SB Nation Kansas City: All Posts by Cody Ulm

Sun Devil Legends Series: Countdown to Kickoff

2013-05-22T05:41:18Z

This summer, we'll be going from jersey 99 to jersey 1 and count down the greatest Sun Devils to ever wear a particular number. The countdown to Week 1 starts right now!

From the earliest days of Frederick Irish to the glory days of Frank Kush to the modern era with Todd Graham, the Sun Devil football program has always had a proud tradition.

Thousands of players have donned the maroon and gold, and many have produced unforgettable careers.

For fans old enough to remember, the sight of a strong-armed No. 11 (Danny White) tossing touchdown passes in the early seventies still sticks with them today.

For a younger generation, the image of No. 42 (Pat Tillman) lighting up opponents from sideline to sideline is something that will stay them forever.

For today's students, it's hard to beat the thought of No. 90 (Will Sutton) busting through the offensive line to attack another team's quarterback.

While fans remember their favorite players, they can just as easily recall the numbers that those players donned.

Uniform numbers are a special part of the game, as they often tell stories that go beyond football.

Players choose numbers for a variety of reasons. Often times, their childhood idols wore the same number. Sometimes, a number is part of a superstition. Or maybe, an equipment manager simply handed a player a jersey.

Regardless, numbers become eternal symbols, and that's where we got the idea for our summer series, "Sun Devil Legends." Over the next 99 days, the team at House of Sparky is going to countdown the greatest Sun Devils to ever wear a particular number.

We will start with 99, and work our way right on down to the number 1. When our series finishes, it will be time for this year's Sun Devils to begin creating their own legacies in the numbers they will wear.

The purpose of this series is to celebrate the Arizona State tradition and create debate. Each of our selections will be accompanied by honorable mentions and a poll so you can cast your vote on who deserves to be the face of each number.

We anticipate lively discussions as we have already had some quarrels amongst our staff. As always, comment and share your opinions about your favorite Sun Devils as we prepare for the 2013 season.

Which of your favorite Sun Devils will make our list? List your predictions in the comments thread below and find out soon!

Arizona Vs. Arizona State Baseball Series In Review: By The Numbers

2013-05-20T18:00:06Z

The Arizona State baseball team lost both the three-game set and the Territorial Cup Series to the Arizona Sunday after dropping the finale, 7-6, to the visiting Wildcats.

Since the 2-1 series defeat was painful for a number of reasons, we at House of Sparky decided it would be best to do our series break down strictly by the numbers. Hopefully, along the way we'll find some redeeming stats as well:

7 - The number of ASU players to reach base in the 8th and 9th inning of Sunday's game without scoring - And due to the implications of that particular game, this statistic is undoubtedly the defining number of the series. It's also worth noting that Arizona State stranded five runners in the 8th and 9th innings of their 10-7 season-opening loss to the Wildcats on Friday.

47% - The portion of ASU's 32 hits that came from the top three batters in their lineup - While it's certainly encouraging to hear that Kasey Coffman, Michael Benjamin and James McDonald totaled 15 hits in the series, it's equally as unacceptable for a third of the lineup to be producing nearly half a team's hits. You aren't going to win many high scoring affairs that way, especially when the other six batters are busy compiling 13 of the team's 20 strikeouts in the series.

8 - The number of RBIs that 3B Michael Benjamin totaled in the series - Hitting from the two hole, the junior also chipped in with two runs to bring his season total up to a team-high 51. Benjamin also leads the Devils in average (.356), doubles (18), total bases (127) and slugging (.588).

10 - The number of runs allowed by Trevor Williams across six innings in his career-worst start - To his credit, only six of those runs were earned due to some shoddy defense (four errors). And Williams did manage to buckle down a bit considering nine of those runs were scored in the first three innings. But if that ends up being his last regular season home start of his ASU career, he should be disappointed. His breaking balls were simply refusing to break, which resulted in 12 hits allowed and two batters plunked.

4,105 - The number of fans who were in attendance to watch what was likely Williams' final home start - That total was a season-high until 4,304 showed up Saturday evening. Overall, ASU fans deserve some serious props for the support they showed this past weekend. Even with a worrisome number of Wildcat fans, the maroon and gold faithful still was mighty loud and mighty proud throughout the entire three-game series.

