Saturday, March 13th, 2010.  The greatest day in SDSU sports history?  What about San Diego sports history?

On how many other days could you say that San Diego saw TWO college basketball conference tournament championships, and a North American championship for the Sockers?  Craig and Chris were there to cover it all for you on 619 Sports…here, they discuss the meaning behind such a great day in our town’s history:

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CBS lead college basketball analyst Clark Kellogg thinks there’s a strong possibility the Mountain West Conference can get four teams into the field of 65.  But could a team from the Pac-10 steal away SDSU’s bid?  Kellogg joined 619 Sports to preview the selection of the 2010 NCAA tournament field:

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USD running back J.T. Rogan has been sharing a journal with 619 Sports of his training for NFL Pro Day.  This weekend, J.T. participated in a pro day at USD, and he will do so again at SDSU next weekend.  In his latest journal post, J.T. talks about the NFL Combine and how his training has prepared him for these key dates:

The NFL scouting combine and the pro days that collegiate football players have are unique events. As was documented by the NFL network, how fast somebody runs, how high they jump, how quick somebody is can really be fascinating coverage. All over America, any college football player that aspires to play professionally understands that he must undergo extensive athletic testing either at the NFL combine, a pro day or at both.

There is a terrific amount of hype surrounding the entire process. The elite athletes tell NFL teams what drills they will and won’t be performing at these extravaganzas and how much money they’d like to make when they are officially welcomed into the NFL. The combine and the pro day act as one huge sales pitch for anyone trying to make it big.

The argument is often made against the importance of the 40 yard dash, “When do you ever run 40 yards in a straight line?” To the NFL decision makers (i.e. scouts, GMs, etc.) the more appropriate question is “Who runs 40 yards fastest in a straight line?”

The NFL is a business and it is about job security as a player and it is about job security as an executive. It is difficult to draft, support and/or employ players that don’t perform as well statistically as others.

There are players like Chris Johnson where people can point to the combine. He ran fast and he still runs fast, to the tune of over 2,000 yards in a season. However, for every Chris Johnson there is a Darrius Heyward-Bey. Sometimes you just won’t know how good a football player is until he puts on the pads.

I watched the NFL combine paying particular attention to the running backs, and this year’s class appears to be average in its depth of talent.

Below are the primary tests at the NFL combine, where 31 running backs participated. The best performance is listed along with the minimum performance necessary to finish in the top 1/3 of running backs at that given drill. My projected numbers are listed as well.

Drill Fastest Top Third     My Projection

40 yard Dash 4.35 sec. (C.J, Spiller) 4.58 sec. 4.60

Bench Press 26 Reps (Lonyae Miller) 18 Reps        13 Reps

Vertical Jump 41 in. (Montario Hardesty) 36 in. 32 in.

Broad Jump 10’4” (Montario Hardesty) 9’10” 9’0”

3 Cone Drill 6.75 sec. (Jahvid Best) 6.98 sec. 6.80 sec.

20 yard Shuttle 4.06 sec.(Dexter McCluster) 4.33 sec. 4.20 sec.

I have done all that I can do to prepare myself for my opportunity. I trained relentlessly and with focus. My uncle, Sean Karl Rogan, has reinvested in me as he always does so as to allow me to reach new maximums for my strength. For the record, Sean ended up benchpressing 225 lbs. 22 times placing him neatly in the top 3 for running backs and making him stronger than every quarterback and wide receiver in the draft.

I will actually be performing these tests at our pro day, Mar. 5th at the University of San Diego and then again at San Diego State University at their pro day on Mar. 12th. SDSU receives a better turnout of NFL scouts so attending both is beneficial.

The Chargers are low on running backs and here’s to hoping they can find one in their own backyard.

While the San Diego sports world focused on the release of LaDainian Tomlinson on Monday, the Hall of Champions went on to honor five new inductees and recognize the best that the San Diego sports world had to offer in 2009.

A crowd of more than 900 strong showed up to the Town and Country Convention Center in Mission Valley to show their respect to the athletes and the San Diego sports community.

Former Padre and perfect game pitcher David Wells, four-time Olympic diving gold medalist Greg Louganis and three-time world champion sailer J.J. Fetter Isler were all inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Former Charger and San Diego native David Grayson and former UCLA track coach and San Diego State graduate Bob Larsen joined them as Veteran’s Committee selections.

David Wells was inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions (SDNN-Don Kohlbauer)

Standouts Phil Mickelson, Philip Rivers, Jimmie Johnson, Adrian Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg and the Park View Little League All-Stars were among the athletes honored for their accomplishments in 2009.

Jason caught up with Wells for three quick questions during the celebration:

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SDSU is coming off their first regional appearance in 17 years, while USD opens the season in the Top 25 and with hopes of returning to the NCAAs this year.  Next week, the two programs collide for a four-game home-and-home series.

