Beaulieu: The demons that need exorcisms from CSU athletics

Mack Beaulieu

October 31, 2018

As seen throughout the sports seasons at Colorado State University, some of the athletics programs have some demons to exorcize. Whether it’s basketball, football, volleyball or baseball, here are some of the demons the Rams have to overcome to succeed in 2019.

Men’s basketball: Satan and Verrine

Niko Medved answers questions from members of the media Oct. 10. (Ashley Potts | Collegian)

The demons of wrath and impatience possessed the CSU basketball team through the Larry Eustachy tenure, and the Rams will hope that Satan’s wrath left with him. Eustachy was fired after a history of verbal abuse and using fear and intimidation to motivate his players. During Eustachy’s tenure, multiple players were arrested or suspended and the team always had a rash of transfers both in and out.

The Rams will hope to get rid of his lackey Verrine, the demon of impatience, in Coach Niko Medved’s era. Medved has shown so far to be cut from a completely different cloth than Eustachy, showing he can encourage his team while keeping things in perspective. While Medved will be dealing with a couple of new transfers as well, he’s already shown himself to be active on the recruiting trail and good at building rapport with his players.

Women’s basketball: Vepar and Agramon

Vepar governs water and induces painful stretches that can lead to death, should he so choose. Residing over the Rams shooting for most of last season, Vepar left a sturdy defense parched for the offense. The Rams shot would go dry for long stretches at certain points, and they rarely earned fouls. That’s where Agramon, the demon of fear, comes in.

The offense can’t let the demon of fear get to them on offense. While their shooting was streaky last year, the Rams inability to get to the free throw line played a huge role in them being in the bottom third offensively. If the Rams can get rid of either of these demons, the 2019 season could be a bright one if they can bring back their top-40 defense.

Football: Murmur

Murmurs are all around the CSU football program, maybe that means the demon is too. Murmur is the Duke of Night, and can bring forth his subject to his sorcerer, often identified as King Solomon, to answer any and all questions. The Rams have a lot of them.

Football coach during practice — Coach Mike Bobo high fives a player during a drill at practice on August 2. (Ashley Potts | Collegian)

Murmur won’t take you for questioning until you’re deceased, however. We will see if Murmur or the coaching staff is exorcized first.

Volleyball: Yan-gant-y-tan/ Jack-O’-Lantern

Maybe if they stay in the Halloween spirit long enough this season, the Rams can ward off Yan-gant-y-tan, a candle fingered demon of the night. They are back on top in the Mountain West after a win over Fresno State University on Saturday and defeating the University Wyoming in the Border War, it looks like the team is in the driver’s seat for another Mountain West title and a tournament berth.

This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more … Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus?”-Friedrich Nietzsche

That’s the reality for this Rams’ volleyball team, living the same year over and over again, Yan-gant-y-tan condemns people and other demons indefinitely. He himself is condemned to walk the night. Now, we light Jack-O’-Lanterns, to ward off Yan-gant-y-tan, so he can’t take us forever into the night.

Coach Tom Hilbert yells to a player from the bench during the game against Fresno State. (Ashley Potts | Collegian)

If the Rams are inhabited by Yan-gant-y-tan, then they are at least enjoying a nice night, but at what point is just making the tournament not good enough? When will the Rams make it past the sweet sixteen? These are the questions that haunt them, but chances are they will be following “Tricky Jack,” for just a little bit longer.

Softball: Buruburu

That chill down your spine? That’s Buruburu, the demon of cowardice, and he frequently takes trips to the batter’s box when these Rams have runners in scoring position. Despite being 40th in the NCAA in batting average, the Rams had major difficulty pushing across runs for much of last season. They averaged just over two runs per game in their last 12 games of the spring.

Luckily, a few games could exorcize this demon. If they come up with more timely hitting, behind their already strong pitching, then this could be a big season coming up in 2019.

Collegian reporter Mack Beaulieu can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @Mack_covers.

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