Walking a mile in their shoes.....

So much of what my wife and I do these days is centered on the arrival of our baby. We are so excited for him! I got to feel him kick a couple weeks ago and it was so awesome! I can’t wait until he is here!

Another aspect is making sure that we are prepared for his arrival. His crib is up, his changing table is ready to go and the rocking chair works perfectly. After some trouble setting up, we got the stroller ready.

As we looked at getting ready for the medical bills, we looked around at things we could do additionally, to make sure that we are ok financially. Fortunately, in addition to my full-time job, I am able to continually write for the Davis County Clipper and also tutor athletes at the U. of U.

In looking for some additional things to do, we looked to see if there was any tutoring jobs open. So we looked in the newspaper. There was a position advertised that claimed to pay $50 an hour, three times a week. We were skeptical, but since it was in the newspaper, we figured it wasn’t a scam. $50 an hour is not likely, but it’s not completely out there either. So I emailed them with very little info, just trying to get more info.

A couple of weeks later, I received this email:

Hi,
Thanks for your interest in the tutor job. My name is Edward Ashley. Me and my family are relocating from England to the US this month, my 12 Yrs old Son (Wayne) my only family would be coming with me to continue his studies in the state, i would like you to help him in this follows subjects, Mathematics, English writing and essay, Science and reading tutorial. He is a 5th grader, very brilliant, sharp and smart little Boy. You are expect to tutor him 1hr per day, and 3 times per week, that is you are having to work with him for 3hrs total a week, the tutoring can take place in our house, your house or any nearest library(Morning or Afternoon) As we are moving to your locality but we have not reached final agreement with the landlord of the house so i would let you know on our address as time goes. My Son would be the first to be in the state because i have to clear all my business transactions and i would join him later in January. I got a good and responsible nanny that will take proper care of him and also to always drive him down to the location of the lesson.

I am offering $50 per hr, kindly let me know if this charge is okay for you or if any let me know, So i can be able to send you the payment and book your service prior to my Sons arrival in the state. I'll be sending you the payment inform of a check for the tutorials while I'll also pay the Nanny that will look after him in the state while i join him later on, so as soon as you get the money/funds cleared you'll deduct cost of tutoring for the month and send balance to the nanny that would be looking after my son in the state.

So please Kindly get back to me with the following:

1.Your charges per hour.
2.Total charges for first month that he will be taught one hour per
day-3 times a week.
3. Full Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip code:
Home phone number:
Cell phone number:
Age:

Will be waiting to read your mail soon.

Very Respectful

Edward Ashley
T: +44 703 188 9704

Is that it? Is that all you need? I mean, why don’t I fork over my social security number, my credit card number, my house key, my car key, my office key, my TV, my personal computer, my checking account number, my routing number, and a lifetime supply of Rice-a-Roni “the San Francisco treat!” while I’m at it?

I had a hard time telling that this was a scam. I mean yeah, the grammar is a little bad. And yes, it’s true that this person had never met me. What’s wrong with that? People get hired all the time for $50/hour jobs without meeting their boss, I can overlook that. Of course he also could not have been more vague about details, like what city he was moving to. And the fact that he wanted to cut me a big check right off the bat for nothing? Nah, no big deal, that’s legit……….

I finally realized it was a scam when I re-read the email and noticed that his son’s name was “Wayne”. Who the heck names their kid Wayne? That’s when I knew, something about this Edward Ashley is not quite kosher. Sorry Eddie-boy, but you can’t put anything past me!

I called the newspaper to report this, and they told me that several other people had reported the same result. Additionally, I went to google and typed in “Edward ashley scam” and the first link that popped up was to a message board where others were discussing this exact email, word for word, in different parts of the country.

The person at the newspaper indicated to me that the person who placed the ad had used a made up name and a made up address and phone number, in the area, and had not paid for his ad (shocking!)
These “people” are pond scum. They are literally vermin who somehow crawled out of the swamp. They pray on people who don’t know better and have ruined lives. If I was a prosecutor, I would seek a life sentence for convicted scammers.

You have to be careful with your personal info!

Moving on to my original thought, about preparing for a baby. It seems I look at news differently now and pay close attention to anything involving kids. I guess that’s why I was so excited to see Brian David Mitchell declared “guilty”, why I am so passionate about bringing the sub-human couple named “sloop” to justice quickly. These jerks would bother me no matter what, but I just can’t seem to let those things go, because they are crimes against children. With greater frequency, I am putting myself in parent’s shoes.

So, I read with great interest this article.

Before I give my opinion about this, let me know what you think in the comments below.

random stuff

On KSL this week, they featured this video below:  Warning: this video contains LDS and Utah themed humor, viewer discretion is advised.  Only watch it if you have a high tolerance for saying the word "wow..........."


