Rich's sometimes disjointed rambling

Ed, you should have been here. It was a beautiful day in Laramie on Saturday; sunny skies with temperatures in the 70s. There was also a beauty of a football game going on at War Memorial Stadium between your UNLV Rebels and those “stinky” Wyoming Cowboys. I really am surprised you weren ’t here. Well, maybe not. After all, you don’t like Wyoming. It’s not your style. Vegas, baby, that’s where it is at. But then again, who doesn ’t like Vegas. I like Vegas. But I also like Laramie. I’ ve lived here for over 20 years. I must like Laramie. Sure, I complain about the weather on occasion. You know, 70 one day and snowing the next day. We live here, though, so we have the right to complain. You don’t live here, but you still do. Earlier in the week, as a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, you described our home like this: “Bland and bleak environment that is Laramie, where you might swear the world comes to an end at nearly 7,500 feet.” Personally, I think you...

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To no one's real surprise, Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen will go with true freshman Austyn Carta - Samuels as his starting q uarterback Saturday against UNLV . Carta - Samuels played most of the game against Colorado, coming in for starter Robert Benjamin. He also played more snaps against Weber State than Benjamin. Christensen said that he wouldn't be rotating quarterbacks against UNLV and barring injury, Carta - Samuels will play the entire game. Christensen also said that freshman walk-on Ian Watts would take over the place-kicking duties for field goals and extra points. Austin McCoy would continue to punt and Jake Scott would kick off. Look for more on Wyoming Sports.org on Carta -S amuels later tonight and Watts on Tuesday. Also look for a feature on freshman receiver Chris McNeill later in the week.

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I guess I don't normally publish letters to the editor, but this letter was submitted to the Boomerang on Aug. 4 and was not published. The fact that I was mentioned has everything to do with me putting it on Wyoming Sports.org. When I try to pat myself on the back these days, all I do is pull something. This is a little easier. "Thanks for the great coverage. We would like to thank the Laramie Boomerang, Wyomingsports.org, and KOWB radio for their continued outstanding coverage of the Laramie Rangers Legion baseball. Reporter Ryan Lucas and the Laramie Boomerang have provided another season of great coverage with articles and photos that not only give a recap of the previous game, but provide an inside look at the players and the team overall. Time is taken to interview coaches and players to give a complete look at our local team. Out of town fans can go online for the same great coverage. Rich Anderson of WyomingSports.org also has provided great coverage and it is very evi...

I've always got a little kick out of this statement: "I love my job so much, I would do it for nothing." Every once in a while you hear this from a professional athlete ... you know, for the love of the game. Then, next season, he holds out for more money. When you look at it, the concept of loving your job so much that you would do it for nothing is ideal. If your job is your profession, then you should love what you are doing. But what happens when your job, your profession, what you love to do the most is taken away from you? Would you do it for nothing? Suddenly, you realize that when you hear that, whether those words come from a professional athlete, an entertainer or even a sportswriter, it's all a bunch of crock. For the most part in the last two years, I've been doing what I love, for nothing. The previous 25 years or so, I was a sportswriter who went to work five days a week, if not more, loving what I did but doing so with the idea that I would be compe...

Although basketball season is still down the road a bit, it's never too early to think basketball. UW finalized the men's basketball schedule on Wednesday, while the Mountain West Conference released the television schedule on Tuesday. The Cowboys will be on the tube 16 times this season -- 15 in MWC play. The long non-conference viewing is Dec. 15 when the 'Pokes travel to Tennessee. The game tips off at 5 p.m. (MDT) on ESPN U. The Wyoming men are scheduled to be televised in all but one league game -- the Jan. 27 home matchup with Utah. Here's the UW men's basketball television schedule: Dec. 15 -- Wyoming at Tennessee, 5 p.m. (ESPN U) Jan. 6 -- CSU at Wyoming, 6 p.m. (The Mtn .) Jan. 9 -- SDSU at Wyoming, 4 p.m. (The Mtn .) Jan. 12 -- Wyoming at TCU , 5:30 p.m. (The Mtn .) Jan. 16 -- New Mexico at Wyoming, 1:30 p.m. (The Mtn .) Jan. 20 -- Wyoming at BYU , 6 p.m. (The Mtn .) Jan. 30 --Wyoming at Air Force, 1:30 p.m. (The Mtn .) Feb. 3 -- UNLV at Wyoming, 8 ...

I think all of those who experienced the Wyoming-Texas football game Saturday at War Memorial Stadium, whether you were a player, coach, fan, media person, UW employee, or whatever else you are out there, came away with a little extra adrenaline in your veins, regardless of the outcome. Without trying to be in awe, it was hard not to feel that way. After all, the Cowboys were playing one of the top college football programs in college football history, the Texas Longhorns ... in Laramie. Sure, the Cowboys have played the likes of Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, Ohio State throughout the years -- and played them pretty well for the most part -- but they had to play those powers away from home. They wanted no part of 7,220. Heck, even Nebraska and Colorado have avoided Laramie. The Cornhuskers are coming to Wyoming in the future, but CU ... well, that's another story. But Texas said, "Go to Wyoming? Why not." Of course, UW will have to go to Austin twice in the dea...