3-12 - Arizona State's record when trailing after six innings - The Devils did have a three-run eighth inning on Saturday to secure the victory but since that game was tied, it didn't effect this record. As sad as it is to admit, this weekend emphatically proved that the 2013 Sun Devil baseball team simply isn't built for late-inning comebacks.

32 - The number of appearances from LHP Matt Dunbar on the season - The senior reliever may have taken his first loss of the season Sunday by allowing the eventual game-winning run but Dunbar is still pitching at a record-setting pace. He's already tied for the 10th most single-season appearances in ASU history and could certainly climb higher with four regular season games left to play.

Speaking of games left to play, the Sun Devils will take the field again Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. PT for their final non-conference game of the season against BYU. After that, they hit the road for three-game weekend set against in Washington against the Huskies. Stay plugged into House of Sparky for continued baseball updates as ASU looks to wrap up its regular season in style.

Former Arizona State QB Andrew Walter Running For Congress

2013-05-15T22:12:42Z

Former Sun Devil signal-caller Andrew Walter is looking to reign over Tempe once again in 2014 as he sets his sights on Arizona's District 9 seat in the U.S. Congress.

Walter, a Republican, would have to beat out the rest of the Republican field as well as incumbent Kyrsten Sinema to earn the honor. But the good news is that he could have a city of grateful football fans backing him up.

As this map shows, the 9th District is made up all of Tempe as well as parts of Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Paradise Valley and Phoenix. And although it's almost been 10 years since he last donned the maroon and gold, the ASU faithful likely have not forgotten his extensive accomplishments.

Walter finished his four-year playing career at Arizona State (2001-2004) with a 22-16 record, surpassing John Elway's long-held Pac-10 touchdown record with 85 scores through the air in the process. To this day, Walter still owns the university records for most touchdown passes, passing yards (10,617 yards) and pass attempts (1,416) in a career as well as the single game record for passing yards (536 yards vs. Oregon in 2002) and the single season record for touchdown passes (30 in 2004).

But since tossing around a pigskin at a highly efficient rate doesn't have much to do with politics, here's Walter's message on the front page of his campaign site:

"I've been to many different place over the year, but Arizona will always be my home. I want to take the hard work and dedication the Walter name is known for and make a difference in Washington."

Simply riveting.

As many of you are well aware, the Raiders also selected Walter with the 69th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. And after "choosing" to leave the NFL at age 27 following three seasons in Oakland and short stint in New England, Walter returned to Arizona State and earned a MBA from the WP Carey School of Business.

While we're skeptical of Walter's usage of the "choosing" due to his professional touchdown-to-interception ratio (3-to-16), his well-rounded, post-football resume speaks for itself (and can be found here).

And while we at House of Sparky aren't exactly in the political endorsement business, we figure if an adulterous cyborg from Austria once ran California, why can't one of the best quarterbacks in ASU history make some decisions for his former fans in Tempe?

New, New Sparky Saga: Most Fans Consider ASU's Redesign A Hit

2013-05-09T21:24:48Z

The new, new Sparky was released Wednesday and the reception Arizona State received ranged from satisfied, to baffled, to...well...ill-informed.

Who is Jodi Arias and why is she stealing new, new Sparky's thunder?

— Cody Ulm (@CodyUlm) May 8, 2013

My lack of knowledge about the real world aside, most people still found Sparky's redesigned redesign to be a big deal even weeks after the initial "yeah, that's our bad" from ASU. And because the university was able to admit their original efforts were wrong and misguided, most maroon and gold diehards found it in their hearts to forgive them:

@houseofsparky Pleased the NewNewSparky Saga is done and people feel like their voices have been heard.
— Jedi ASU (@JediASU) May 9, 2013

Heck, a solid amount of people even felt that this new, new Sparky looks more like the way Sparky should be than ever before:

@houseofsparky first time the mascot actually looks like the sparky logo
— Frank Grimes (@Franimal31) May 8, 2013

@houseofsparky New Sparky looks a lot like Old Sparky, but not the Old New Sparky that no one liked, the Old Old Sparky that everyone liked.
— Mark D. (@BigBaldMark) May 8, 2013

@houseofsparky The new Sparky is the perfect combination between the ASU of lore while also representing a new era.
— Tyler Nickel (@TylerNickelASU) May 9, 2013

That's not to say there weren't folks still calling this whole ordeal one big waste of time though. In this instance, some guy named Brad Denny decided to take the passive-aggressive route:

