On Wednesday President Trauth, in front of a packed Bobcat Club luncheon at Embassy Suites, announced the next phase of expansion for Bobcat Stadium. This phase will add 13,500 more seats and close off the stadium to Aquarena Springs Dr.

One welcomed addition will be a Texas State University Fan Shop that will be open year around rather than just on game days as well new visitor locker rooms.

Seating capacity after the renovation will be somewhere around 28,000 with future plans expanding seating to 35,000.

Money to pay for the expansion will be generated through student fees, gifts from alumni and revenue generated from suites and club level sales.

Texas State is currently having a record breaking year for football ticket sales and Bobcat Club memberships as they are up 20% and 30% percent respectively.

Momentum is certainly on Texas State’s side with Bobcat Pride being the driving force in assisting the university with attaining their goal of bringing FBS football to San Marcos.

To say “Packing the Wack” is important this year would be a huge understatement. Future conference alignment could very well rest in our own hands. Bobcat Pride Unite!

Quarterback

Sleeper

Matt Stafford (Detroit Lions) – He didn’t have quite a stellar rookie season, and there is no reason to think that he is going to be an elite quarterback, but the Lions have shown continued dedication to improving their offense through the draft.  Stafford should be able to make noticeable strides this coming season and should be a great pickup in the later rounds.

Bust

Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) – Remember when Favre played for the Jets and looked merely average with the limited weapons he had.  Well, expect more of that Favre this season with Sidney Rice out for six weeks after hip surgery and Percy Harvin having his share of medical issues.  While the Vikings have made a couple of late acquisitions to help out, don’t expect to see the same Brett Favre that we saw last season.

Running Back

Sleeper

Jamaal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs) – Last season he saw an increase in his work load and production after the departure of Larry Johnson.  He plays for a team that has very few weapons and should be able to get more than his fair share of carries this season.  He’d be a decent 2^nd or 3^rd back in most leagues and should be available in the 2^nd or 3^rd round.

Bust

Shonn Greene (New York Jets) – Yes he had a good finish at the end of last season, but now he’s going to be splitting carries with LaDanian Tomlinson, and if you think the Jets picked him up just to have him ride the pine, then you are sorely mistaken.  Look for a sharp decrease in his production this season.

Wide Receiver

Sleeper

Dez Bryant (Dallas Cowboys) – While he is a rookie, he is probably one of the most touted rookie wideouts in recent years.  Already the speculation has begun that he is going to edge out Roy Williams for the number 2 spot on a very pass happy offense.  Look to pick up Bryant in the 8^th or 9^th round and keep him on the bench a few weeks and by week 4 he will be a viable option to start in most leagues.

Bust

Santonio Holmes (New York Jets) – He was a streaky receive all last season and now he is coming to the Jets whose offense is based more on running the ball and a conservative passing game.  Not to mention that he is suspended to start the season.  While worth a look as maybe a bye week replacement, don’t expect to see him being a true number one wide receiver this year.

Tight End

Sleeper

Visanthe Shiancoe (Minnesota Vikings) – One of the only reliable tools Favre has left from the Vikings run last year, Shiancoe really started picking up steam at the end of the season.  With him being fully healthy and the issues with the rest of the receiving corps look for Shiancoe to become a favorite target of Favre early this season.  He’s worth a look in the 5^th or 6^th round.

Bust

Zach Miller (Oakland Raiders) – With the addition of a quarterback who is actually better than his record and an improving receiving corps, don’t look for Miller to be as much of a factor as he was last year, which wasn’t much to start with.  There are plenty of better options available even for a backup.

Defense/Special Teams

Sleeper

Steelers – As hard as it is to imagine picking this defense as a sleeper, I am doing it.  A lot of people are blowing them off after a less than stellar 2009 campaign.  However, that was a defense marred with injuries and without star safety Troy Polamalu.  This year they are healthy once again and should be back near the top of the league in most defensive categories.