Provo, UT Girls- Divine Comedy

In fact, Id go so far as to watch this video on silent, since the words are there.

It just got me thinking, there are plenty of parodies that I like.  For instance, I have always been a Weird Al fan.  He has some really good ones that are good for a laugh.  But, not everyone can be a Weird Al.  In fact, most people fail, as this next clip shows.

Baby got book

Anyway, enough of that.



  
Elizabeth Smart got her day of justice on Friday.  I took the day off to study for my next test, but I couldn't pass up watching the TV as they read the verdict of her kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell and the ensuing press conference.

I am glad that she can go back on her LDS mission and not have to testify or deal with this nonsense anymore.  She is strong and amazing to get off the ground like that and continue on in her life.

And of course, it reminded me of this next clip, where she is interviewed by quite possibly the most inept human being on planet earth.  She is a lot nicer to this lady than I would have been.

Elizabeth Smart, Nancy Grace

Good for her that she has been able to stare adversity in the face and knock it out cold.

That's all for now!

inconvenienced?

I had a science teacher in junior high who would say something that I still like to quote.  His name was Tri Tri Tran.  He would tell us that we had a lot of homework coming if we didn't shut up.  He would say "If you waste my time, I will turn around and waste yours."

What if we all had this eye-for-an-eye mentality?  What if everytime someone inconvenienced us, we turned around and tried to waste their time?  What a world.........

For example, my Dad had a roommate back when he was younger who had this approach.  Give him a ticket for parking the wrong direction?  He paid his fee with a HUGE piece of paper (bigger than a posterboard) that had all of the info a check would have. Basically, the person taking his payment had to key in everything by hand rather than simply scanning a check.  Imagine taking that to the bank!  What a hassle! Give him another ticket?  Three words.  Jar of pennies.  Have fun with that!

Another example, you know the junk mail you get?  Stuff that comes addressed to you which really has no point other than they want to sell you something?  Or that you have been pre-approved for a credit card?  Typically, as a "convenience" to you, they include an envelope where they have paid the postage.  You can fill everything out and then use that envelope to return it to them.  I have heard of people who will write a note and stick it in there that says something like.  "ha ha! I dare you to send me one of these again!"  They will then attach the sealed envelope to a brick or a cinder block and ship that.  The post office will bill the company for everything. 

I admit, I find this stuff hilarious.  I know how frustrating getting junk mail is.  I know how frustrating getting a ticket you don't think you deserve is!  Been there, done that. 

But you know who the real loser is in these stories?  The people pulling the pranks.  Sure, they were annoyed that people would do this to them, but then they went out and wasted their own time and money trying to get back at them.  The person taking the money to pay the tickets may be slightly inconvenienced, but what about all the time and effort it took to fill up a jar with pennies or write all of your information on a large piece of paper.  Additionally, the post office is just going to figure out how much total that the company owes.  A brick will be negligible once everything is added up.  That would only work if everyone shipped bricks through the mail.

On top of that, they didn't "get back" at the person who caused them the trouble; they are getting back at someone else who did nothing to them.

We all are going to have experiences where somebody else inconvenienves us.  In all likelihood, we will inconvenience someone else with our mistakes.  I know my Mom has covered for me when I made a mistake on so many occasions I don't even know where to start.

Yeah, things can be really frustrating.  And yes, some of these solutions are down-right hilarious.  But I hope we can go about life with a smile on our face. 

There is one group of people out there who do not deserve this though.  If they do something to you, you should absolutely retaliate, they are called "scammers", and ill discuss what to do with them next time.......

A change of pace.....

I am very excited to say that a few friends and I are launching a sports website at the beginning of next year. As such, my posts here will not be sports-centered, but instead my thoughts on the world around me and the observations I make.

Thoughts from around the sports universe.......

So now its official, Auburn and Oregon will play for the national title.

Both won in convincing fashion yesterday to preserve solid, undefeated seasons. Oregon has so much speed that it just hurts your head trying to keep up. I can’t imagine what it must be like having to play them. Auburn has Cam Newton, who became only the second quarterback in history to go 20/20 (20 passing touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns).

This is going to be a very fun championship game.

Only thing is, the BCS scored a big win here. Two teams, from AQ conferences went undefeated. There is no “one-loss controversy this year”. While TCU is also unbeaten, there is less national outrage at them being left out.

Another big win for the BCS is that two of the biggest Non-AQ programs (
Utah and TCU) are joining the big boys next year. The BCS took on the philosophy of “If you can’t beat them, invite them to join you.”

Now the Boise St. Broncos are the only non-AQ team left who has crossed the threshold and busted the BCS. Though they are a small market, logic says that the Big 12 (with their ten teams) could be eying them, along with BYU, to return to a 12-team league.

