Michael Long

May 17, 2002

Rock Climbing: Santa Barbara: Like a Rock

By Michael Long

High above the city, among the purple majesty of the Santa Barbara mountains, a man clings to a modest handhold, high on a jagged face of a 40-foot boulder.

May 10, 2002

Sports Guy: One Man’s Fantasy Is Another’s Reality

By Michael Long

In a fantasy world, I would own a Major League Baseball team. Give me the thrills of the war room on draft day, and the grueling negotiations of signing and trading guys.

May 8, 2002

2003 Gauchos: Life After Christensen Begins

By Michael Long

The 2002 UCSB women's basketball team had about as successful a season as Head Coach Mark French could have hoped.

May 1, 2002

After Playoff Run to MPSF Final Four, UCSB Looks Ahead

By Michael Long

The UCSB men's volleyball team set lofty goals at the beginning of the 2002 season. Aside from individual goals, the Gauchos went into the season vowing to make the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoffs.

April 26, 2002

Rainbows Light Up UCSB

By Michael Long

The UCSB men's volleyball team's magical season concluded Thursday at Pepperdine in the Final Four of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament.

April 26, 2002

Men’s Tennis: Gauchos Strut to League Title

By Michael Long

The UCSB men's tennis team swept past Idaho and the University of the Pacific to clinch the 2002 Big West Conference Championship. The Gauchos emphatically destroyed the Tigers 4-0 at the Ojai Valley Athletic Club on Sat...

April 24, 2002

UCSB Into Final Four

By Michael Long

The Gauchos are on a crusade to win the National Championship. They have gone too far to turn back now.

April 24, 2002

Men’s Tennis: Gauchos Waste Westmont

By Michael Long

Only pride was at stake in Tuesday's match between the UCSB men's tennis team and Westmont. The winner claimed Santa Barbara-Montecito bragging rights and personal gratification in the offseason.

April 19, 2002

Gauchos Gear Up for Glory

By Michael Long

The UCSB men's volleyball team will face UCLA on Saturday night in the first round of the MPSF playoffs. The Gauchos end their regular season with a 17-10 overall record and a 12-10 mark in the MPSF, good enough for a si...

April 19, 2002

Gauchos Ruin Bruin-Crew

By Michael Long

After mounting a two-game lead, the Bruins mistakably took the jeers and cheers of the pretentious UCLA alumni as the song of the Fat Lady. The Gauchos would sing the last note, however.

April 15, 2002

Gauchos Unmask Matadors

By Michael Long

The UCSB men's volleyball team rebounded on Saturday night from its two-game slump.

April 12, 2002

Niners Deep-six Gauchos

By Michael Long

Thursday was Senior Night for the UCSB men's volleyball team, but in spite of the emotional home finale for the Gauchos, someone forgot to tell Santa Barbara there was a game to be played.

April 11, 2002

Senior Night in Rob Gym: Gauchos Play Long Beach State Last Home Match

By Michael Long

The Gaucho seniors will say goodbye to Rob Gym tonight at 7, and the UCSB men's volleyball team hopes to send them off victoriously.

April 8, 2002

UCSB Valiantly Fights Waves

By Michael Long

Victory was within reach. It was so close, you could see it through senior outside hitter Andy Rivera's eyes, in the grain on the hardwood and in the frenzied gasps of 765 spectators at Rob Gym.

April 4, 2002

UCSB Wins, Exposes Trojans

By Michael Long

Bad blood spilled all over the floor of Rob Gym on Wednesday night and the UCSB men's volleyball team took its hated rival USC to the woodshed, making sure there was no trace of life left.

April 3, 2002

UCSB Tangles With Trojans

By Michael Long

While uninspired students drag their bodies out of bed and slide lethargically into class after a spring fever, the UCSB men's volleyball team is ecstatic just being home.