619 Sports will have complete coverage of all of our college baseball teams in 2010.  As we prepare for Friday’s live doubleheader broadcast of #3 UCSD vs. #22 Chico State, Craig and Chris preview the SDSU and USD seasons in this new podcast:

Download audio file (021910-college-baseball.mp3)

See also: Gwynn, Aztecs Dive Into The Unknown

They finished 13-4 and won their fourth-consecutive AFC Western Division championship. But is there any possible way to remember the Chargers’ 2009 season without thinking solely of the devastating playoff loss to the New York Jets?

Well…yes…and no.

Here’s a look back at the Top 10 moments from the season just past — a season (not?) to remember: 

1. HE KICKED THE FLAG?? No matter what else happened this past season, losing the playoff to the Jets will still be what’s remembered most. Fair or unfair, it’s just the way that it is. Vincent Jackson kicking the red challenge flag, and drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, didn’t cost the Chargers the game, but it epitomized the frustration and the failure — again!! — of the Bolts in the postseason.

2. HE CAUGHT THE BALL!! Vincent Jackson gets the nod for Moment No. 2 as well. Hauling in a Philip Rivers pass in the right corner of the end zone (above), Jackson completed an 80-yard drive in the final two minutes, giving the Chargers a 21-20 come-from-behind victory over the New York Giants. At the time, it was easily the Bolts’ biggest win of the season, and it started everybody believing that perhaps this could be San Diego’s year.

3. HE STOPPED HIM! AGAIN! AGAIN! AND AGAIN!!Linebacker Brandon Siler led a goal-line stand in Dallas that helped knock off the Cowboys, 20-17, in December. Time and again Dallas slammed big back Marion Barber into the line, and time and again Siler and his mates — Tim Dobbins, Jacques Cesaire, Luis Castillo and others — turned him back. The third- and fourth-down plays were run from inside the one.  

4. HE EMBARRASSED US! Denver’s Eddie Royal returned a kick and a punt for touchdowns as the Broncos ripped the Chargers on Monday night football and dropped the Bolts 3 1/2-games out of first place. San Diego’s performance was uglier than Denver’s throwback pinstriped socks and was easily the lowpoint of the regular season.

5. MERRY CHRISTMAS!! The Chargers displayed all of their weapons in a 42-17 blowout of Tennessee on Dec. 25th. Scoring TD’s on six-consecutive drives, San Diego ended the Titans’ six-game win streak and positioned themselves as one of the teams to beat for the Super Bowl. That, of course, didn’t happen. But on Christmas night, everything was simply merry in America’s Finest City.

6. PAINFUL OPENER! Sure, the Bolts won their season opener in Oakland, but it came at a very heavy price. Injuries to center Nick Hardwick, nose tackle Jamal Williams — and even to a certain extent running back LaDainian Tomlinson — cast an ominous shadow over the season to come. Hardwick eventually came back, but Williams never did — and questions persisted about the Bolts’ toughness after they were physically pounded by the Raiders.

7. DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DIG RIGHT IN! Most of the season was about the Chargers offense, but it was the defense that carried the day in Denver as the Bolts crushed the Broncos, 32-3, in the season’s second meeting on Nov. 22. San Diego allowed only 271 yards, forced three turnovers and knocked around two Broncos QB’s– both Kyle Orton and Chris Simms. The victory also moved the Bolts into first place where, of course, they would stay.

8. NORV KICKS ON THIRD DOWN! In the home opener, the Chargers faced 3rd-and-goal from the Baltimore 5-yard line with 10 seconds left in the half and no timeouts remaining. And Norv Turner ordered a field goal. “We needed point there,” he said. What the Chargers really needed more was a coach who believed in them enough to give them another shot to score a touchdown. Playing it safe doesn’t work: Baltimore won the game, 31-26 (despite getting the three points Norv really needed to have).

9. HE WAS A HERO THEN! Nate Kaeding’s 52-yard field goal on the final play of the game ended the season’s most thrilling Qualcomm Stadium contest and beat the Bengals, 27-24. The crowd noise forced three consecutive penalties on Cincy’s offense in the third quarter — then reached an even-higher pitch when the Pro Bowl kicker snapped a 24-24 tie with his dead-solid perfect boot. (We know, we know…if only he could have done it in January).

10. THE START OF SOMETHING BIG! Jacob Hester blocked a punt, recovered it and scored to wrap-up a 37-7 victory in Kansas City in Week 6. Not only was this game the team’s most complete performance to date, it was the victory that kicked off the club-record 11-game winning streak.

– Ello

The college baseball season is one week away from getting started, with San Diego State hosting Oklahoma and Indiana coming to play USD on February 19th.  On Tuesday, Tony Gwynn and Rich Hill joined 619 Sports’ Craig Elsten on the stage for the Hall of Champions’ Sports at Lunch banquet.

Gwynn announced major changes for a pair of the Aztecs’ biggest stars.  Junior closer Addison Reed, an All-American who saved 21 games in 21 chances last season, will be converted to a starting pitcher in 2010.  Brandon Meredith, the slugging freshman first baseman, will be switched far up the defensive spectrum to center field.

