New Uniforms, Bontrager Reports to Practice

Okay, I was jazzed up for the approaching basketball season earlier in the week, but now even more so. This is apparently the new uniform for the 'Cats this year. Is this sweet or what? Don't answer, rhetorical...the model is Jenks native and returning RSU guard Alex Ewings.

P.S.-RSU color commentator Steve Bontrager took in some of today's workout, and on paper and on the Claremore Expo practice floor, he says this collection of talent trumps any of the previous teams in RSU red and blue. Steve doesn't blow smoke my way very often, except when he's losing personal bets to me on NBA Finals series. No word on if he challenged any of the newcomers to a free-throw shooting contest.

New Home for Hillcat Broadcasts

It's always hard to fathom basketball being right around the corner, especially when you're fully engulfed in the high school football season like I am as the voice of the Sapulpa Chieftains. With that said, the start of the 2011-2012 RSU hoops season is 3 weeks from tonight (say it with me now, WOW!). The Hillcat men play an exhibition game on Tuesday, November 1st at ORU, while the women square off in an exhibition contest at Tulsa the same night.

If you're unaware, there have been some big changes to how the basketball broadcasts will be delivered. The basketball games can no longer be heard on the airwaves of RSU Radio, or viewed through the prism of RSU Public Television. The athletic department has taken the broadcasts completely in-house, through the capabilities of Stretch Internet and the Hillcat Network. All home events will have video and audio, with audio only for road games. The broadcast crew remains the same, with the serendipitous Steve Bontrager as my partner for a 5th season. RSU has added former student, former assistant SID, and former all-around good guy Steve Braun as the full-time producer/coordinator of sports broadcasts and new media. He'll be our right-hand man at the controls, making us sound better than ever.

Now, as I understand it you should be able to watch/listen to Hillcat basketball through various avenues. Just click HERE to give it a test run. The athletic department has already broadcast several soccer games with the new technology. You can go through either a computer or through your internet phone hookup, if you're adept at doing that. Lord knows I'm not, I still use a flip phone from 5 years ago. Looking forward to another season of heart-stopping Hillcat basketball.