When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced quarterback JaMarcus Russell as the number one pick in the 2007 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders, not many were surprised. Russell, a quarterback from LSU was the favorite prospect coming into the draft and the possible savior for the Oakland Raiders.

The next handful of picks went as predicted, until the Miami Dolphins, with the number nine pick in the draft, started the circus by not selecting Brady Quinn, the All-American quarterback from the University of Notre Dame. Quinn was possibly saved from embarrassment by going to a private waiting room at the suggestion of Goodell. Quinn eventually put on his hometown team jersey when the Cleveland Browns traded for the rights to Quinn. The Browns also took Joe Thomas, left tackle from Wisconsin, with the third pick overall.

The draft’s biggest trade saw Randy Moss leave Oakland for New England in exchange for a fourth round draft pick.

This year’s draft was exciting with some teams faring better than others. With character issues surrounding many teams, who had off-field issues this past year, (Pac Man Jones, Chris Henry and Tank Johnson) some teams were reluctant to select players with troubled records.

So, with so much surrounding this years draft–trades, questioned selections and character issues–time will tell how well teams drafted.

The Good:

1.) Oakland Raiders – JaMarcus Russell could be the next Daunte Culpepper. Kolby Smith, running back from Louisville and Zach Miller, tight end from Arizona State, should play key roles in the Raiders’ offense next season.

2.) Cleveland Browns – Brady Quinn could thrive under Romeo Crennel especially with Joe Thomas protecting his weak side. Eric Wright brings some character issues but should be a solid corner for the Browns.

3.) Miami Dolphins – Ted Ginn Jr. was a shock at number nine but if he can do anything like he did for Ohio State, look out. John Beck was highly noted coming out of BYU, and Lorenzo Booker could be a good change of pace at running back.

4.) Denver Broncos – Although the Broncos only had four picks, they beefed up on the defensive and offensive lines with players who played at big-time schools in college. Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder, both defensive ends, will excel in Mike Shanahan’s scheme.

5.) Pittsburgh Steelers – Two years removed from the Superbowl, the Steelers went after Lawrence Timmons, outside linebacker from Florida State, and LaMarr Woodley, defensive end from Michigan. Both Timmons and Woodley could be Pro-Bowl caliber in a few years.

The Bad:

1.) Detroit Lions – General Manager Matt Millen does not understand that drafting a wide receiver first, like he has done four of the last five years, does not necessarily produce wins. They should have gone after Joe Thomas to get a ground game in the Motor City.

2.) Green Bay Packers – If this is Brett Favre’s last year, it might be cut short with an injury, because the Packers did nothing to acquire a future quarterback. Maybe they have already given up and are building for the future.

3.) New York Giants – Besides Aaron Ross, who has mediocre speed at defensive back, the Giants did not get many players who will have an impact next year because Tom Coughlin has no clue.

4.) Philadelphia Eagles – Choosing Kevin Kolb over Drew Stanton and John Beck did not make much sense. Kolb was not tested against powerhouse football teams, while Stanton and Beck were.

5.) Washington Redskins – LaRon Landry should be good in years to come, but when your owner does not believe in the draft, you cannot really have a good one. Dan Snyder likes to trade for free agents that have been in the league for awhile, so it is no surprise that Washington had one pick in the first four rounds.

The Ugly:

Tennessee Titans- Chris Henry from the University of Arizona at running back is a questionable pick. Paul Williams with the third pick is physically gifted, but not a great wide receiver. The Titans had picks later in the draft, which will not produce results very well for the Titans in later years.

The South Dakota State softball team prepared to make a splash in the D-1 Independent Tournament in Atlanta, Ga. The Lady Jacks ended up being wiped out.

The Jacks on April 27 lost their first game against host Kennesaw State 9-1. They finished the first day with a loss against border rival North Dakota State University 4-1.

On April 28 the Jacks played a triple-header. They ended pool play with a highly contested game against Cal State Bakersfield 1-0.