@houseofsparky The Sparky vote was a perfect example of democracy in action. What's more American than using time better spent elsewhere?
— Brad Denny (@BDenny29) May 9, 2013

And, of course, there was still that justifiably upset mob of fans who continued to harp on the old "if only people cared this much about our athletics" hypothesis:

@houseofsparky who cares - mascots are for my kids should have had the voting at games in 2013-2014 #buttsinseats
— Mike Crabtree (@mcrabtree3) May 9, 2013

@mcrabtree3 @houseofsparky Problem is ASU presents their mascot as more integral part of their "Brand". They shouldn't.Dumb
— El Lobo (@SUNDVL24) May 9, 2013

@houseofsparky New Sparky is cool. I just wish fans cared as much about actually showing up for home games as they do for this mask.
— Matt Villanueva (@matt_villanueva) May 9, 2013

@houseofsparky ARRRRG!!! CHANGE IS SCARY!Boycott!!!Boycott the boycott!!!&no I won't donate to the AD or buy tix!- retarded Facebooker
— dbrockdevil42 (@dbrockdevil42) May 8, 2013

Yet overall, one would be hard-pressed not to declare the new, new Sparky a success. Back in early March, 2,015 of House of Sparky readers (76%) voted that they disliked the anime, bumblebee Sparky in our site poll. But at the time of this article's publication, 70 percent of the 244 votes received on our most recent poll has ASU fans "liking" the latest redesign.

Similarly, 95.4 percent of our Facebook commenters were on board with the Sparky known as "Option B," according to the Cody Ulm patented eye test (disclaimer: the Cody Ulm eye test is still in beta testing).

So go ahead and pat yourself on the back, Sun Devil nation. We we're finally given some power and we managed to not screw it up by voting for Sparky the mouth-breather (but seriously, be glad we don't have gaping-mouth Sparky drooling all over the push-up board for the next decade).

And even if you're still wondering why ASU decided to fix something that wasn't broken in the first place there's still one thing you should be able to agree with: democracy is one helluva drug.

@houseofsparky DEMOCRACY WON.
— Mack Huff ⚾ (@HackMuff) May 9, 2013

To join conversation, follow House of Sparky on Twitter and like us on Facebook. If all else fails, leave a comment below and we'll make sure to respond because we're lonely and desperate for human interaction.

New Sparky Round Table: What Are Your Feelings On ASU's Latest Redesign?

2013-05-08T20:14:36Z

Arizona State finally revealed the new, new Sparky Wednesday after a prolonged makeover process that included an unprecedented public acknowledgement of "yeah, that's our bad." ASU students, alumni, employees, season-ticket holders and other donors were able to vote on four different options and the Sparky behind door No. 3 was chosen as the most worthy candidate. But as most know, large mobs of angry fans have been known to make some pretty rash decisions over the years. The real question is, "Did we the people get it right when it was our chance?" Our panel of writers discuss:

Q: What are your feelings on the new, new Sparky?

Kerry Crowley: I think Arizona State really got it right this time around. The Sun Devil faithful were strongly opposed to the previous "New Sparky" design and it's quite obvious that change was needed. Instead of settling for a product that would make students, fans, alumni, and boosters unhappy, the university heeded the criticism and went back to the drawing board. Though the four options they came up with were far from perfect, people invested in the future of Arizona State were allowed to vote upon their favorite option which is what should have taken place initially. Ultimately, a more traditional and updated version of Sparky is what we have and the most important part about the new design is that Sparky is decked out in maroon and gold. Black is an alternate color for Arizona State, but it is not a part of the proud Sun Devil tradition. The "New Sparky" draws on the past and is still a reflection of the new era at ASU, so I think we'll see a lot more satisfaction from the fan base.

Cody Ulm: As long as those soul-sucking, anime eyes are gone, any new Sparky will be alright with me. But to the fans' credit, I really feel they picked the best of the limited options in this instance. While the changes aren't exactly earth-shattering by any stretch, they still breath some fresh air into Arizona State's beloved mascot (although I'm still wondering who was losing sleep about how Sparky looked two redesigns ago). More than anything, I'm just glad I won't be embarrassed any time I see this mustached gentlemen at any social functions. Who knows, I might even take a picture or two with him.

