who are red-shirting and about players who are not playing as much as the other players. We recruited Garner Meads and Jesse Pinegar to a major part of our team. It is difficult for freshman to come in and play a lot of minutes on a major college basketball team, especially one that has a lot of talent and upper classman.

"I didn't play a lot during the first part of my freshman season. A lot people were saying different things about me. I was very frustrated. The thought of transfer to another school crossed my mind. Every player thinks about it. Then I realized that every player goes through an adjustment period. It takes time and some players adjust quicker than others.

"Mark Bigelow played a lot of minutes on an average basketball team a few years ago. He was put into a difficult situation, because we asked a lot from him as a freshman. We are a better basketball team than a few years ago. If he was a freshman on this year's team we would be a candidate to red shirt or he would not play the same amount of minutes as he did. Mark is a very competitive person and always wants to be on the floor. It would be very difficult for Mark to sit on the bench and watch our team play. It would not be a easy thing to do, but Mark would trade minutes, points, and even a red shirt year to help BYU be a better basketball team. He is that type of person. He wants to be a part of a special team at BYU. He is very excited about the new players in the program.

"The Coaching staff, Garner, and Jesse decided it would be better for them in the long run to sit out this year. It hasn't been easy for either of them, because they have been dreaming about playing college basketball for a long time. I feel they both have handled the situation great. How many minutes they play for us will depend on how hard they work in the next couple of years. We expect them to score a lot of points during their careers at BYU. We are extremely happy that they are on our team!"

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Reminder: Men's Basketball vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Saturday, January 6, 7:00 pm MST

If you have questions for Coach Call about the game, send them to callscourt@cougarfan.com .

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------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: CougarFan Insider Subject: Call's Court Date: 16 Jan 2001 09:40:04 -0700

Call's Court

Coach Nathan Call Answers Subscribers Questions

Send your questions to callscourt@cougarfan.com .

===========================

From Cliff Norman: "How is Michael Vranes doing with his rehab? Does it look like he will be able to play next year?"

Coach Call: "Michael is hard at work, rehabilitating his ankle. It is still too early to tell if the operation was a success. Michael is a very determined young man and he is doing everything he can to return to the court next year. I know if it is possible, Michael will make it happen."

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*From Rod Andreason: "I understand that Garner Meads is going on a mission in February; I don't know about our other freshmen. What are the plans for Dawes, Pinegar, and Chrisman? Also, with so many freshman right now and Bart Jepsen redshirting, are you at all concerned about the logjam you'll have for the 2003-2004 season? I count already 8 probable scholarships taken for that year--Pinegar, Howard, Dawes, Chrisman, Meads, Opunui, Bobik, Bigelow, and Jensen--regardless of who goes on missions from this year's group and not including anybody new you may recruit to start in 2002 or 2003."

Coach Call: "Garner [Meads] will be entering the MTC on February 14th. He will be serving in the Edmonton, Canada Mission. We are excited for Garner and wish him the best. As far as the other freshman are concerned, Jake Chrisman is not LDS and will be with us next year for sure. Derek [Dawes] is strongly considering a mission and will likely serve one this coming year or the next. I'm not sure if he has made a definite decision. Jesse is planning on being back with the team next season as a freshmen red shirt.

"Coach Cleveland is supportive of players making their own decision about missions and the timing of each mission. It can create a very complex recruiting cycle. It is sometimes difficult to keep track of every player coming and going, but we have a pretty good handle on the situation. It would be a lot easier if every player knew their plans or made their decisions during the recruiting process. The number of scholarships we have for each year changes from day to day depending on the mission situation."

===========================

From Mike Bliss: "I have been very concerned with the way that the team plays without Mekeli Wesley. He seems to be the 'main man.' However, through the years and continuing this year he seems to get in foul trouble. Many of his fouls are silly fouls where he has his hands on the offensive man. Is this a technique that is taught by the coaching staff or just a bad habit? I was always taught to play defense by moving my feet. Mekeli seems to be reaching too many times."

Coach Call: "Your comments about Mekeli were right on the money. We need Mekeli to stay in the game and out of foul trouble. Iowa State and USC had a difficult time guarding Mekeli. The momentum seemed to
change in both games when Mekeli went to the bench with foul trouble. He is our leader and the rest of the team plays more comfortable and confident when he is on floor. Mekeli does have a tendency to reach and not play solid defense (or not move his feet). He usually does this when he's tired.

