How did you react when the United States Government admitted that it’s in possession of “off-world vehicles not made on this earth” last month? They chose a time of global pandemic to flip-flop on a hotly debated topic, and I doubt it changed your mind about the existence of intelligent life outside this planet. Last […]
Author: JJ Fiddler
LB In MLB: Local Boys Getting Featured On MLB.com
Despite being a smaller group than in recent years, Major League Baseball players with ties to Long Beach have already made a wide variety of headlines on MLB.com during this truncated regular season. Lakewood High alum J.P. Crawford, 25, is having a breakout year with the Seattle Mariners, and the shortstop was the subject of […]
Oral History: Covering Long Beach At 2012 London Olympics
It was a true team effort when The Grunion covered the 2012 London Summer Olympics and all 32 athletes and coaches who had ties to Long Beach. Long Beach State’s Misty May-Treanor and Long Beach Poly’s Bryshon Nellum were two of the headliners, and the small but significant stories that Mike Guardabascio and JJ Fiddler […]
PODCAST: Long Beach Teachers Strike Avoided, CSULB Mascot Change, Olympic Oral History & Much More!
On this episode we’re talking about the Long Beach Unified School District avoiding a teachers strike, the new Cal State Long Beach mascot, the trip we took to the 2012 London Olympics, the Los Angeles Lakers playoff opener and much more. 01:30 Interview With Jordan High Teacher Shar Higa 17:00 Cal State Long Beach Sharks? […]
Feature: Millikan Football Alum Nik Lombardi Working To Be Firefighter
Millikan football fans will remember Nik Lombardi from the magical 2017-18 seasons when the Rams won a pair of playoff games. Despite being one of smallest starters in the Moore League, the 5’8″ 180-pound Lombardi made more than 200 tackles from his middle linebacker position in those two seasons. Lombardi, 19, didn’t leave his mark […]
Long Beach State Basketball’s Dan Monson Upfront About COVID-19
Dan Monson has had an eventful quarantine. At work, the winningest coach in Long Beach State men’s basketball history is preparing for an unpredictable season while adding elite transfer talent to his roster. More importantly at home, his 18-year-old daughter Mollie is recovering from coronavirus. It’s a waiting game for the return of basketball activities, […]
PODCAST: Long Beach Youth Sports Starting Again
On this episode we’re talking to Long Beach PONY president Ken Jakemer and baseball dad Dan DeCarlo about the challenges of starting youth baseball practice again after the COVID-19 closures. 01:00 We’ve Got Good News! 08:30 Long Beach PONY & Youth Sports Update 26:00 Speech & Debate: Camping
PODCAST: Interview With Long Beach State Men’s Basketball Coach Dan Monson
On this episode we’re talking to Long Beach State men’s basketball coach Dan Monson about his family dealing with his daughter getting COVID-19, his favorite memories of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, how LBSU can return to practice this year and much more. 01:00 We’ve Got Good News! 09:00 Long Beach State’s Dan Monson 40:00 Speech […]
LBSU Alum Trevor Crabb Wins AVP Event In Long Beach
Third time was the charm for Trevor Crabb at the last of three AVP Champions Cup events on Sunday in Long Beach — and he called his shot. The Long Beach State alum and his partner Tri Bourne had finished third in the first two AVP events. They had also lost twice on consecutive weekends […]
Big West Conference, Long Beach State Postpones Fall Sports
After weighing all of its options over the last two months, the Big West Conference Board of Directors announced today that its fall athletics schedule will be postponed through the end of the calendar year due to COVID-19 concerns. That means Long Beach State won’t start its women’s volleyball, women’s soccer, golf, tennis or cross […]