Bust

Saints – This was a defense that racked up a lot of points based on forcing mistakes.  This year teams will be looking to play better ball against the Saints.  There is little reason for me to make this pick, other than I just have a feeling that they won’t be able to score as many defensive touchdowns this year, but they are still a better bet in a bye week than some of the bottom feeders in the league.

Kicker

I won’t pick a sleeper or a bust because as I stated earlier, most kickers are essentially interchangeable, any kicker who isn’t really worth his salt will be cut rather quickly.  Just go with your gut on this one.

Next week I will give you tips for wheeling and dealing once the season starts as well as a peek at my draft.  Draft well.

The film begins in Sweden with Jack enjoying a nice day with a woman but things soon turn ugly after he discovers they are not alone. He is forced to move deeper into seclusion to a small town in Italy. Although he is warned not to make any friends he unwillingly makes friends with the local priest. He tells Jack that he knows that he has done bad things in his life and he prays for his forgiveness.

Jack is contracted to design and assemble a sniper riffle for an assassination. It is interesting to watch him build a rifle out of minimal supplies found in a mechanic shop. Every movement is precise and purposeful.

Taking a break from his work he visits a brothel and meets a beautiful mistress (Clara). She is child- like in the way that she talks and plays almost seeming oblivious to the evils of the world. Jack likes this about her because it allows him to escape from his drab existence of his all knowing. He begins to visit her more often and refuses to be with any of the other girls.

As Jack builds his relationship with Clara he decides that this will be his last job and wants out but as with all assassins he is not free to do so.

This movie is not the action packed thriller that I was expecting, instead I would consider this as a drama depicting the lonely life of an aged assassin. It is very visually appealing and well acted but lacks an American punch. With minimal conversation it leaves your mind to configure the story as it unfolds. It earns its rating of R due to its excessive nudity. I recommend waiting till The American hits Red Box.

3 out of 5 Stars

The trailer is selling a much more action packed movie than the actual film.

Reviewed by: Laura Mitchell

The Brad Wright Coaches Show is now aired on ESPN Austin starting this Tuesday live from Saltgrass Steakhouse in San Marcos. Everyone is invited to come out and be apart of the show in preparation for weekly kickoff.

Welcome to another week of Fantasy 101. Now, if you are like me you have scheduled your draft for about a week from now. Which means I have time to get one more blog of tips in before I go with my pre-draft sleepers for each position. This last week is a great chance to really figure out the middle of your draft, because as has been established the first 3 rounds is when you will be getting your top shelf players.

My first piece of advice is DO NOT TELL YOUR FELLOW DRAFTEES WHO YOU PLAN ON DRAFTING. This one could almost go without saying, but I have seen it happen where someone showed a bit of his hand to a friend and that friend then snaked the pick from him. The only time that I would say that there is an exception to this rule is in the 1^st round with guys who are drafting after you, although even then you have to trust that they won’t sell you out to those in front of you.

Next, do not let prejudices keep you from picking up a stud player. Yes, we all have our favorite teams and equally our least favorite teams, but if you let that stand in the way of picking up a particular player then you are in for a long season. At the same time just because that player from your favorite team is available doesn’t mean you should overlook the better player that is also still on the board. I know that this can be a tough balancing act between your loyalty to your team and your desire to win your league and the best I can say is that the longer you play, the better you get at being able to balance it.

Do not load up with players from one team. This is the easiest way to get into trouble in any given week. When you have too many players from one team, it becomes too easy to find yourself on the outside looking in at the end of the season. I would say the most you want from any one team is 3 players and 2 of those should be QB and WR because of the possibilities of getting 12 points for one TD. More than that and you risk your season.

Make sure that you have energy for your draft. When you have a live draft with your friends it can take a while. It is easy to start losing focus in the later rounds once people are not as sure of who they want to pick. It is also easy to then make a poor decision because you just want to hurry up and end it. I personally recommend an energy drink with a red label from any brand. It will keep you alert and help you make it through the process.

