Baseball eliminated in first round of playoffs

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
May 2, 2012  

The Bakersfield College Renegades finished their season with a strong performance against L.A. Pierce, winning 13-3, and earned a chance to play against L.A. Valley in a single-elimination game in the first round of the 2012 Southern California Regional Playoffs. BC was defeated 5-2 by the... Read More

Senate presents resolution

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
April 18, 2012  

The Bakersfield College Academic Senate recently presented its budget resolution to the Kern Community College District Board of Trustees at a recent board meeting. The meeting took place April 12 at BC. The “Senate Resolution on Keeping Budget Reduction Impacts ‘Furthest from the Students’”... Read More

Renegades gearing up for a playoff push

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
April 18, 2012  

Bakersfield College’s baseball team has won six of its last seven contests as of April 17. With just a few games remaining on its regular-season schedule, including two against division-leading Glendale College on April 19 and 21, every game will be a major factor in whether the Renegades... Read More

Chancellor Serrano preparing District leadership

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
March 28, 2012  

After years of preparation, the budget has come full fold, and Chancellor Sandra Serrano, along with the rest of the Kern Community College District leadership, is calling on Bakersfield College to prioritize so that minimal impact is had upon the students. Serrano has called upon the colleges... Read More

Renegades move on from rough few games

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
March 28, 2012  

Nine games into conference play, Bakersfield College’s baseball team is second in the Western State Conference South division at 6-4 (15-7 overall) behind Glendale College. The team has 14 games left in the season to try to get back atop the division before the regional playoffs take place... Read More

BC led by a blazing Trail

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
March 14, 2012  

Often overshadowed by his teammates during his freshman year at Bakersfield College, second baseman Elijah Trail is now the clear-cut leader of his team’s offense in 2012. Trail credits his turnaround from last season to a conversation he had with outfield coach Sean Alexander before the... Read More

Athletic department ready for cuts

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
March 14, 2012  

With new details of the state budget coming out of Sacramento, and the Moorpark College baseball program disbanding after this season, members of the Bakersfield College athletic department are bracing for the likely cuts coming their way and reflecting on the loss of a member of the Western... Read More

New journal a publishing outlet for BC students

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
March 14, 2012  

Bakersfield College professor Brad Stiles is currently putting together an online journal so that BC students will have the opportunity for their work to be published. The journal, called the Roughneck Review, will be a collective of works by students, either current or former, from numerous... Read More

The Renegade offense explodes midway through season

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
March 14, 2012  

Bakersfield College’s pitching staff dominated the first few weeks of the baseball season, but recently, the Renegades have come of age behind the plate, creating balance and stability across the roster and leading the state in home runs. To start the season, the pitching staff carried the... Read More

Lewis throws out first pitch to support BC

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 29, 2012  

Bakersfield College alumnus and Texas Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis threw out the first pitch at the Renegades’ Feb. 18 game against San Diego Mesa College. Lewis, one of the most successful baseball players to come out of BC, said that he takes pride in supporting the BC baseball program. “It’s... Read More

BC 9-2 with WSC play on horizon

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 29, 2012  

Bakersfield College’s baseball has kicked off its season with a strong start in non-conference play and is ready to compete for a Western State Conference title. Conference play will commence for the Renegades on March 6 when they head to Valencia to play College of the Canyons. BC’s record... Read More

Interim president announced to replace Chamberlain

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 16, 2012  

Bakersfield College has moved swiftly to replace former president Greg Chamberlain, who officially handed in his resignation on Feb. 9. Kern Community College District Chancellor Sandra Serrano announced that Dr. Robert D. Jensen would take on a temporary role as BC’s new president while... Read More

Greg Chamberlain resigns

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 15, 2012  

In nearly four years, Greg Chamberlain has experienced difficulties and triumphs as president of Bakersfield College, and now, having resigned from his position on Feb. 9, plans on bringing what he has learned into the classroom. “In my professional career it’s a good time for me to step... Read More

