Left Field: Sheer Madness

They have the coach.

They have the program.

They have the support.

The team? It’s coming.

At Sac State’s third annual Midnight Madness Friday night, head coach Tom Abatemarco introduced his Hornet team to a disorganized crowd who was just as interested in the free pizza, Pepsi antenna balls and T-shirts as Coach “T’s” budding basketball program.

Great job to coach and the athletics marketing and promotions department. The night was fun for the fans. But next year, don’t give the fans anything they can throw. It rained antenna balls all night.

After over an hour of karoke, musical chairs and the like, an ornery crowd welcomed the men’s and women’s teams, who both posted 3-23 records last year.

The Hornets were introduced at the stroke of midnight amid semi-darkness and a smoky haze, suggestive perhaps of the future of this athletic team full of new faces.

New is not bad. Not after a 3-23 finish.

The men’s team, made up of mostly mid-size slashers who jump well, tore up a lay-up drill with flashy dunks and alley-oop passes, but floundered the ten-foot jumper fundamentals.

Granted, this party was for the fans, and fans like to see dunks, but the jump shot from inside the free-throw line needs to be automatic at the Division I level. Practice started Saturday morning.

The Hornets have a tough schedule this year, highlighted by a non-conference away game against Stanford. It will be good for them. It builds character.

Sac State has found their savior in Abatemarco. He brings good coaching and energy to Sac State, and with friends like Digger Phelps and Dick Vitale, he brings his good connections in the collegiate basketball world as well. Sac State needs publicity as bad as they need ten wins.

Coach “T” said building a good program takes time.

Well, it’s coming.

Abatemarco has already connected locally. The free shirts at Midnight Madness were courtesy of Jack Ford and Chuck Peterson of Sacramento car sales fame.

Jim Kozimor, a Sacramento Kings announcer, was on hand and played in a horrible display of mascot basketball. Kozimor tried his darndest to help those silly mascots.

Coach “T” also brought in half of the Kings ownership duo in Joe Maloof, who finds it very difficult to walk around with most of Sacramento’s lips on his butt. This town is begging for a Ted Turner.

Maloof was a great sport and participated in a 30-second free throw contest where he donated $1000 per make to the basketball program. He drained four shots in the longest thirty seconds I have been witness to.

It’s coming.

Abatemarco has goals. He wants to spend the rest of his career at Sac State.

He wants to play a national power at Arco Arena and sell it out. He wants a home court on campus and he wants to win the Big Sky title.

It’s coming.

Midnight Madness didn’t promise a winning season this year. What the night did prove is that Sac State has the coaching staff and the financial support to win in the Big Sky conference. Add the players and the skills, and the Hornets are all set.

Coach “T” said it takes time.

Maloof also said it takes time.

A full crowd of a couple thousand made it clear the time is now.