Another important piece of advice is know when the bye weeks of each player before you draft. If you draft 2 stud quarterbacks who have the same bye week, then when that week comes you are either going to have to drop a player or concede the loss. Most publications have the bye weeks next to the player to help you avoid this problem.

Finally, have fun. Our yearly draft is the one day when everyone is able to get together at one time. In my league we meet for breakfast before our draft and are able to joke around and remember that ultimately have a good time. If you aren’t having fun, you shouldn’t be playing. At the end of the day no matter what I have involved in the outcome I have fun, it’s a great way for me to become invested in other games and to bond with my friends. Until next week.

erik@bobcatfans.com

Over the past 30 seasons, Chisum has built Texas State into a perennial contender for conference championships and NCAA Tournament berths. Chisum has accumulated seven conference tournament championships and six regular season conference titles during her tenure and anticipates her 2010 team to challenge again for both.

“In terms of goals and expectations, we’ll always talk to our players about winning the conference regular season, winning the conference tournament and going past the first round in the NCAA Tournament,” Chisum said.

Coming off a 2009 season in which the Bobcats made their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance, Texas State will seek to build on that experience and make a deeper run in the national tournament this season. In order to do so, Chisum will need to blend her seven returnees from a season ago with 10 newcomers, including one of the most talented recruiting classes in Texas State history.

“A typical recruiting class for us is three or four players,” Chisum said. “But this year, we have a large group of newcomers, and that’s what is exciting to me.”

Of the seven returnees, three have been integral parts of Bobcat championship teams over each of the past three seasons. AJ Watlington, Melinda Cave and Shelbi Irvin are seniors who have helped Texas State to team titles in their first three seasons with the program and will look to become the first student-athletes in Texas State history to win a Southland Conference championship in each of their four seasons.

Watlington, Cave and Irvin have each earned the respect of their teammates while developing unique styles of leadership, which should bode well for a team with eight freshmen.

“Melinda is the caretaker – she’s going to pat her teammates on the back and pick them up,” Chisum said. “AJ is a great competitor and isn’t afraid to get in their faces, and Shelbi leads by example. Out of those three, you see three different leadership styles, and they work well together.“

Texas State’s fourth senior, Mo Middleton, joined the Bobcats a season ago as a junior and made an immediate impact. The MVP of the 2009 Southland Conference Tournament, Middleton will be counted on for another standout season. Middleton has meshed well with her fellow seniors to give the Bobcats four veteran players to lead the team.

“Mo fits right in with that group of fourth-year seniors,” Chisum said. “The four seniors are going to be great role models for our newcomers.”

Outside Hitters
With the graduation of four-year starter Jessica Weynand, the Bobcats will have a hole to fill on the left side. However, Chisum is confident that with the return of Middleton and sophomore Matti Schumacher along with newcomers Preslie Alexander and Amari Deardorff, the void will be filled.

Middleton, a 5-foot-11 native of Phoenix, Ariz., was a Second Team All-SLC honoree a season ago after finishing second on the team with 322 kills. She also led the team with 32 aces and helped out in the back row with 201 digs. The Bobcats’ most experienced outside hitter, Middleton notched a career-high 18 kills on three separate occasions last season.

Schumacher, the only other player on the roster with collegiate experience on the outside, gained valuable experience during her freshman season. A 6-foot sophomore, Schumacher appeared in 37 sets and posted 49 kills and 16 blocks last year. Chisum will look for Schumacher to take the next step in her development this season.

“Matti had a very good spring for us and gained some confidence,” Chisum said. “She is very athletic, a good jumper and hits a heavy ball.”

Alexander (6-foot-1) and Deardorff (6-foot-2) both bring good height and the ability to play multiple front row positions to the table. Entering the season, the duo will be looked at to help on the outside but could also see playing time in the middle or on the right side. Chisum believes they could make an impact right away.

“Preslie has a very high volleyball IQ and loves to be in the gym,” Chisum said. “Amari has great court vision, hits the ball hard and is very versatile.”