3D adds little to ‘Menace,’ but you won’t mind

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 15, 2012  

“The Empire Strikes Back” is my favorite movie of all time, and after watching “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” in 3D, I’m more excited than ever to watch it on the big screen. From the moment the words “Star Wars” pops onto the screen, fading ever-so slightly into... Read More

Strong ready to grow his knowledge

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 15, 2012  

Most people in Bakersfield know Vernon Strong III as a hero. He’s the safety from Bakersfield High School, destined to advance to the next level, only to have those dreams shattered and knocked into a 43-day coma by a career-ending car accident. But he’s more than that, and now Strong is... Read More

Poll decides fate of BC tobacco policy

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 15, 2012  

The poll to decide the fate of Bakersfield College’s policy toward on-campus tobacco use will be on the ballot when students vote for their new Student Government Association officers for the 2012-13 school year. According to SGA general counsel Derrick Kenner, who has been the driving force... Read More

BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Renegades baseball gets to hot start

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 15, 2012  

Bakersfield College’s baseball team has gotten off to a great start to the season, winning their first four games before falling to Golden West College 3-2 on Feb. 11. At the time of printing for this publication, the Renegades were 4-1 with a Feb. 14 matchup scheduled against Allan Hancock.... Read More

Family roots invade BC baseball

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 15, 2012  

At the end of this season, starting pitcher Tyler Painton will have options, to say the least. He will have his Associate’s degree and one more year of eligibility if he decides to continue playing at Bakersfield College. For most, the decision to move on might be instantaneous, but for Tyler,... Read More

Bakersfield College kicks off baseball season with victory over Golden West

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 3, 2012  

Bakersfield College started their 35-game season with a digit in the win column, knocking off Golden West College 2-0 at home Friday night. The Renegades kicked out the first inning with Tyler Painton retiring the first three Golden West Batters, and never looked back Tyler Painton pitched... Read More

Smoking takes center stage

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 1, 2012  

A poll to help decide the fate of on-campus smoking will be taking place in the coming weeks, and the Student Government Association is working to get the word out to achieve maximum participation. The polling, which will include students, faculty and administrators, was planned for the first... Read More

BC baseball ready for fresh start

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 1, 2012  

After a late-season collapse in 2011, the Bakersfield College baseball team is dusting off its cleats and getting ready for a fresh season. Invigorated by new faces and a determination to win, the Renegades look to best their first opponent, Golden West College, on Feb. 3 on Gerry Collis Field. Tied... Read More

Smoking issues of the past

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
February 1, 2012  

On-campus smoking is one of the most talked about issues at Bakersfield College, and has been for               some time now, for probably longer than most students realize. The Student Government Association’s current smoking agenda, which will eventually lead to a poll deciding... Read More

Football playoff changes being discussed

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 30, 2011  

According to Ryan Beckwith, Bakersfield College’s athletic director, the California Community College Athletic Association is working on improving the playoff system for football. As of right now, only four teams from the Southern California Football Association are granted a chance to compete... Read More

Polls show a race bias in America

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 30, 2011  

With the election of Barack Obama in 2008, people around the world applauded the United States for making a step forward in the fight to defeat racism and inequality. Now, three years later, there is a scary trend going on in national polls regarding Obama’s performance as president as well... Read More

Winter brew warms you

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 30, 2011  

The holidays are well under way and they’ve brought with them some of the best beers in the world: winter seasonal brews. Samuel Adams is known for having awesome seasonal brews and their Winter Lager carries on that tradition. Winter Lager isn’t new, having first been brewed in 1989, but... Read More

First-year athletic director discusses issues

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 30, 2011  

With the football team finishing 4-6 and attendance slowly declining as the season went on, first-year athletic director Ryan Beckwith is pleased with how the other sports have picked up the slack and he’s using a method that hasn’t been utilized at Bakersfield College. The athletic department... Read More