Still, it begs the question, what about TCU? What haven’t they done to prove that they are just as worthy of this accolade? I am telling you, there are not many teams out there who could come into Salt Lake City and beat down the University of Utah the way that TCU did. They punched the Utes right in the mouth and didn’t stop landing blows until the refs waved them off. And that was a Kyle Whittingham-led team riding sky-high on confidence.

At the very least, the BCS needs a play-in game. TCU deserves the right to play their way into the national title. It would only be one more game, and if Oregon is really the best team, why not prove it against TCU?

TCU is on its way to the Big East where it will dominate for the foreseeable future. Next year, if they are able to run the table, they will have a more compelling argument. For now, they will have to go to the Rose Bowl and face a tough Wisconsin team.




From the time I was little, I cheered for the Houston Oilers. When they moved to Tennessee and became the Titans, ,I moved with them. I loved the days of Steve McNair and the boys going to the Super Bowl.

How the mighty have fallen!

This last week, Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan was able to rile up the usually mild mannered Andre Johnson to the point of a fight. Some people call that "doing his job". I call it being an M.v.P., most volatile punk.

Its just the latest in a string of non-sense. For a team that has had to deal with Vince Young’s up and downs, and the “I was just being rebellion” of Adam Jones, it’s the last straw. I officially forfeit all my rights and priviledges that come with being a Titans fan. No longer will I cheer for them. I still have a lot of respect and wish them the best, but I cannot cheer for a group of hooligans like this anymore.





In 2007, the Boston Celtics assembled a “Big 3” that they hoped would compete for an NBA title. They matched the hot-shooting Ray Allen and the defensive minded Kevin Garnett with do-everything Paul Pierce. Everyone figured that with those three, it didn’t matter who else was on the court, they would win the NBA title.

It is true that the “Big 3” did a lot of the heavy lifting, but this team’s real strength comes from its role players, who do their jobs so that the “Big 3” can do theirs. It’s the reason they won the 2008 championship and why they are the best team in their conference this year.

In 2007, Rajon Rondo was a no-name and won the starting point guard spot by default. He has turned into an animal. He is one of the top 4 point guards in the league, no matter how you slice it. His growth has taken a lot of pressure off of the aging Big 3.

Kendrick Perkins is an extremely underrated player. At 6’10” and 285 pounds and long arms, he is the prototype powerhouse defender. He OWNS Dwight Howard. He can lock down just about anyone one on one.

Off the bench, the faces have changed, but the results have been the same. Guys like James Posey, Tony Allen, Glen Davis, Eddie House, PJ Brown, and Rasheed Wallace have all given a big hand to make sure that the team is strong.

Compare this to Miami. Miami tried to copy this idea by assembling their own “Big 3”. They combined the talents of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. We don’t have a big enough sample size to really see how good this Heat team can be, but what we have seen, the Heat have been little more than bullies, beating up the bad teams, and getting beat by the good teams.

Why is this so? The Heat big 3 has more pure talent than Boston’s big 3, so why the performance discrepancy?

Let’s take a closer look.

Wade v. Allen

Allen is one of, if not THE, best shooters of all time. Wade is not. Allen is in constant motion and runs around off of screens to get himself open. His trigger is quick and his shot is sweet. He does not need the ball to be effective.

Wade relies on power and speed. He needs the ball to be effective. His shot is so erratic that defenders can let him have as many jump shots as his heart desires.

Allen, because of his veteran experience, knows how to position himself on defense. Wade has more physical tools and is better at dominating on defense.

Pierce v. LeBron

LeBron is a freak of nature. At 6’8” and what has been reported as probably 270 pounds, he is one the fastest players in the league. He can get to the basket at will and has astounding court vision. Pierce is very crafty. He can do a lot of things well.

Both of these guys need the basketball to be effective. But, because of his ability to shoot and his maturity, Pierce is many times over more effective than James without the ball in his hands. He can absolutely punish teams for a double team of a teammate.

LeBron is so inconsistent when it comes to shooting that it makes it much easier to guard him than it should be. Additionally, while he can pass well, he will only make passes that can lead to assists. Unless it will benefit him in the numbers column, he won’t make the pass. This KILLS the team concept. The fact that this is eighth season in the NBA and he still hasn’t figured out this basic concept boggles my mind. At that size, you would think he would dominate in the low post, Nope! His moves are raw and undeveloped. I don’t think he really wants to win yet, he seems content with just being good, not great.

Pierce has lost a step, but can still be a lockdown defender, when he so chooses. LeBron can be as well, but its more a matter of technique. His stance is wrong and he doesn’t always go all out on that end. His highlight reel blocks give the impression he is a good defender, nothing could be further from the truth.

Garnett v. Bosh

Similar in build, but much different in heart. Garnett is certainly not a clutch player offensively, but he intimidates and doesn’t back down from anyone. Bosh would back down from a housefly if it got too close.

