Bye weeks benefit players in different ways.

For some, it’s a chance to take a break from the grind of a long season while others use it as an opportunity to heal and recuperate from injuries.

The ASU football team’s bye week came at the perfect time for Gerell Robinson. The senior wide receiver used last week to recover from nagging injuries.

“To be honest with you, I have been blessed to make it through,” Robinson said. “There hasn’t been a game where I’m really legitimately feeling healthy going into the game. This is my first game all year doing that. So I’m very anxious to see what happens this Saturday as far as my production and our team production as well.”

Robinson has been one of ASU’s leading receivers all season long. He’s caught 32 passes for 523 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 74.7 yards per game.

Arizona State junior quarterback Brock Osweiler looked like Vince Chase as he strolled into the press conference room with a posse following the Sun Devils’ 43-22 victory over No. 23 USC.

Rather than walking up to the podium alone, he invited the starting offensive line — a star-studded cast featuring Dan Knapp, Andrew Sampson, Garth Gerhart, Mike Marcisz and Evan Finkenberg — along for the ride.

“So what do you guys think about my new Entourage?” Osweiler said.

The only thing missing was the red carpet.

Though their names aren’t the most popular, the cast proved to play arguably the biggest role Saturday in front of a primetime national audience, bouncing back from its performance against Illinois.

Hey there! We are about 30 minutes away from the start of game two of the 2011 Women’s College World Series in the Championship Series. The ASU Sun Devils are taking on the Florida Gators. Last night, we saw the ladies in maroon and gold explode for 14 runs en route to a 14-4 victory.

ASU enters tonight just one win away from a national championship title. The fans are filing in, the field looks great, the music is loud, and it’s time for softball here in OKC!

Before we get things started tonight, take a look at these stats. One of ASU’s SID’s sent this to me, and it proves once again that the Sun Devils own a high-powered offense.

Here’s how ASU has outscored its opponents in its WCWS action the past few years.
2011 (ASU 27 RUNS, OPPONENTS 10)
ASU 14, Florida 4 (June 6, 2011 at College World Series at Oklahoma City)
ASU 4, Baylor 0 (June 5, 2011 at College World Series at Oklahoma City)
ASU 6, Florida 5 (June 3, 2011 at College World Series at Oklahoma City)
ASU 3, Oklahoma 1 (June 2, 2011 at College World Series at Oklahoma City)

2009 (ASU 9 RUNS, OPPONENTS 10)
Alabama 6, ASU 2 (May 30, 2009 College World Series at Oklahoma City)
Washington 1, ASU 0 (May 29, 2009 College World Series at Oklahoma City)
ASU 7, Missouri 3 (May 28, 2007 College World Series at Oklahoma City)

After ASU pounded Florida 14-4 last night, the Gators used their press conference time to criticize the home plate umpire.

They certainly were not shy about their criticisms either.

Here’s what senior left fielder Kelsey Bruder had to say.

“I’m looking forward to playing ASU without her (the umpire) behind the plate. I’m going to try and be as nice as possible, but I hope that whoever appoints her reevaluates her abilities. Not making excuses, ASU absolutely kicked our butts and they deserved to win today, but it was really hard adjusting to the inconsistent calls. I’m definitely going to shake it off. I’m probably going to be upset until I wake up tomorrow. Tomorrow’s a new day and we’ll hopefully be going for (Game 3).”

Bruder was pretty direct with her unhappiness, and the Gators were not finished. Senior catcher Tiffany DeFelice joined in the umpire bashing fun as well.

It’s another hot day here in Oklahoma City. ASU and Florida return to Hall of Fame Stadium tonight in game two of the championship series, and the Sun Devils are just one win away from claiming the 2011 national championship.

It’s going to be an exciting evening, but until then, I thought I’d empty out the notebook a bit.

I had the chance to talk with several of the girls about what it’s like to play at ASA Hall of Stadium.  All of them agreed that it’s an incredible experience.

Junior right fielder Annie Lockwood reiterated that playing at the WCWS and at HOF Stadium was something she dreamed about as a young softball player.

“It’s like a dream come true,” Lockwood said. “I think growing up as a 12 and under, 10 and under player that’s the one thing you dream of doing as you get older. It’s where every young softball player wants to eventually be. It’s definitely a dream come true, and I know every single one of us is excited every time we step on the field.”

The 2011 Sun Devil softball team boasts one of the deepest lineups in the nation. There is an abundance of talent from top to bottom. Each fielder is capable of making a highlight reel catch. While each batter is more than capable of providing a game-winning hit.

Clearly, a team doesn’t make it all the way to the WCWS Championship Series on pure luck. It takes talent, and that is something ASU has plenty of.

Players like Dallas Escobedo and Katelyn Boyd receive a lot of recognition and deservedly so. Both have enjoyed phenomenal years.

But someone who may not get the publicity or credit she deserves is senior third baseman Krista Donnenwirth.

Donnenwirth is easily the Pac-10’s most talented defensive third baseman. There are few, if any stronger defenders in the nation. She consistently makes difficult plays look routine.

Following the ASU softball team’s win over Baylor, I had the chance to go visit the Oklahoma City bombing memorial on Sunday night. I’m glad we had time to head over there as it was definitely a great experience.

Since I was five years old at the time of the bombing, I wasn’t too familiar with the details surrounding the events of April 19, 1995. The memorial was constructed where the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building once stood. There is a large reflecting pool, 168 chairs with the names of those killed in the bombing, and several other fascinating aspects of the memorial. Of those 168 chairs, 19 of them are smaller and represent the children who were killed. It’s obvious that thousands of people were negatively impacted by this terrible event.

Anyways, I think seeing the memorial and learning more about the bombing incident really puts things in the right perspective. There are clearly more important things in life than softball, the WCWS, or all sports for that matter.

ASU softball coach Clint Myers recently commented on how there are more important things than just softball.

I thought it was pretty interesting. Here’s what he had to say.

ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. Photo courtesy of ASU media relations.

As I walked into ASA Hall of Fame Stadium this afternoon, I quickly noticed that something was strikingly different. It was a good kind of different.

Perhaps it was the thousands of fans filing into the stadium. Maybe it was the view of the impressive stadium or the Alabama and Baylor players warming up on the freshly mowed outfield grass.

Needless to say, the Women’s College World Series is quite the spectacle.

It all starts with the stadium. Hall of Fame Stadium is considered by many to be the premier softball facility in the country. It didn’t take me long to realize why this softball complex is so highly regarded.