For the first 29 minutes, Wyoming fans were in seventh heaven and Texas fans were in somewhat of a daze. The Cowboys were up 10-6 with a little over a minute to play until halftime. Could the Cowboys actually have a shot at beating No. 2 Texas? As it turned out, no. The Longhorns put together a late second- quarter drive and led by three at halftime and then put the game away with 28 unanswered points in the second half. As it turned out, the Longhorns 41-10 win was about what most had predicted. The Cowboys, showed the ability to play with one of the top college football programs in the country, if not in talent but with determination. Talent, however, won out like it usually does. Here's a look at Saturday's game at War Memorial Stadium , going back to the beginning: Eight minutes before kickoff, the stands are almost full. Still some late arrivals, but it is an awesome site to see the stands full. Cloudy and cool at kickoff, 53 degrees. Quite a difference from last we...

Former Wyoming Cowboys defensive back Derrick Martin is looking forward to somewhat of a "fresh start," with the Green Bay Packers these days. Martin became a Packer on Saturday when he was traded by the Baltimore Ravens for offensive lineman Tony Moll, who was likely going to get cut by the Pack. Martin, who played in just four games last season with a torn labrum that required surgery, went untendered as a restricted free agent before re-signing with Baltimore for the veteran minimum. He was having a good camp and is expected to be the Packers No. 3 safety. Here's a writeup in the Green Bay Press Gazette . Here's another writeup in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Final game statistics The Wyoming offense looked good early, scoring on its first possession, highlighted by a 44-yard touchdown run by true freshman Alevester Alexander -- on his first carry as a Cowboy. Weber State then countered on a 40-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cameron Higgins to Tim Toone , who got behind the Wyoming secondary in the right corner of the end zone. While junior quarterback Robert Benjamin showed the ability to move the ball (6 of 8 passing for 66 yards, 3 rushes 19 yards), Wyoming coach Dave Christensen went with true freshman Austyn Carta - Samuels in the second quarter. Mistakes have hurt both teams in the first half and the Cowboys are taking advantage of the Weber State miscues. Early on, the Cowboys lost a chance to maintain a nice drive with a holding penalty, then lost the ball on a fumble after a nice drive. The Cowboys then missed out on a chance for a touchdown after being forced to a field goal after first and goal on the 3-yard line. A proc...

Robert Benjamin back in at quarterback. Cowboys go three and our with two incompletions . Cowboys, however, get the ball right back when freshman Shamiel Gary picked off Cameron Higgens on the Weber 15-yard line. Darius Terry scores three plays later from 1-yard out. Benjamin has 13-yard run to the 2-yard line. Austin McCoy kick tomake it 23-7 with 13:12 left in the third quarter. Cowboys get another interception -- tipped by linebackers Brian Hendricks to Gabe Knapton to Gary to the Weber 32. Wyoming goes for it on 4 th and 5 from the 12 and incomplete pass. Weber has 16-yard punt to UW 30. Carta - Samuels back in at QB. Cowboys can't move the ball -- lose 17 yards on penalty and sack. Gary gets third interception at UW 43, but Cowboys again can't move the ball. Thanks to a 49-yard run by running back Treyvn Smith, the Wildcats are driving. Down to the UW 11. Still 23-7 after three quarters. Wildcats settle for field goal attempt and have it blocked by UW's Knap...

The Wyoming offense looked good early, scoring on its first possession, highlighted by a 44-yard touchdown run by true freshman Alevester Alexander -- on his first carry as a Cowboy. Weber State then countered on a 40-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cameron Higgins to Tim Toone , who got behind the Wyoming secondary in the right corner of the end zone. While junior quarterback Robert Benjamin showed the ability to move the ball (6 of 8 passing for 66 yards, 3 rushes 19 yards), Wyoming coach Dave Christensen went with true freshman Austyn Carta-Samuels in the second quarter. Mistakes have hurt both teams in the first half and the Cowboys are taking advantage of the Weber State miscues. Early on, the Cowboys lost a chance to maintain a nice drive with a holding penalty, then lost the ball on a fumble after a nice drive. The Cowboys then missed out on a chance for a touchdown after being forced to a field goal after first and goal on the 3-yard line. A procedure penalty pushed UW...

Let's see, new coach, new look (spread offense). New uniforms (Nike), new look. New wheels, new look. I think there's a theme here. The Cowboy football team, when it hits the road for the first time this season down to Boulder to face Colorado, will take notice of a sharp new design on the team’s equipment truck. The Cowboys’ 18-wheel equipment truck, which carries all of UW ’s football equipment to road games, was recently given a new appearance. The truck’s new design features the text “Cowboy Football” and a massive Cowboy football helmet. It also features a Nike logo, representing Cowboy football’s new relationship with the apparel company. Th e logos of the truck’s sponsors are displayed proudly on the sides and back of the trailer. The equipment truck itself is provided by Arrow Moving and Storage of Cheyenne, the tractor is provided by Peterbilt of Wyoming in Cheyenne, and the project is financed by Jonah Bank and the Cowboy Joe Club. The redesigned truck pulled into La...

With the second UW alumni basketball game set for Saturday night, I can't help but think about last year's event, organized by former Cowboy great Reggie Slater, with proceeds going to help another former 'Poke player, Oliver Wilson, in his battle with cancer. Wilson, given just a couple of weeks to live nearly three years ago, finally succumbed to that heinous disease when he passed away on Monday at the age of 44. To go back to last year's coverage of the event, here's some pictures and a couple of stories on Wyoming Sports.org. Alumni basketball . Here's also the website link for the Oliver Wilson Cancer Fund . I urge you to go back and visit it and read about Ollie and his fight in his own words and from his wife Sandy. Wilson will be remembered as a family man and a fighter, a man who gave his all on and off the basketball court. He was a great friend to anyone who knew him. He will be missed.