Nick Marek: I love it when universities try to change their look to stay fresh. Typically, it's hiring someone new or maybe upgrading uniforms but this time it was a mascot change. Though I am glad they did a second round of voting to pick the "New Sparky," I like the old look of Sparky and I'm going to miss it. The one the fans chose (Option B) was my favorite of the four but I'd much rather see the school trying to improve the athletic training facilities or renovate weight rooms. The fans got it right because out of the four, the smaller details like the eyes and eyebrows match best. I just wish we didn't have to talk about this. I love the old look of Sparky and always will. I think once I see a real life model of the "New Sparky", I'll come around more to the idea. It's also weird because all we've seen are pictures.

Cory Williams: All I can say is: Phew. The fans picked a great new Sparky that pays homage to the past and gives a nod to the future. ASU has greatly improved their process for reacting to fan feedback, and this was no exception. New-New Sparky will be a big hit and the naysayers are left with nothing but positive feelings about their alma mater. Everybody wins, and Sun Devil Nation gets stronger.

Ryan Bafaloukos: I think the fans ended up picking the right Sparky and even though the old one is near and dear to my heart, I can get behind this new design. Cody is right, the "soul-sucking, anime" eyes are gone, and they should never be seen in public again. If you compare the new Sparky to the old Sparky, they do not look that much different from each other, besides the size of the head. Both have menacing eyebrows, a smaller mustache, and a grin as wide as A-mountain itself. I like the horns on the new Sparky better than the old one and I think the overall, the body will look better. ASU did the right thing, it listened to its fan base. They admitted to failure and they sought to make it right.

ASU Basketball Officially Adds Transfer Sai Tummala To 2013-14 Roster

2013-05-07T16:00:05Z

For those of you who missed it due to a fury of finals, the Arizona State basketball team officially added Salt Lake Community College transfer and Brophy Prep graduate Sai Tummala to their 2013-2014 roster last week.

The sharp-shooting forward will have three years of eligibility starting next season and should provide the Sun Devils with a much-needed presence from downtown after shooting 41% from three last season. Here's what head coach Herb Sendek had to say about bringing Tummala aboard in the accompanying press release:

"We are excited to welcome Sai to our program," says Coach Sendek. "He was really good last year and has proven he can make shots, and also is an outstanding athlete and great student. Combined with signees Chance Murray and Egor Koulechov and transfers Richie Edwards (Valparaiso) and Brandan Kearney (Michigan State), we have a great group of newcomers in 2013-14.

Sendek is also hopeful about the length of Tummala's eligibility, comparing the situation to what the recently-graduated Carrick Felix was able to do with his time after transferring from Southern Idaho.

Tummala earned third-team All-American honors last season at Salt Lake Community College and was a first-team All-Region 18 pick. As a freshman, he averaged 14.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting a cool 49.9 percent from the field. And if those numbers don't get you excited, just take a look at this photo of Tummala going all NBA Hangtime on some unsuspecting defender. We can never have too much dunk face in Wells Fargo Arena, right?

ASU Pitcher Trevor Williams makes Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List, Ryan Kellogg Shunned

2013-05-02T20:37:44Z

Arizona State ace Trevor Williams has been mowing down the opposition with a vengeance in 2013 and now it seems he's one step closer to being rewarded with a golden pair of kicks for his extensive efforts.

Williams, a junior, was one of 60 players across the nation to be named to USA Baseball's midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List Thursday. With the numbers he's put up this season, don't be surprised if he's still on USA Baseball's list when they cut it down to 30 semifinalists on Tuesday, May 28.

After making the Golden Spikes Watch List in the preseason, Williams has gone on to lead the Sun Devils in games started (11), innings pitched (79.0), and strikeouts (55) all while sporting a 5-3 record and 3.30 ERA.

In the shocking news department, USA Baseball shunned Ryan Kellogg's gaudy numbers despite the fact that he's just one of three players in the nation with at least 10 wins and zero losses. The freshman phenom somehow didn't make the Watch List even though his ERA rests at a cool 2.21 on 73.1 innings pitched. Oh yeah, and did I mention he tossed a no-hitter this season as well?

Crimes against humanity aside, the Pac-12 still managed to get a total of nine candidates on the Watch List including Stanford RHP Mark Appel, Oregon State LHP Matt Boyd, Oregon State OF Michael Conforto, Arizona OF Johnny Field, Oregon 1B Ryon Healy, Cal C Andrew Knapp, UCLA RHP Adam Plutko and Oregon RHP Jimmie Sherfy.

