Posted on: Friday, November 12, 2004

NOTES
Fresno State coach wants to let dogs out

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno State associate head coach John Baxter said Hawai'i "is the most homer place that there is" and challenged Bulldog fans to "show people what the Doghouse is like" tonight when the University of Hawai'i plays FSU on ESPN.

"This is probably as intense (of a rivalry) as we have and we need every fan, every person with lungs, every person that can make noise when they get the ball," Baxter said on his KFIG radio show. "Come out and be ridiculously loud.

"There is nothing that can prepare you for the intensity of that trip to Hawai'i and that rock, OK. ... It is the most homer place that there is. And, they are all wired into the deal. And, 'mahalo' and 'aloha' and giving you the flower deals (lei) and that kind of stuff. Then, they just want to rip your face off," Baxter told the station.

"They have that guy beating the drum and the biggest crowd of the year is always Fresno State when we go over there and they talk about that game. After this game, they'll be talking about it, starting Monday, for next year," Baxter said.

Paintballs just miss local sportscasters

KKEA sportscasters Robert Kekaula, Bobby Curran and Don Robbs said they were involved in a drive-by paintball incident at a Fresno pancake house Wednesday night.

They said an unidentified car drove by and sprayed the restaurant window above where they were sitting, causing patrons to duck, fearing the glass might shatter.

No injuries were reported.

Bulldogs expecting up to 40,000 fans

A crowd of between 38,000 and 40,000 is expected for the game, according to Russell Hayden, FSU director of ticket operations. He said "about 37,000" tickets for the game had been sold prior to yesterday's close of the box office.

The Bulldogs are a 20-point favorite on the Las Vegas betting line.