This Week in Sports

Former University of New Mexico golfer Charlie Beljan struggled to try and make the cut in his previous 12 PGA Tour events.  He only picked up a paycheck in 4 events before last week.  Now he doesn’t have to worry about paying bills for the rest of the season.  Beljan picked up over $350,000 for his tie for third place finish at the Greenbrier Classic last week.  Beljan posted a career-best 62 on Friday to put him in contention.  He was within one shot of the lead during Sunday’s final round but could never climb on top.

Beljan turned pro in 2007 and played on the Gateway Tour (a mini tour based out of Phoenix) until last season.  He won seven times on the Gateway Tour and led the money list in 2009 before earning his PGA Tour Card this season.

Beljan was known for wearing a bucket hat while in college.  According to the PGA Tour website, Beljan’s bucket list includes being strapped to the wing of a bi-plane. He owns two motorcycles, a Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electric Glide and a Suzuki GSXR 750. Has reached 170 mph racing the Suzuki on the track, and he often goes on it for rides in the nearby Superstition Mountains.  If there were a television show made about him, he says it would be on the Speed Channel or “producers would have to create a death-wish channel for me.”

Beljan has a need for speed, but ironically he owns a Smart Car. He was asked about his car of choice last week in the pressroom.  “I do understand the irony,” said Beljan.  “It’s brutal when I pull up to the TPC Scottsdale and I have to unload my staff bag from the passenger seat, or from the back, and then I’ve got to open up the passenger and I’ve got to take out the woods and that because the car’s so narrow that they don’t fit sideways.  But it’s all right. If people want to give me a hard time about the Smart Car, we’ll go play 18 holes.”

Midnight

Madness

The 2012 ESPN Tip-Off Marathon schedule was released.  It’s 24 hours of basketball on Tuesday Nov. 13.  The UNM men’s basketball team tips off against Davidson in the Pit at 11:59 p.m. on Nov.12.  With the loss of the mountain sports network, this means the Lobos will return to ESPN (albeit for only one game).

Here are the games (all times ET):

Midnight: West Virginia at Gonzaga

2 a.m.: Davidson at New Mexico

4 a.m.: Houston Baptist at Hawaii

6 a.m.: Stony Brook at Rider

8 a.m.: Northern Illinois at Valparaiso

10 a.m.: Harvard at Massachusetts

12 p.m.: Temple at Kent State

2 p.m.: Detroit at St. John’s

4 p.m.: Butler at Xavier

7 p.m.: Michigan State vs. Kansas (Champions Classic, Georgia Dome — Atlanta)

30 minutes following MSU/KU: Duke vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic)

The Lobos have not officially released their schedule, but here’s a list of their opponents this season.  Along with Davidson, the Lobos will have home games against New Mexico State, USC, Valparaiso and South Dakota State.  UNM will play in the Paradise Jam from Nov. 16 through 19.  They open the tournament against the University of Chicago Illinois and will play either Mercer or George Mason in the second round.  The Lobos play at Indiana State on Dec. 1 and will have other road games at Cincinnati, St. Louis and New Mexico State.

Watch this

University of New Mexico tight end Lucas Reed and Lobo junior Dillon Farrell were selected as candidates for a pair of national honors. 

Reed is one of 33 players up for the John Mackey Award.  The honor goes to the nation’s best collegiate tight end.  Reed started all 12 games for the Lobos last season and caught 22 passes.

Farrell is one of 51 players on the Rimington Trophy Watch List. The award honors the most outstanding center in the NCAA Division 1-A football.