Volleyball sees early exit as BC’s lone playoff team

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 30, 2011  

Bakersfield College’s volleyball team was defeated in the first round of the 2011 California Community College Athletic Association’s Women’s Volleyball Championship playoff at the hands of Pasadena City College. PCC swept the Renegades 25-19, 30-28 and 25-22 in the Nov. 22 match in Pasadena. The... Read More

Providing an atmosphere, not just a store

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 30, 2011  

There are five GameStop locations in Bakersfield all containing the same product and atmosphere. That is a major reason why Otto Cargill decided to start his own store dedicated to games. Otto’s Video Games & More! is Cargill’s idea of the optimum gaming store. “Really, it’s about... Read More

COLUMN: Cali teams deserve your support

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 30, 2011  

I hate when Californians support out-of-state teams. Our great state is full of great franchises, both professional and collegiate. It doesn’t matter what background you come from, black or white, hippy or redneck, we should all support California teams first and foremost. I can’t stand... Read More

Volleyball advances to postseason with strong finish

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 20, 2011  

Bakersfield College’s women’s volleyball team has been selected to participate in the 2011 California Community College Athletic Association’s Women’s Volleyball Championship playoff. The Renegades finished their season off with a sweep against West Los Angeles College 25-15, 25-15... Read More

A bittersweet end to lost season

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 16, 2011  

Bakersfield College’s football team defeated College of the Canyons 45-35 on Nov. 12, ending a season marred by injuries and the unfulfilled expectations of a postseason berth. The team finished with a 4-6 record and just 1-4 in conference play. There is often a turning point in a team’s... Read More

Sick of college athletics? I am, too

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 16, 2011  

Collegiate sports are big, there is no doubt, but I have some things to say about them and the whole atmosphere that surrounds them. The following is a collegiate-themed version of “Chiefed” and has all sorts of goodies that I’m sure won’t make me any friends.   JoePa Yes, the... Read More

BC Renegades extend losing streak to five

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 6, 2011  

Bakersfield College’s football team continued their loosing ways in 2011 with a 41-19 defeat at the hands of Cerritos College, falling to 3-6. The Falcons dominated BC in nearly every aspect of the game, and was up 34-13 halfway through the game, putting up over 300 yards of offense in the... Read More

The losses pile up for BC

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 2, 2011  

El Camino College defeated the Bakersfield College football team 31-7 on Oct. 29, locking up the team’s worst season dating back to 2002, when the Renegades finished 4-6. The Warriors showed their might from the get-go, and running back Jarrad Shaw took the opening kickoff 92 yards for the... Read More

Multiplayer carries ‘Battlefield 3′

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 2, 2011  

“Battlefield 3” is one of the greatest first-person shooters I’ve ever played, and it’s because it provided me with a gaming experience like no other. I didn’t play “Battlefield: Bad Company”, and I didn’t play its sequel. My “Battlefield” experiences are strictly limited... Read More

COLUMN: Sports should stream for free

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 2, 2011  

Over the weekend, I was blatantly rejected the opportunity to watch football in the living room where there is cable, in favor of the appalling Style Channel. So I did what any other sports fan would do (I hope) and found the game streaming online at some not-so-legit Web site. The best link... Read More

Levan’s Legacy

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
November 2, 2011  

Norman Levan, the 96-year-old philanthropist who has given Bakersfield College nearly $20 million dating back to September of 2007, sits in his modest house watching CNN as he reads the subtitles. His hearing is all but gone, but his knowledge never stops growing. His long-time friend, former... Read More

Fourth-quarter rally dooms Renegades

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
October 19, 2011  

Allan Hancock College scored 21 fourth-quarter points to beat Bakersfield College 35-28 at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 15. The Renegades fell to 3-3, and put themselves in a really tough position to make the playoffs, and are three games behind undefeated El Camino in the National Northern Conference,... Read More

COLUMN: Remember Davis for the great things

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
October 19, 2011  

Al Davis, the rebellious owner of the Oakland Raiders, impacted more than just the game of football. He impacted American life tremendously during his 48 years with Oakland. Mr. Davis, who passed away Oct. 8, was instrumental in the fight to defeat racism in the National Football League. For... Read More