Meanwhile, Rich Hill is just hoping to keep what looks like a loaded Toreros team healthy.  With a rotation that will include A.J. Griffin (also making the switch from closer to starter), Kyle Blair and Sammy Solis, USD will have a full complement of arms every weekend.

Watch the Sports at Lunch Q&A with Gwynn and Hill after the jump:

(Note: the actual Q&A begins at about 11:30 on the video)

Sports@Lunch with Tony Gwynn and Rich Hill from Hall of Champions on Vimeo.

San Diego resident John Carney has been kicking in the NFL for 21 years, but now he has his first championship.  The Saints kicker-turned-mentor joined 619 Sports on his cross-country drive back from New Orleans to talk about his charity “Dinner With The Pros” tomorrow night, the Saints’ Super Bowl run, the onside kick, Nate Kaeding and more:

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619 Sports’ J.T. Rogan is training to take a shot at the NFL.  Here is his second journal entry detailing his workout regimen and progress:

My training has been met with some resistance as multiple events have obstructed my focus and attention: I visited Indianapolis for the AFC Championship game, (within which I was hoping the Chargers would be participants, not unlike the couple that could be seen sporting their LaDainian Tomlinson Jerseys outside of Lucas Oil Stadium on game day) and I had to dedicate some time to running the used textbook store that I started near USD. This called for a lot of travel and not enough quality rest. However, I trained productively throughout the end of January and the month of February will be where the most significant gains are made and kept.

I currently have built my bench press repetition total at 225 lbs. to 13 reps. The bench press work is relentless. After accomplishing 13 reps on the bench press, there are two subsequent sets of maximum reps at 225 lbs. This is then followed by other taxing upper body work like dumbbell bench press, tricep extensions, a seated press machine and some cable work.

This course of lifting reinforces the mantra that my trainer/uncle has led me to support: the best way to lift heavier weights is to lift heavier weights. Pardon the oversimplification of the idea, but the strength and muscle mass that athletes desire will be best built through strenuous, continuous advancement in weight training.

I have my weight up to 202 lbs. My diet has not been as steady as I would like, but the constant food consumption and weight training has contributed to an improved physique. The strengthening of the core and of the lower body has contributed to the rise in weight. My maximum deadlift is at 485 lbs., and if not for poor form would be higher 20-40 lbs. higher. The lower back tends to become more involved at the heavier weights as opposed to the use of the legs which limits the maximum lifting amount in the deadlift.

My 24 Hour Fitness training home

I possess trepidation about squatting heavy weights on my surgically repaired knee, but I have squatted a maximum of 425 lbs. The workouts do not have much variation, but their effectiveness is unquestionable. As this is my third extended workout period with my uncle, this workout routine works. We go to 24 Hour Fitness and we utilize free weights, racks, and machines. We lift one day per muscle group for repetitions and one day per muscle group for maximum weight. We rotate between legs, shoulders and back and chest and arms.

We also lift according to proximity. If the plan was to do dumbbell bench with 90’s, 100’s and 110’s, but the 110’s are nowhere to be found, then we’re lifting the 115’s. Surely it sounds non-sensical, but when you’re committed to working as hard as you can and the weight is within the spectrum of possibility, you’re winning plain and simple.

My alternative training has incorporated foam rollers, stretching, yoga and basketball. The addition of jumping rope, plyometrics and fast twitch muscle related training will become more of a focus throughout the month.

The speed training with Coach Dale Baskett has been gradual and productive. There has been a lot of focus and attention paid to the mechanics of my running form. You cannot build a great building on a poor foundation just as you cannot build a terrific 40 yard dash time on poor fundamentals. I have been working to correct numerous problems with my running form including my inclination to tilt my head upward when I run, my continual closing of my arm angle when I run and my tightening up of my shoulders when I run.  The details of the running form and improvements are numerous, but just as there is a best way to maximize strength in a lift or height in a jump, there is a best way to maximize speed in a sprint.

We have just begun to refine my start. I have abandoned a lot of my prior notions about running because I find a lot of Coach Baskett’s philosophies to be rooted in logic. Formerly, I was tense in my stance as I was trying to explode out of my start. I would then keep a low, driving stride as I gradually rose up to achieve my running form. With Coach Baskett, I am relaxed in the stance only to attempt to explode out of the start to then acquire my running stride earlier in the sprint so as to not limit the hip’s stride lengthening capacity. Simply, your muscles respond better when they are relaxed and the quicker that you can get to top speed in the 40 yard dash, the better.

*As a footnote, my now 47 year old uncle continues to taunt me for not being able to lift more weight than him. He recently bench pressed 225 lbs. 20 times. For comparison’s sake, NFL linebacker Ray Maualuga from USC, now playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, totaled 23 reps.

One of the most talented and thoughtful sportswriters in the country, Sports Illustrated’s Jim Trotter took time this morning to join 619 Sports and discuss a host of topics.  Trotter presented Don Coryell’s case to the Hall of Fame selection committee, does he think Coryell will eventually get into Canton?  Plus, we talk about LT and his legacy, the Chargers, the Super Bowl, Philip Rivers, and much more!

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Follow Trotter on Twitter!