By Gary Estwick
I met coach Steve Cleveland late last month at Bobby Salazar's in northeast Fresno.
Cleveland seems like a nice guy, the right guy to bring some respectability back to a program that lost oodles of it under Tark and Lopes.
One thing that I learned about him, as we snacked on chips and salsa before our entrees came out - he loves challenges. Why else would he leave his comfort zone at BYU? It's clear that Fresno State needed Cleveland more than he needed them.
And it's good that he embraces challenges because that's just what's ahead this basketball season.
After watching basketball players shoot around late last month, I saw a team full of guard-forwards. Big but slow at some positions. Tall but skinny at others.
If they can force teams to play their up-tempo style, it could be a good year. If it's vise versa, and teams pound the ball inside, it could get ugly.
Here are a few biscuits ... Center Shawn Taylor is 16 inches taller than me, but I might outweigh him by five pounds. The really good news is he can run the floor. Can't count him out just yet. ... Ja'Vance Coleman has the green light to shoot, and boy, he sure can. ... At 6 foot, 8 inches, Dominic McGuire, who sat out last year after transferring from Cal, needs to add some type of back-to-the-basket move when he's matched up against smaller guards/forwards. ... Renato Cesar needs to ask Santa for some fast-twitch muscle fibers. ... Eddie Miller is going to be fun to watch, especially in the open court. ... If Hector Hernandez can put the ball on the floor from the 3-point line or even better, ranks first or second on the team in rebounds, the Bulldogs will have a productive season. Last season's 5.5 rebounds a game (fourth on team) won't work.
i think the new guy gary is outstanding, he's one of the best writters ever!!
If Mr. Estwick outweighs Shawn Taylor by five pounds, it would be helpful to know whether one or the other checks in at 140 or 440. Otherwise, I'm still guessing.