Once the Watch List is cut down on May 28, the remaining semifinalists will be sent to a 200-person voting body which consists of past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers along with select members of the press and professional baseball personnel. But don't worry gang, your voice can be heard too with fan-voting beginning on the same date on GoldenSpikesAward.com. After that, the three finalists will be named on June 3 before the Golden Spikes trophy is awarded live on MLB Network on July 19.

But before any of that happens, you'd be wise to do some pre-vote scouting. And no better time to begin than this Friday at Packard Stadium when Stanford's Appel takes on Williams in a pivotal Pac-12 showdown.

2013 NCAA Tournament schedule: Otto Porter, Shabazz Muhammad among NBA prospects playing Thursday

2013-03-22T12:00:14Z

The second round of NCAA tournament action involves a number of NBA Draft prospects, and perhaps no storyline from that perspective is more interesting on Friday than the performances of Shabazz Muhammad of the UCLA Bruins and Kansas Jayhawks guard Ben McLemore. Those two are hoping to be the first perimeter player picked in the 2013 NBA Draft, and each are in action on the second day of the round of 64.

No. 2 Georgetown vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast, 6:50 pm ET, TBS

Otto Porter - Sophomore - Georgetown: It's usually a safe bet that the Big East Player of the Year is going to be a lottery pick and if Porter decides to leave campus early, he should have no problem going in the lottery. While some might claim he's a little too thin, that hasn't stopped him from making consistent contributions in literally every aspect of the game. Porter averages 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game all while shooting 48.9 percent from downtown. Porter enters the tournament riding a 18-game double digit scoring streak and he should no problem doing the same Friday even against an Eagles defense that held the Hurricanes to 51 points earlier this season.

No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 11 Minnesota, 9:57 pm ET, Tru TV

Shabazz Muhammad - Freshman - UCLA: Muhammad has been a lighting rod for criticism this season but he could silence the nation if he's able to bring the Bruins to their third final four in the last seven years. Of course, he'll have to do it without the help of fellow swingman Jordan Adams, who broke his right foot in the Pac-12 tournament. If Muhammad is able to elevate his game and show some much-needed leadership qualities in Adams' absence, there's still a chance he goes in the top-three of the draft. But it won't be an easy task against a hard-nosed Gophers squad that will surely be happy to see a non-Big-10 opponent for a change.

No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 16 James Madison, 4:10 p.m. ET, TBS

Victor Oladipo - Junior - Indiana: How Oladipo goes the Hoosiers go. The junior guard sets the tone for Tom Crean's Indiana squad, and his rise into the lottery stems from his all-around basketball skillset. He's neither a pure scorer nor only a lockdown defender. The 6'5, 214 pound guard is an elite athlete, using his length to disrupt offenses, grab key offensive boards and push Indiana to highlight reel fastbreak opportunities -- often off turnovers that he forces. Oladipo averages 13.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game to go with 2.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game.

Cody Zeller - Sophomore - Indiana: Likely a top-five draft choice, the youngest of three Zeller brothers might be the best yet. At 7'0, 240 pounds, Zeller could use to add more weight to his frame, but as is he proves to be a talented rebounder and inside presence for the Hoosiers. He doesn't force the issue on a balanced Indiana squad, but he should be able to both dominate the boards and run the floor to get easy buckets. Zeller is averaging 16.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 57.3 percent from the floor.

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 16 Western Kentucky, 9:50 p.m. ET, TNT

Ben McLemore - Freshman - Kansas: One of the best scoring wings that should be available in the upcoming NBA Draft, McLemore is seemingly in a struggle with Shabazz Muhammad to be selected with the pick behind, presumably, Nerlens Noel of Kentucky. The 6'5, 185 pound guard is coming off a lackluster Big 12 Championship game against Kansas State where he scored five points. Though he uses his athleticism to score in the open court, McLemore is currently holding off Muhammad from a draft perspective, but that is at risk if the UCLA swingman grasps his opportunity to be the focal point with Jordan Adams sidelined.

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Albany, 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS

Mason Plumlee - Senior - Duke: A freakish athlete with good length, Plumlee finds himself as a lottery selection perhaps because of the lack of sure-fire prospects in the draft. Nevertheless, he has the tools to be an NBA contributor despite a lack of a defined offensive game. Plumlee is a 6'11, 235 big man who averages 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He takes what he's given, scoring on 59.2 percent of his attempts, and he also gets to the foul stripe at a high rate of 7.3 times per game.

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