Middle Blockers
First Team All-SLC performer Amber Calhoun headlines Texas State’s group of middle blockers after a breakout 2009 season. Calhoun finished second in the conference in hitting percentage (.327), while also leading the team and ranking fourth in the conference in blocks (1.04 blocks per set). A 6-foot-1 junior from Houston, Calhoun will look to improve upon her impressive 2009 numbers this season.

“Amber got a vast amount of experience last year and is very strong in the middle,” Chisum said. “She gives us a lot of on-court experience.”

Competing for regular playing time in the middle, opposite of Calhoun, will be a trio of freshmen – Madeline Gaffney, Ashlee Hilbun and Rachel James. Each player had a sparkling prep career, and how each is able to transition to the college game will determine who sees the majority of the time on the court. Regardless, Gaffney (6-foot-2), Hilbun (6-foot-2) and James (6-foot-3) provide the Bobcats the luxury of depth and height in the middle.

“In the front row, the middle is where we have the least experience,” Chisum said. “Amber will be our starting middle, but after her, it’s a big question mark. Madeline has a big block, Ashlee is quick and agile, and Rachel is a solid attacker and blocker.”

Right Side Hitters
Cave and Watlington have been staples on the Bobcats’ right side since their freshman years, and the 2010 season will mark their fourth season as the team’s right side tandem.

A 6-foot-2 native of Placentia, Calif., Cave finished last season with 196 kills and 221 digs while earning Southland Conference All-Tournament Team accolades. During her three-year career, she has racked up more than 700 kills and 500 digs.

Watlington is a 6-foot native of Aledo, Texas, and was one of two players to appear in a team-high 122 sets last season. She finished 2009 with a career-high 231 kills and also added 64 blocks, while hitting at a .208 clip.

“Melinda and AJ have already proven themselves on the court,” Chisum said. “But they are hungry for another championship. They want to leave a legacy that no one else has here at Texas State.”

Setters
This season, the setter position is similar to last year. The Bobcats have three setters and just two spots in Texas State’s 6-2 offense. However, Chisum was able to find playing time for all three in 2009 and anticipates the same to be true this season.

Irvin, a 5-foot-7 senior from Houston, has three years of starting experience on her resumé and will be a mentor to Caleigh McCorquodale and Amy Bremer this season. Irvin finished with seven double-doubles during her junior season and led the team with 261 assists during conference action. She also ranked among the team leaders with 217 digs and 25 aces.

McCorquodale made the most of her playing opportunities as a freshman, and now looks to take over the starting spot opposite of Irvin as a sophomore. The 5-foot-7 McCorquodale totaled 299 assists as a freshman after appearing in 76 sets for the Bobcats.

Bremer, a 6-foot freshman from Houston, is one of the taller setters to come to Texas State in recent history and provides some flexibility to the Bobcats’ attack right away and in the future.

“We’re going to run a 6-2, but Amy’s height creates some interesting opportunities for us in the future,” Chisum said. “Shelbi and Caleigh both did a great job when they were on the court last year, and I expect them both to improve this season.”

Defensive Specialists
The position with the most uncertainty surrounding it is likely at defensive specialist where there will be three new faces competing for the starting libero gig. Jennifer Neice, Danielle Sanchou and Erica Dryden are all newcomers to the Texas State program with aspirations of stepping into the starting lineup.

Neice, a junior transfer from East Tennessee State, was a two-year starter before making the move back to her home state, while Sanchou, a sophomore transfer from Ole Miss, is also returning home following one season with the Rebels. Dryden comes to Texas State from Clear Lake, Texas, where she excelled during her prep career.

“Jen and Danielle are both new to us this year, but they were both here during the spring and are good players,” Chisum said. “Erica will have an opportunity to compete in the back row, too, and it’s really wide open going into the season.”

The Schedule
Texas State will face seven teams that posted 20 wins or more in 2009, and square off against teams from 15 different conferences this upcoming season.