Sophomore pitcher Jenna Marston pitched a shutout, allowing only five hits with five strikeouts. In the top of the fourth inning, with one out, SDSU got on the board when sophomore outfielder Brittany Postma stole second and was then driven in by catcher Dani Broshar for the lead and the game. SDSU was able to keep the Roadrunners’ bats quiet and off the scoreboard with excellent pitching and stellar defense.

Coming off the shut out victory the Jacks were riding momentum into the start of tournament play. Marston again pitched a great outing, but it was not enough as Northern Colorado beat the Jackrabbits 2-0.

On the brink of elimination the Jacks face a familiar foe, Cal-State Bakersfield, in the second game of the day. CSUB offense came alive scoring eight runs on ten hits. The SDSU offense could only manage two runs on four hits with freshman infielder Amanda Fedson and senior infielder Steph Kuhl collecting one RBI each.

“We competed very hard but in fast pitch softball you have to be able to pitch, play defense and hit,”said head coach Shane Bouman. “We couldn’t get all three of those phases going for us at the same time.”

One high point of the weekend was Fedson’s selection to the all-tournament team. Fedson batted .400 and was successful in her two stolen base attempts. Defensively she had four putouts and 15 assists to go along with only two errors.

“Amanda is a great utility player,” said Bouman. “She has done great things all year and we are very excited about her future here at State.”

Although it was a tough weekend for the Jacks down in Georgia, they did manage to break some records. Kuhl’s RBI in the second game versus Cal State was all her own, as she homered for the fifth time this year and 25th of her career, an SDSU record. Brooke Postma also set the single season record for stolen bases at 26 with two steals during the tournament.

The Jacks finished the weekend 1-4 and are 14-32 on the season. They end the season against St. Cloud on Thursday.

Kim Westendorf lost her only decision of the tournament. Marston had one win, along with three losses; she pitched at least three innings and a third in every game of the tournament.

It is safe to say that spring has finally arrived. Sun, skimpy clothing and barbeques are back again. Jackrabbit students go outside and soak up the nice weather, because the second big intramural season is here – softball.

Intramural Co-Rec softball is the largest of all intramurals played at SDSU, with fall’s flag-football a close second. This year, 92 teams comprised of approximately 1132 students, roughly one-tenth of the entire SDSU student population, are participating in softball. Since 2005, the number of softball participants has risen by 250.

Each week, teams play Sunday through Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The games are held at the City Complex Diamonds.

The softball season began on April 8. If the weather cooperates, Intramural Coordinator Mark Ekeland said he expects the championship to be played the week before finals.

Golf may be fun for some, but what gets a lot of people going is being out on that diamond, with nothing but friends, green grass, blue skies and swatting an inside pitch right over third base.

Intramural softball is in full force. It is not like typical summer ball, highly contested and usually unisex, but rather Co-Rec softball is where you want to perform well and look good doing it. Teams like BYOB (bring your own beer), Balls Deep III (deep into the outfield) and The Spartans (the Greeks can hit) run wild.

They come from everywhere and bring their own aspirations to the field every week. Some come to win, others are just out there for fun and exercise.

“My favorite part of softball would be the fact that you get to meet new people,” said Nathan Paul, a junior engineering major.

Softball also leaves many with memories.

“One of my favorite memories was hitting an inside-the-park homer in our last game and when one of my teammates purposely threw the ball out of the field over the umpire’s head because we were winning by a lot,” said pre-law junior Jenny Sondreal.

Paul said, “I remember trying to throw a guy out at home and I hit him in the leg. I felt bad but he must have felt even worse after he got hit in the side pitching later on.”

Four years ago, Joe Gunderson made a decision to attend SDSU. Four years later, the rodeo team is lucky he is still here.

A Montgomery, Minn., native, Gunderson is one of the best collegiate rodeo bareback riders in the nation. He has won three regional championships and was two points away from last year’s national championship

Even though he is from Minnesota, the roots of Gunderson’s rodeo career stem back to Onida. Early on, Gunderson and his sister would spend their summers with their dad at Sutton’s ranch near Onida. During these summer days, Gunderson would attend many rodeos, where he would eventually build a passion for an enriched future in bareback horse riding.

