More random thoughts on UA sports

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Chris Jackson

If Mike Candrea can win another softball title, or if he even gets his team to the championship game for the 10th time this decade, he deserves something beyond the coach of the year award.

Candrea's team this year will be without All-Americans Nancy Evans, Alison McCutcheon, Leah Braatz, Tiana Hejduk and Lety Pineda. Those five players combined for 56 home runs, 266 RBI, 261 runs scored, 75 stolen bases and 36 pitching victories.

And you thought Lute Olson had it tough...

Speaking of Olson, the men's basketball team continues to have a roller coaster season. One could blame Jason Terry's cold, A.J. Bramlett's sudden inability to shoot free throws or even that new stupid jump-ball rule, but losing at Oregon State wasn't all that bad.

Think about it, UA loses to the traditional patsy of the Pac-10, then has to face Stanford. There is no chance now that anyone on that team will be cocky come tomorrow night.

And that will help, because with everyone saying "18-0" around the Cardinal players, the level of cockiness in McKale will be high enough as it is...

The UA women's swim team will win the NCAA title this year. Yup, that's right, the whole darned thing. And the team will do it with two freshmen, Sarah Tolar and Erin Vogt, leading the way.

With an Olympic gold medalist coming in next year, there's no reason to think UA couldn't establish a swimming dynasty to challenge Stanford's...

Reports of the women's basketball team's demise were a tad premature.

Yes, the team has not lived up to its No. 21 preseason ranking, but more than one UA coach will tell you that preseason rankings don't mean squat. Is UA a top 25 team? Not this year, but the women will make it back to the NCAAs and be a real pain for whatever higher seeded team gets them in the first and second rounds...

Don't expect Ben Diggins to get a swelled head over his stellar performance against St. Mary's. No offense to the Gaels, but the WCC is nowhere near the level of the Pac-10.

Wait till Diggins faces the Trojans and some aluminum bats.

Diggins is a Chris McAlister type of player, one who never accepts any victory without some desire to do even better. He's not negative, he's smart. And that's why he, like McAlister, will be a consensus All-American before he leaves the UA..

If junior catcher Dennis Anderson was recruited by Arizona for his defense, then someone should tell him that. Instead, Anderson busted out the whuppin' stick and went 7 for 10 in the series. Mind you, he won't keep that up once Pac-10 play starts, but repeating his .389 average for Pima last year is looking a lot more realistic now than it was at the start of the season...

For everyone who is decrying the addition of Penn State to the 1999 football schedule, here's two words for all you: Kansas State.

Coach Tomey says it's not so, but face facts, without that game, UA's strength of schedule might leave it high and dry like it did the other Wildcats last season.

But first, UA needs to beat the Nittany Lions and its other 11 opponents before anyone starts talking about the impact of strength of schedule and the BCS...

Oh, and a few predictions:

Atlanta 31, Denver 30. Arizona 86, Stanford 84 in men's hoops; Arizona 77, Stanford 73 in women's.

See you at McKale tomorrow night.

Chris Jackson is a senior majoring in journalism. He can be reached at Chris.Jackson@wildcat.arizona.edu.