Duboski follows in the footsteps of past generations

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
October 19, 2011  

When Brian Duboski took over the quarterback position for Brian Burrell in Bakersfield College’s Sept. 17 game at Antelope Valley College, he wasn’t only living a dream, but was following in the footsteps of his father. Brian’s father, John Duboski, played quarterback at Porterville College... Read More

Renegades couldn’t climb Mt. SAC

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
October 5, 2011  

Bakersfield College, again, added a digit in the loss column courtesy of Mount San Antonio College. The Renegades lost 41-27 against Mt. SAC on Oct. 1; this is the fifth time in five years, including three in the postseason, that the Mounties have defeated BC. Mt. SAC, the two-time defending... Read More

COLUMN: It’s hard to decide what matters

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
October 5, 2011  

With so much happening in the world of sports through the past few weeks, at Bakersfield College and beyond, I couldn’t keep focused on one topic. I’m probably going to jump around from topic to topic, but you’ll get over it. Cheer team Hats off to the cheer team for making me look like... Read More

BC takes 5k run

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
October 5, 2011  

With 103 degrees bearing down on her and the rest of the field, Bakersfield College runner Blanca Perez came in first at the Bakersfield College Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 23. Perez’s time of 21:21.00 helped lead BC to a second-place team finish behind College of the Canyons. “The... Read More

Mounties top BC again 41-27

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
October 2, 2011  

Two-time defending state champion Mount San Antonio College defeated Bakersfield College 41-27; this is the fourth time in three years the Renegades have fallen at the hands of the Mounties. The game went back and forth between the two teams, until the fourth quarter, when the Mounties took... Read More

Top quarterback slows, Bakersfield College wins 31-13

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 24, 2011  

Bakersfield College defeated Citrus College 31-13 and improved their record to 3-1 after controlling the Fighting Owls’ top-ranked passing attack on Sept. 24. Citrus quarterback Blake Loncar was tops in the Southern California Football Association averaging 355 yards through the air per game. The... Read More

Renegades win 28-0, lose Burrell to injury

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 21, 2011  

Just five days after losing 31-17 to the Saddleback College Gauchos, Bakersfield College defeated Antelope Valley College 28-0 Sept. 17. The team is now 2-1, and will have a new starting quarterback moving forward. When Antelope Valley’s Edwin Delva sacked quarterback Brian Burrell of BC... Read More

COLUMN: Let’s find something to improve

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 21, 2011  

As I was trying to make a list of some actions Ryan G. Beckwith, Bakersfield College’s new athletic director, could take to make the athletic department at BC even better, I found it difficult to find anything that really needed to be improved. Our facilities, like the football stadium and... Read More

Doritos Locos isn’t quite as exciting as the name

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 21, 2011  

Fellow Bakersfieldians, you have received an exclusive that no one else in the country (except for Fresno) has, but don’t get too excited. The new Doritos Locos Taco is a taco with a shell made entirely of Doritos. Aside from the grammatically incorrect slogans (My Doritos is a taco!), the... Read More

Saddleback delivers Renegades first defeat

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 12, 2011  

The Bakersfield College Renegades were defeated 31-17 at the hands of the Saddleback College Gauchos in the team’s second game of the season after it was delayed for nearly 48 hours due to lightning strikes. Saddleback held BC to just five net yards rushing through the game, while burning... Read More

Madden continues success with deepest installment yet

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 8, 2011  

Every August, I go out and spend $60 I don’t have for the newest “Madden” video game, and nearly every year I am disappointed by how little the game has improved. This is why I was very skeptical about the latest addition to the franchise but I still went out and bought it. “Madden... Read More

New athletic director has big plans for BC

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 8, 2011  

Ryan G. Beckwith, 32, was hired as Bakersfield College’s new athletic director over the summer and has big plans for the athletic department going into his first year on the job. Beckwith has coached and worked in administration at the high school level, NCAA Division I level and most recently... Read More