"This is why the progress of the younger players is so important. If we could get Mekeli a little more rest in the first half and at the beginning of the second half, then Mekeli would be fresh and out of foul trouble at the end of the game. Some games it was tough to get Mekeli any rest in the first half because we were doing everything we
could just to stay in the game."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "CougarFan.com" Subject: News Recap (1/17/2001) Date: 18 Jan 2001 10:54:21 -0700

News Recap (1/17/2001)

Selected articles included here. See all the latest news at: http://CougarFan.com

Cougs Make Big Impression in Return to National TV (Provo Daily Herald)
See: http://heraldextra.com/dh/dhtoday.nsf/Sports/E6F2FAF75DA0A26C872569D700245F00

On Monday night, Steve Cleveland's squad saw an opportunity to make a statement on ESPN's "Big Monday, and they ran with it. In fact, BYU (13-4 overall, 2-0 in the Mountain West Conference) might have played its best game of coach Steve Cleveland's four-year tenure. "The best thing about that was it was a chance for us to get national exposure," Cleveland said. "And we played the best basketball we've played in my four years against a quality team."

Trent Whiting and Terrell Lyday put on a two-man show that would have made any Vegas act jealous. Whiting scored 26 points to lead the Cougars, 17 coming in the first half. Lyday was right behind with 23 point, 17 in the second half. "It's fun to play with Terrell and Trent," said Mekeli Wesley, who scored 14 for the Cougars. "T 'n' T, they're explosive -- I think I got that from a sign in the crowd."

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Y Detractors Running Out of Excuses (Standard-Examiner)
See: http://www1.standard.net/stories/byu/01-2001/FTP0101@byu@18byunotes@Ogden.asp

At 13-4 on the season and off to a 2-0 start in the Mountain West Conference, the Cougars -- for some reason -- are being blasted with explanations for their success. Critics are eager to point out various reasons, such as strength of schedule, why the Cougs aren't all they seem to be.

The truth of the matter is, BYU is winning by an average of 19.6 points per game, holds a Sagarin rating in the 40s, and has a scoring defense that is among the 10 best in the nation. The excuses are becoming futile. This team is good.

Student Ticket Distribution for Utah Game (Press Release)
See: http://cougarfan.com/interactive/board/b.asp?m=773

Student All-Sport Card holders receive reserved seats for the Utah men's basketball game beginning this Saturday, January 20, following the BYU-Colorado State women's basketball game in the Marriott Center. Due to historically high attendance at the men's basketball games vs. Utah, BYU student All-Sport Card holders will need to have a reserved ticket for entrance. Doors to the women's game open at 6 p.m. with the game beginning at 7 p.m.

The distribution begins after the women's game and will continue again the following week, while supplies last, at the Marriott Center Ticket Office. Students receive one free reserved ticket per All-Sport Card. The maximum number of cards each student may present is two (spouses can present cards for each other). Students may come with friends they want to sit by to get reserved seats together.

Crowton Finalizes Offensive Overhaul (Deseret News)
See: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,245012485,00.html?

Gary Crowton hired only two new assistants in assembling his first coaching staff at BYU. But make no mistake about it -- he has begun to put his stamp and his personality on the Cougar football program. The most noticeable difference will involve the offense, but recruiting and the tracking of athletes' academic progress will also undergo changes. At the same time, the new coach is comfortable with the continuity, and the talents, that the seven holdover assistants bring. "They've averaged 8.9 wins over the last 14 years. That's pretty impressive," Crowton said. "I'm not changing everything overnight. I don't want to start over and go 3-8 and say we're rebuilding."

Crowton will install a new offensive scheme, with new terminology, and he will call the plays from the sidelines. With the exception of quarterbacks coach Robbie Bosco, the offensive staff has undergone a complete overhaul. "I knew there was going to be a lot of teaching on the offensive side," Crowton explained. "I didn't want to teach a whole new defense, a whole new offense and a whole new special teams."

Golden BYU Oldies Remember NIT Win (Deseret News)
See: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,245013522,00.html?

13 members of BYU's 1951 NIT Championship team gathered to Provo for a reunion over the weekend, and were honored at halftime of the SDSU game. They enjoyed seeing each other once again and relived some of the great memories that were created in that magical season.

"We felt we had a good team, but it was an unknown," said Harold Christensen, one of the starters on the team. "There were no polls back them, but we felt, based on our season up to that point, we would do well. But we really didn't know how well we'd do." The Stan Watts-coached team upset St. Louis and Seton Hall on its way to the championship game, which was a 62-43 win over Dayton.

2001 Men's Volleyball Preview (Press Release)
See: http://www.cougarfan.com/interactive/board/b.asp?m=770

After what many have referred to as a re-building year, which saw the BYU men's volleyball team finish with an 18-9 record and No. 7 national ranking, the Cougars are re-tooled and ready to make a run at another NCAA National Championship in 2001. The Cougars enter the 2001 season ranked seventh nationally, boasting a lineup that includes seven players with starting experience. With a deep, explosive and experienced roster intact, hopes for a second National Championship are rising as BYU head coach Carl McGown begins his 12th season.

