By Will Chamblee | Sports Writer Baylor men’s basketball is in the midst of a golden age under Scott Drew. Before Drew’s arrival in 2003, the program had only made the NCAA tournament four times in over 50 years. Since then, Drew has led the Bears to eight NCAA tournament appearances and two Elite Eight appearances. Drew’s efforts have placed Baylor on the edge of the coveted ‘blue blood’ status in men’s college basketball and it’s not unreasonable to say that Baylor could make the jump in the next decade. The term “blue blood” refers to a select number of…
Author: Will Chamblee
by Will Chamblee | Sports WriterCollege football is back! Last weekend the FBS played its first round of games, which has been christened ‘Week Zero’. Numerous new COVID-19 policies were used throughout the nation that Baylor football will put into use for their upcoming season opener this Saturday. Week Zero gave everyone, Baylor included, an opportunity to see the effectiveness and changes that the new protocols brought about. One of the major changes, which was integral in convincing schools to play football in the fall, is the testing protocols during the week leading up to the game The NCAA released…
By Will Chamblee | Sports WriterCollege football is in limbo. The Big 10 cannot seem to make a decision and the Pac 12 will not play sports until the fall. And while FBS games will be played on Saturday, there are questions as to how long college football will last before the coronavirus spreads to too many teams. It would seem that this does not bode well for college basketball and the likelihood of it having a season. But I am willing to guarantee that college basketball will play a regular season and NCAA tournament this year. Here’s a few…
By Will Chamblee | Sports WriterA tradition that started under former football coach Matt Rhule, the single-digit jersey numbers have been reserved for players that have shown exceptional leadership and dedication to the Baylor football team. Stemming from his days as Temple head coach, Rhule called the tradition a “rite of passage.” New head coach Dave Aranda was not going to be the one to discontinue it. “When I got here, this had to be one of the top three or four things that was explained to me,” Aranda said. “I know it is pretty important to our players and…
By Will Chamblee | Sports WriterJust like the rest of Baylor athletics, the women’s club soccer team is having to cope with a rapidly changing season due to the effects of the coronavirus. But unlike its Division I counterpart, the club team will have to wait until the spring to compete. “It’s definitely a bummer,” junior co-captain Taylor Burbank said. “We all came expecting to play club soccer in the fall.” Baylor alerted the captains of all club sports on August 13th via email that the season would be modified and the club officers would have to submit a “return…
By Will Chamblee | Sports WriterI love sports. For as long as I can remember, sports have been present in my life, whether I was watching or playing them. As I was born in the south, college sports —specifically college football — have always been important in my life.That being said, college football, and all other collegiate fall sports, should be canceled this fall. Why? Because there is simply no way for the NCAA to guarantee the safety of all its student-athletes. According to The New York Times, as of Aug. 26, the United States has more than 6. million…
By Will Chamblee | Sports Writer, Video by Nate Smith | Broadcast Reporter With the announcement that Baylor will indeed have a football season this year, the first question on many student’s minds was if they would be able to attend games. Athletic director Mack Rhodes announced on the Sic’Em podcast last week that the current plan is to allow students to attend home football games in a limited capacity. “We will be able to allocate about 2,500 student tickets per game,” Rhodes said. Baylor will utilize 25 percent of the student section seating in McLane Stadium along with 25…
By Will Chamblee | Sports WriterBaylor football hit the field at McLane Stadium for the first time this fall, holding its first scrimmage of camp Saturday.Head coach Dave Aranda was quick to emphasize how important the scrimmage was during a Zoom press conference held immediately after, saying that it will set the tone for how the team will play this season.“We will end up playing the way we practice,” Aranda said. “The more competitive, the more contested, the more animated and the more excited the practices are the better.”While Aranda was happy with the overall effort in the scrimmage, he…
By Will Chamblee | Sports WriterBayern Munich won the UEFA Champions League 1-0 over Paris-Saint Germain on Sunday in Lisbon. This was Bayern’s sixth Champions League title, which is the most prestigious trophy in European club soccer.While all Champions League finals are incredibly important, this final in particular was more important than most. This final was a battle for the soul of European club soccer.European club soccer was built on the principle of being by the fans and for the fans. Clubs were built and run by fans, ensuring a personal connection between the club and community.No team personifies this…
By Will Chamblee | Sports Writer“Elite competitor” and “winner” were the words that former Baylor football coach Matt Rhule used to describe Charlie Brewer upon entering the 2019 season.“I think he’s going to be one of the great players in the conference,” Rhule said.The senior quarterback from Austin lived up to those expectations and has been a constant presence for the Bears the last four years, starting 30 of the last 31 games for Baylor.However, this season Baylor needs Brewer to be more than just an elite competitor and winner. As the Bears transition to a new coaching staff and…
By Will Chamblee | Sports WriterThe Dave Aranda-era of Baylor football is in full swing and Baylor’s inaugural season under the first-year head coach promises to be as interesting and exciting as any.While college football finds itself in the midst of an unprecedented time, Baylor enters the season with more question marks than most programs, especially on defense where the Bears must replace nine starters from last year’s unit.In the face of uncertainty, Aranda seems positive and hopeful.“I think our team has risen to the occasion, especially these last couple of practices,” Aranda said. “The more the chatter got louder…