Gunderson came to SDSU in fall 2003. He was on a mission to be the best bareback rider in the country. To accomplish his goals, Gunderson has worked very hard.

“It’s different than most college sports. There are no set practices. You put in the time for what you want to do and how good you want to be,” Gunderson said.

It seems to have worked for Gunderson. He attributed his success not only his physical abilities, but to his mindset and drive to constantly succeed at the highest level.

“(He was) influenced at a young age to be the best he can. I can see Joe in the national finals, and someday a world champion,” Coach Terry McCutcheon said.

In a sport where 28 is old, Gunderson has an education to fall back on when his rodeo career is done.

“Coach McCutcheon calls it an insurance policy,” Gunderson said.

With his talent and work ethic, Gunderson could have easily packed his bags and headed south for more rodeos and more money. Instead, he stayed here and made a name for himself while working toward that “insurance policy.”

Using McCutcheon’s positive influence, inspiring him toward a degree first and fame later, Gunderson has relished his college experience.

“The whole experience has been memorable; traveling, meeting new people and seeing things others don’t,” Gunderson said.

In Gunderson’s first regional title his freshman year, he had a horse land sideways on him in Dickinson, N.D.

“I think that injury stayed with Joe throughout the summer,” McCutcheon said.

His sophomore year, Gunderson won in San Antonio, Texas, and at one point was ranked the best bare-back rider among the professionals.

Gunderson’s junior year did not come with as much success as previous years, mainly because of the strength of the region. Yet he still won another regional title, his third in a row.

McCutcheon believes Gunderson has set an example for the rest of the rodeo team.

“In rodeo there is no pass, steal or shot. Instead, the team performs well by watching a leader like Joe go out there and take care of business. He motivates them to raise their level of competitiveness by setting the example,” McCutcheon said.

Besides a riding hand that has been beaten up through the years, when you look at Gunderson, he appears just like any other college student. McCutcheon said Gunderson’s overall demeanor toward rodeo hasn’t changed much throughout his years here.

“Joe is a soft-spoken guy who came in green with talent. He gets to the point and has worked hard to get where he is now,” McCutcheon said.

Gunderson is currently at the top of the region and will be competing every weekend until the end of school, including the SDSU Jackrabbit Stampede Rodeo this weekend.

Gunderson will compete in Dickinson, N.D, May 4-5 for a fourth regional title. If he finishes in the top three there, he will move on to nationals June 9-16 in Casper, Wyo.

Ryan Meyer, the first South Dakota State athlete to compete at an NCAA Division-I national tournament, was one of many other great wrestlers this past week in Auburn Hills, Mich.

As the first ever from SDSU, Meyer had a lot of weight on his shoulders. Going into the tournament, he said, “I want to wrestle my best and put myself in a situation to win a couple matches.”

Coach Jason Liles agreed with the expectations.

“Ryan needed to compete at his best and win matches,” he said.

Meyer, a redshirt freshman from Parkston, lost a 5-1 decision to Ivy-Leaguer Zach Shanaman of the University of Pennsylvania in the first round on the morning of March 15. Shanaman, ranked No. 16 in the nation, began the scoring with 2-0 advantage with 15 seconds left in the first and never faltered. Meyer’s lone point was from one minute, 25 seconds of riding time.

Meyer then wrestled Dustin Noack of University of California-Davis in a wrestle-back match on March 15 in the Palace. A fairly even first period led Meyer to tie the match on a take-down in the second. He then took the lead, 4-3, in the third with an escape. Noack finally got to Meyer late in the match, when Noack scored a take-down to secure the victory, 5-4.

“I feel like I wrestled pretty good, but I could have done a little better and won a match or two,” Meyer said.

Meyer led the way this season and believes the future of SDSU’s wrestling program looks strong.

“It’s an honor to be the first one, but hopefully I am the first of many of the guys on our team that have a possibility to make it next year. My expectations are to make it to the national tournament the next three years and reach my goal of being a couple-time all-American.”

Meyer finished the year with a 23-11 overall record and a perfect 6-0 against West Regional opponents.

SDSU finished the season at .500 and posting an 8-8-1 mark.

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