"By the time we reach April, we have to be good and we have to be lucky," McGown said. "If we can avoid injuries, we're going to be one of the teams that could win the National Championship. In 1999, we should have been National Champions, and we were. This time around, we'll have to wait and see, but I really think we'll be one of the teams that could win it all."

Cramer Heads to China (BYU NewsNet)
See: http://newsnet.byu.edu/show_story.cfm?number=12853&year=current

The last time the U.S. women's soccer team took a young squad to China, back in 1987, some pony-tailed nobody named Mia Hamm was on the plane. Fourteen years later, it's another young squad and another trip to the Orient. Only this time, BYU freshman Aleisha Cramer might just be the starlet set to steal center stage.

"She's one of the best in the world at possession," BYU assistant coach Chris Watkins said. "She doesn't lose the ball. That's a pretty valuable thing at the center of the field." How's this for valuable: Cramer became BYU's first-ever first-team All-American in women's soccer -- and was the nation's only freshman to make the first team. She also was named first-team All-Western Region, first-team All-Mountain West Conference and league freshman of the year.

Recruiting Hits Home Stretch for Crowton (Provo Daily Herald)
See: http://heraldextra.com/dh/dhtoday.nsf/Sports/C4FC69A747899B9E872569D6003E3336

The Crowton regime is closing in on recruiting priorities. One week after a key group of campus visits by prep players from Florida to Hawaii, BYU's football staff is now heading down the home stretch, steaming toward the national letter-of-intent signing date in February.

The article gives a detailed list of recruits who have already committed to the Cougars and those with whom the football coaching staff are still working.

Swimmers and Divers Finish Perfect Dual-Meet Season (BYU NewsNet)
See: http://newsnet.byu.edu/show_story.cfm?number=12912&year=current

Not only were they perfect, but they made it look easy. The men's swimming and diving team completed its first ever perfect dual meet record, defeating Air Force and Wyoming this past weekend at the Richards Building Pool. On Friday, the No. 17 Cougars overpowered Air Force, winning by the final tally of 140-99. They followed that victory with a dominating win Saturday over conference rival Wyoming, 138-99.

With the win against Wyoming, BYU made history by going undefeated in conference dual meets for the first time ever. "We tend to place not as much emphasis on dual meets," coach Tim Powers said. "But, it's nice to go 12-0."

Other Articles featured at CougarFan.com
See: http://CougarFan.com

Cougs Change Strength and Conditioning Coach (Provo Daily Herald)
T 'n' T Exploding at BYU (Deseret News)
Women's Basketball Recruit Shines (Provo Daily Herald)
New Rules Serve Fast Volleyball (BYU NewsNet)
Is BYU Football the Next Oklahoma? (Pigskin Post)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: CougarFan.com Subject: News Recap (1/25/2001) Date: 25 Jan 2001 09:40:01 -0700

News Recap (1/25/2001)

Selected articles included here. See all the latest news at: http://CougarFan.com

Speedy Texas Receiver Still Sold on BYU (Provo Daily Herald)
See: http://harktheherald.com/article.php?sid=2291&mode=thread&order=0

"It's been so long, Breyon Jones can't even remember the hot summer Texas day he told BYU he'd like to be a Cougar receiver.

"Back then, it was almost a universe away from where BYU football is today."

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Warning: Tough Practices Ahead (Provo Daily Herald)
See: http://heraldextra.com/article.php?sid=2219&mode=thread&order=0

Last weekend, the BYU basketball team lost two Mountain West Conference road games in excruciating fashion, falling in the final minutes to both Colorado State and Wyoming on Saturday and Monday, respectively. But BYU coach Steve Cleveland prefers to look at the unseen patch of ice that led to all the carnage. It all starts with practice and, according to Cleveland, the Cougars kept it in low gear in the days leading up to their defeats.

"Prior to our homestand a week ago, we had four or five good practices," Cleveland said. "Last week, one out of our five practices were good. You form your game habits by the way you practice. I told the team this week they're going to have three of the hardest practices of their lives."

J.C. All-American Commits to Cougs (Salt Lake Tribune)
See: http://sltrib.com/2001/jan/01242001/sports/65325.htm

Already, Gary Crowton has made an impact at Brigham Young, although perhaps not as big as he would have liked. The new coach helped inspire junior college All-America offensive tackle Quinn Christensen to break a commitment to Oregon and play next season at BYU.

"It was just the new coach and the new system," said Christensen, a 6-foot-7, 290-pounder from Dixie State College. "It seems like he knows what he's going to get done."

BYU Beats LaVerne, Surely (Provo Daily Herald)
See: http://www.harktheherald.com/article.php?sid=1817&mode=thread&order=0

The BYU men's volleyball team started the season with a bang last weekend, defeating LaVerne on two consecutive nights. Head coach Carl McGown gave his squad a high approval rating.

