Charlie Maricle

I know the NFL Draft, NBA playoffs and NHL playoffs are taking up all the headlines and believe me, I have opinions on all of them.

But recently my mind has been absorbed with graduation. My graduation.

On May 3, 2003 my college career will be over (I’m not counting finals week because I’m in denial).

I am happy.

Since this is my last Ball Talk, I have decided to make it a tribute to everyone who has helped me through college, especially this last semester.

First, I want to thank those readers who were interested in my opinions and what the sports pages said this semester. Thanks to those who commented about what went on in this sports section. I know that these pages have not been very pretty but hopefully they informed those who cared.

Thank you to the SDSU athletic teams who were willing to be prodded and questioned relentlessly this semester. Please do not hate the reporters; they were only doing their jobs. I also want to apologize to those teams who didn’t receive enough acknowledgement for what they did. I hope you understand that finding space for everyone is a bit harder than it looks. A big thanks to the women’s basketball team, not only for winning the National Championship but also for allowing me to follow them around while doing a story on coach Aaron Johnston. Also a thanks to all the coaches who have been very gracious in talking to the sports staff and me.

Also I need to thank everyone at the Collegian. Thank you to the reporters who put up with my assignments, the photographers who did everything they could to make the sports pages look nicer, to the other page editors who assisted me in every way they could, to my Editor-in-Chief who put up with everything that I did without complaint.

The SDSU journalism department deserves thanks as well. The journalism professors taught me everything I know. Then they helped me put that knowledge into practice. They did a great job guiding me so that I learned from my mistakes without wanting to kill them. They are the best group of professors on campus. The rest of you should learn from them (and you know who you are).

I would like to thank the Sports Information Service here at SDSU. Ron Lenz and Jason Hove have blessed me with limitless amounts of information I couldn’t have done without. Never once did they fail to provide what I asked for and much more. They definitely have the greatest job and they are the greatest people. Thank you guys.

Last I will thank my family for always supporting me. Even when issues were bad and ugly, they noticed the best.

Yes, I realize this is creepily like some Academy Award speech but I thought that everyone should know these pages were not all my fault.

No, seriously blame Kara.

Okay, I really wanted everyone to know that these people have helped me some much it’s slightly embarassing.

To you readers, you were the inspiration to the madness. Feel proud and hold your head up high.

Sports was never as interesting as when I was trying to amuse you with my thoughts.

Thank you and God bless.

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