The Bobcats open up the 2010 non-conference slate with four tournaments. They will begin the season at the Hofstra University Classic on August 27-28. From there, the team will face some tough competition at the SMU Invitational (September 3-4), before heading back to San Marcos to play Prairie View A&M on Sept. 7 at 6:30 p.m. in the team’s home opener.  Texas State will then host its annual CenturyLink Premier Tournament from September 10-11 when they will play Alabama, UT Martin and North Texas.

“The trip to Hofstra should be a great start for us – challenging, but realistic enough to win it,” Chisum said. “We look forward to hosting our home tournament, the CenturyLink Premier, at Strahan Coliseum.”

After a mid-week match versus UT Pan American on September 13 at 6 p.m., the Bobcats travel to Tucson, Ariz., to play in their last pre-conference tournament of the season at Arizona.

“The 2010 schedule is a good mix of competition levels and various conference opponents. We will be competing with opponents from 15 other conferences… maybe the most diverse schedule we’ve ever put together,” Chisum said. “We have opponents from the Big 12, Pac-10, WAC, Big West, Conference USA, and several other mid-major conferences. The pre-conference schedule will give us the opportunities we need to prepare for conference play.”

Texas State will open its Southland Conference schedule on the road at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on September 24 at 7 p.m. The Bobcats turn around and travel to UTSA to play the Roadrunners on the 25th at 3 p.m. The following week, Texas State will head to Lamar (September 30 at 7 p.m.), McNeese State (October 2 at 2 p.m.) and then play UT Arlington (October 6 at 7 p.m.).

After nine straight away matches, the Bobcats will return home on October 9 to host Northwestern State at 2 p.m. in the first of four straight home matches. Texas State will also play Sam Houston State (October 14 at 6:30 p.m.), Stephen F. Austin (October 16 at 2 p.m.) and UT Arlington (October 20 at 6:30 p.m.).

The Bobcats will face defending SLC regular season champion Central Arkansas in Conway on October 23. The following weekend the Bobcats travel to Sam Houston State (October 28 at 7 p.m.) and Stephen F. Austin (October 30 at 6 p.m.).

Texas State wraps up its conference schedule with home matches versus Nicholls (November 4 at 6:30 p.m.), Southeastern Louisiana (November 6 at 12 p.m.), UTSA (November 11 at 6:30 p.m.) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (November 13 at 2 p.m.).

The 2010 Southland Conference Tournament will be held in Huntsville, Texas, hosted by Sam Houston State on November 19-21 at Bernard G. Johnson Gym.

Delivering her annual “State of the University” address at the Fall Convocation, Trauth said she is often asked why growth in terms of enrollment and academic programming is important to the university.

She cited figures compiled by the College Board that indicate the United States has fallen to 12^th place among 36 developed nations in the percentage of population who are college graduates, and that Texas is below the national average.

“A nation or a state reaches its peak because of cultural, scientific and economic achievements coalescing. These kinds of achievements are typically attributable to college graduates. Texas desperately needs more college graduates, and Texas State University needs to continue to be a part of this trend and we will do that. We have been a part of the cultural, scientific and economic achievements of the state and nation since our founding. It’s what we do,” said Trauth.

She predicted another record enrollment for Texas State this fall — at least 31,500 and possibly above 32,000. Hispanic student enrollment, she said, should reach 25 percent of the total, allowing Texas State to achieve Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) status.

“We will become the fourth – and the largest – HSI in Texas. ‘The Rising Star of Texas’ is more than a slogan for us. We want to be a shining star for Texas, delivering exceptional opportunities for students of every ethnicity, and we want to be the model HSI in Texas. We are well on our way toward that goal,” she said.

Trauth said that Texas State was among four institutions recently cited for innovations in academic policies and programs that better serve Latino students.

In terms of academic programming, Trauth said the university began a new doctoral program in criminal justice last fall and received permission to plan two more Ph.D. programs. Texas State will open its new St. David’s School of Nursing this week at the Round Rock campus. Formal grand opening and building dedication ceremonies will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26.

One of the doctoral programs on the drawing board will be in materials science, engineering and commercialization, a program recently boosted by a grant of $1.85 million to the university and the City of San Marcos from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. That grant will support the construction of the Research and Commercialization Center at the corner of McCarty Land and Hunter Road in San Marcos.