"Whenever we needed two blockers somewhere, we had two blockers," McGown said. "We had nice control of the ball and the guys had good focus. They came with the right mind-set. For lack of a better term, I think the guys had a good 'vibe.' We were very smooth."

Tennis Recruit Postpones Stardom for Mission (BYU NewsNet)
See: http://newsnet.byu.edu/show_story.cfm?number=13023&year=current

Everyone wants to be like Mike. No, not the Mike with the sweet jump shot and the shoes. This Mike can serve a tennis ball faster than a lot of pros -- his serve has been clocked at 125 mph. Mike Sperry is a BYU tennis recruit from Provo's Timpview High School. With over 80 trophies, medals and plaques Sperry is quite the catch.

"Mike's very talented," said Nate Warner, Sperry's high school coach. "He's got that serve and he's a great volleyer. But he's also got great footwork, he returns serves well and he has excellent technique. "His life is built around tennis, and he'll only get better as he matures."

He'll only get better? In high school Sperry lost only one match. That was his freshman year. He has won the state championship three out of four years. He estimates his overall record to be over 80-1.

Lewis Takes Long Road to NFL Pro Bowl (Salt Lake Tribune)
See: http://www.sltrib.com/2001/jan/01232001/sports/sports.htm

Former BYU tight end Chad Lewis fulfilled a dream that often seemed hopeless when he was selected to be a starter in this year's Pro Bowl. After bouncing from team to team for the first few years of his NFL career, he has solidified himself as one of the top pass catchers in the league. This article talks of the hurdles, both mental and physical, that he had to overcome in order to get to where he is today.

Y Swimmer Overcomes Five Days of Unconsciousness (BYU NewsNet)
See: http://newsnet.byu.edu/show_story.cfm?number=13018&year=current

Jeff Mason is proof that swimmers just can't live without water. With only three months remaining of his church service in the Ecuador Guayaquil Mission, Mason suffered a massive case of dehydration. He passed out in Ecuador and woke up five days later in his own bed in the United States. "I didn't know if he was even going to come out of it," said Mason's younger sister Rachel, a swimmer for the women's team.

Only six months later, Mason is the reigning Mountain West Conference swimmer of the week.

Other Articles featured at CougarFan.com
See: http://CougarFan.com

Cougar Faithful Need Attitude Adjustment (Provo Daily Herald)
Cougars Still Have Long Way to Climb (Standard-Examiner)
Women's BB Coach Reflects on Years at Y (BYU NewsNet)
Baseball Team Begins 2001 Season with Trip to Arizona (BYU NewsNet)
Spikers Primed for Non-Conference Clash (BYUCougars.com)
Vilms and Lozano Defeat #8 Team in the Nation (Press Release)
Golf Team Looks to Tournament in Coming Week (BYU NewsNet)
Three Teams, Three States, One Busy Track Weekend (Press Release)
Utah Up Next for Lady Cougs (BYUCougars.com)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: CougarFan Insider Subject: Call's Court Date: 30 Jan 2001 13:49:21 -0700

Call's Court

Coach Nathan Call Answers Subscribers Questions

Send your questions to callscourt@cougarfan.com .

====================================

*From Thad Litz: "In the Wyoming game, Marcus Bailey got 4 fouls, came in again with seven minutes to go and never fouled out. Eric Neilsen got 4 fouls and when he came back in the game, on the very first play, Wyoming went right at him and fouled him out. Same with Nate Knight. We never even tried to post up Hansen on Bailey again or drive on him. Why didn't we try to go at Bailey and foul him out."

Coach Call: "We knew we needed to take Bailey out of the game. I thought Travis did a great job attacking him and defending him. The last seven minutes of the game we had about 10 possessions. Travis got the ball on five of those possessions and drove on Bailey each time. He scored twice, got fouled once (by another player), missed one shot, and got his shot blocked by Josh Davis. It would have been nice to get him out of the game, but he wasn't hurting us on the offensive end.

"Maybe, Travis should have touched the ball on all ten possessions but that is a tough decision to make when Mekeli was having such a great game. He has been our go to guy all year and he will continue to be our main option. We forced them to double team Mekeli. He has done a great job all year passing out of the post when he is double teamed. He has made it easier for our perimeter players to have open shots. We wanted them to double him so we could play four on three on the perimeter.

"We needed to do a better job passing out of the double team. I thought that was the key to the game. Three times in the last three minutes Wyoming passed the ball into the low post. We double teamed their post player and he made great passes out of it for baskets. They did the same thing to us during the last three minutes and we forced a shot and made two turnovers. They scored fast break lay-ups off those turnovers.

"I thought we played well enough to win both games this past weekend. We just didn't make the big plays at the end of the game. Wyoming and CSU did and that is why they won."