Q and A: New athletic director sits down with the Rip

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 8, 2011  

Last May, Bakersfield College waved goodbye to athletic director Jan Stuebbe and he was head of the athletic department for 13 years. After a rather brief search for Stuebbe’s replacement, the school hired 32-year-old Ryan G. Beckwith. Beckwith’s background in athletics includes stints... Read More

COLUMN: The losers deserve a little love

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 8, 2011  

Chiefed  |  The Rip’s Editor in Chief tells you what’s what in sports.  With football starting tonight, I am so sick of all the talking heads telling me who is going to win the Super Bowl. So I’m here to do things a little different and predict the other side of the season and fill... Read More

BC defeats Pierce 32-19 in season opener

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
September 8, 2011  

The Bakersfield College Renegades defeated L.A. Pierce 32-19 with the help of strong defensive play and an explosive offense to kick off the season with a victory. BC’s rush defense allowed just 57 yards and caused three fumbles in the team’s first game of the season. Head coach Jeff Chudy... Read More

Burrell to start in football season opener

Zak S. Cowan, Editor in Chief
August 27, 2011  

Football head coach Jeff Chudy announced on Friday that freshman quarterback Brian Burrell would start in the season opener next Saturday after an impressive showing in the team’s second and final scrimmage. Burrell passed for 191 yards completing 60 percent of his passes while facing the... Read More

Electronically Spun

Zak S. Cowan, Sports Editor
May 4, 2011  

Two teams of four have come today to battle against one another. Each team has made it through three grueling days of non-stop carnage to get to this stage. As the match commences and the two teams start to close in on one another, the crowd starts to come alive. The first bullets are fired... Read More

Video games look to dethrone film as the ultimate entertainment

Zak S. Cowan, Sports Editor
May 4, 2011  

Today’s entertainment landscape is completely different than it was in Hollywood’s Golden Age of the ’30s and ’50s. Nowadays film is just one competitor in the ocean of entertainment. Although it is the biggest there is, a dark shadow hanging over the Hollywoodland sign: the video game... Read More

‘Portal 2’ is a gateway to a world of fun

Zak S. Cowan, Sports Editor
May 4, 2011  

The sequel to the most scientific and mentally-challenging game ever is nothing less than a triumph. “Portal 2,” released April 19, is the perfect full-length follow-up to the mini game that swept the video game community in 2007. Arguably the most anticipated game of 2011 among video game... Read More

Classic review: “Heavy Metal”

Zak S. Cowan
March 2, 2011  

“Heavy Metal” is a parent’s worst nightmare. Made in 1981 by Canadian executive producer Leonard Mogel, the animated film has plenty of nudity, sex, drugs, and violence, and it’s splendid throughout. Based on the magazine of the same name, “Heavy Metal” is... Read More

Classic review Halo: Combat Evolved

Zak S. Cowan
March 2, 2011  

It will have been ten years ago this September since “Halo: Combat Evolved” came out. This game set up one of the best-selling game franchises ever, and also set the pedestal of what a first-person shooter could be, and should be. It must be stated that if this game had came out... Read More

BHS star on his way to quarterback for BC

Zak S. Cowan
February 16, 2011  

Bakersfield College’s football program is going through a regular transition phase, and 2011′s team will start to take its shape over the next few months. Head coach Jeff Chudy is intrigued by the potential of the incoming class of freshman, and is working hard to make sure that... Read More

Black Ops maps worth the price

Zak S. Cowan
February 16, 2011  

The first downloadable content for Treyarch’s “Call of Duty: Black Ops” was released Feb. 1 for Xbox Live and provides top-quality content for a semi-decent price. The package comes with four multiplayer maps, as well as a new map to take on the zombie horde. Every map is... Read More

Too much juice and not enough flavor

Zak S. Cowan
February 16, 2011  

Positioned in the most central location in all of Bakersfield, Juicy Burger definitely lives up to its name as my burger consumed every napkin on the table, but is strongly lacking in every other area that makes a restaurant satisfying. I heard a lot of good things about this place and excitement... Read More