“This business incubator is a key component of our future doctoral program in materials science, engineering and commercialization. This program will prepare graduates who can effectively participate in research that spans multiple fields… Texas has no doctoral programs that couple technological innovation with entrepreneurship. Our program will do that,” she said.

Texas State currently has $443 million in capital construction projects in some phase of planning or completion, Trauth said. The university will break ground in October for the north campus housing project, a three-building cluster that will house 612 students.

Texas State broke ground for the new Undergraduate Academic Center in June. The building will house the PACE (Personalized Academic and Career Exploration) initiative, a one-stop location for freshman advising, career planning and mentoring.

“It’s a place where our first-year students can match their interests and abilities to possible work fields and find out what it takes to get where they want to go,” said Trauth.

In addition to the PACE Center, the building will also house the University College and the departments of Sociology, Political Science and Psychology.

The annual fall convocation kicks off the academic year at Texas State, which enters its 108^th fall semester in 2010.

You may of seen the News 8 Austin story regarding the new business on TV, but keep up with BobcatFans Magazine throughout the semester to hear more about the company and any new features that come out. If you are a local business or would like to contact them, check out their website at NuReachMarketing.

BobcatFans next event at Underground Games will be a Halo Reach release party on Sept 13th at midnight. Look for more information about BobcatFans events on our Facebook page.

Thank you to all our sponsors who made the Madden 11 tournament a success.

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Subway

Woody’s BBQ

Mochas & Javas

Dos Gatos Kolaches

Classic Cuts

Skinny Dip Bikini Shop

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Google's tablet will be based on the Android operating system.

In today’s tech world, there are many platforms that are vying for your attention. You have laptops, desktops, netbooks, tablets, and cell phones all trying to get a bigger slice of the “your favorite platform” pie. Our lives seem to be moving more towards the mobile than the stationary. Laptops, at one time, were the pinnacle of mobile computing. Something you could put in a bag, carry it to the coffee shop or on an airplane, and still be able to surf the web or be productive. With the laptop, or netbook if you want something lighter, you are able to communicate with coworkers or friends, check to-do lists and calendars, and entertain yourself with a game or surf the internet.

However, many people are now moving from the laptop/netbook option to the Smartphone. The Smartphone allows the user to send and receive emails, create and complete to-do lists, surf the internet, and many of the common tasks that used to be the laptop’s domain. Phones such as the iPhone and the Droid X are starting to take people from their desk and move them to other venues. No longer is the user searching for a flat horizontal place to set their device. They simply need to reach into their pocket and pull out their phone.

The Smartphone has but one drawback: screen size. Who wants to watch a movie or surf the net on a screen smaller than my hand? Not me. Enter the tablet. Nowadays, when you say tablet, everyone thinks of the iPad. However, the iPad is not going to be the only tablet device vying for your attention (read: money). It’s rumored that Google will release a tablet on Verizon later this year, HP has confirmed release of a WebOS tablet, and LG claims they will have a device that will beat the iPad.

This shift in platform is going to be as big as the shift from records and tapes to CDs and DVDs. These tablet devices are going to revolutionize how we access and interact with our digital selves. Imagine having a tablet type device that allows you to read your textbooks digitally, record lectures, has a wireless keyboard for notes, and is thinner than Kate Moss.

How much simpler would our lives be if we only had to use one single device (plus a normal phone) to do everything that takes multiple devices? I have two laptops, a netbook, an iPhone (which I like to refer to as my “iPad Mini”), and a Blu-Ray Player for my Netflix. If I could have all those things rolled into one device that wasn’t made by a company that makes you “jailbreak” their products, I would gladly buy one.

Someday, I will be able to get a device like the one described above and actually have a selection to choose from. Until that day, I will be cheering for the LGs, HPs, and Googles of the world to open up their minds to the potential of this device and make it more about how people will use it than trying to get them to sign a contract with a cell phone company.

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