Bosh has more offensive talent and a more diverse repertoire of moves, but with Wade and James dominating the ball, his touches have been sporadic. Bosh is so easy to bully that it is almost humorous.

Garnett is not nearly as tough as he thinks. In fact, his chest thumping antics get old and look silly. Still, he is not afraid of anyone and talks a very good game. He is in more than a few people’s head. Including, as we found out this week, Joakim Noah.

In his prime, Garnett was the closest thing to Hakeem Olajuwon and the Dream Shake. Now he is merely a jump shooter. Still he passes well and understands the team concept on both ends of the court.

Bosh is also a jump shooter, but that’s merely because, as I have said before, he is tissue-soft.

Others:

This isn’t a fair comparison at all. Carlos Arroyo would be fortunate to be Rajon Rondo’s towel boy. Outside of Udonis Haslem, the Heat have no one who has an ounce of toughness in them. Big Z is soft, as is Juwan Howard. Eric Dampier will someday win the award for career underachievement.

In the 2004 movie “Miracle”, Herb Brooks says “All-star teams fail because they rely on the talents of indiduals.”

He was spot on. The Heat are not even the best team in the Eastern Conference, by a long way, and are nowhere near the best team in the NBA. TEAMS like the Celtics will beat the INDIVIDUAL TALENTS of the Heat any day and every day.



Derek Jeter and the Yankees agreed to a 3-year deal, the reports say.
This is a very good thing. I honestly can’t imagine Captain Clutch in any other uniform and it just wouldn’t seem right.

You don’t know what you have until its gone certainly fits here. In a way that Yankee fans perhaps don’t grasp yet, Jeter is a legend whose name deservedly belongs in the same breath as Mantle and DiMaggio, as Ruth and the rest of the best.

Who knows how many more titles the Yankees will win before Jeter hangs them up. At 37, his best days are behind him, but he is still a top 3 shortstop in the game.

Kudos to both sides for making some compromises to make this work.

Five for Five

Rivalry Saturday:

It’s always fun to watch rivalry Saturday. It seems to start earlier and earlier each year. This year, it was nice for some teams who have been dominated of late to get wins.

First of all, I have to applaud the Florida State Seminoles. They had not beaten Florida in six years before that game yesterday, and they flat out dominated them. So what if Florida is a bit down this year? Florida State played well. The ACC title game between FSU and Va. Tech will be great! Additionally, FSU beat Florida and Miami in the same season for the first time since 1999. Great job to them!

A big thanks to the Arkansas Razorbacks as well. Thank you for beating LSU. There was talk that the Tigers may sneak in to the National title if certain chips fell. No. That would have been a mistake. LSU has no business being there and thank goodness Arkansas stepped up.

Finally, the Michigan Wolverines got dominated by Ohio State, again. I can’t stand Ohio State. But, Michigan’s defense couldn’t stop a group of second graders. I have to admit though, I want Ohio State to get the Rose Bowl bid. I want them to play TCU and have TCU stomp them flat. After what their president said this past week about TCU, it would be justice served. Someone from Ohio State telling another school that they don’t belong in the title game is so ironic that I doubt he caught it himself.

BYU basketball:

Admittedly, I have been watching a lot of football and have not had a chance to watch too much basketball in the early going. Still, from what I have seen, I have a hard time believing that there is a better starting backcourt in the country than Jimmer Freddette and Jackson Emery.

We all know about Jimmer, preseason all-everything. Last year, he became an ESPN darling during the first round of the Big Dance. This year, he hasn’t disappointed. Picking up right where he left off. I don’t know how Jimmer will do in the pros, but he is a stud college point guard.

Emery is the perfect compliment. He is a dead-eye shooter, a lock down defender, quick, and athletic. All of these things help tremendously. Jimmer does not have to guard the opponent’s top guard, he does not have to put out as much effort on that end.

If Brandon Davies can become a reliable 13 to 15 point scorer in the post, this team has the veterans in the backcourt and the right stuff to really make a run this year. And when I say “really make a run”, I mean Elite-8 type of run.

Utah basketball:

Well, the team started out 3-0, competed for 35 minutes against Utah State, and then had Oral Roberts absolutely shoot the lights out at home.

What can we make of this team?

Replacing Marshall Henderson, Carlon Brown, Luka Drca, and Kim Tillie with Will Clyburn, Josh Watkins, and Antonio DiMaria has been great. Additionally, JJ O’Brien looked awesome before he went down with an injury.

This team has better chemistry than last years. Clearly, this team is building for next year and beyond. But this year still has possibilities.

The offense has improved by leaps and bounds. With Drca running the point, the team often stood around and aimlessly passed the ball around until someone had an open 3, or the shot clock wound down. This year, there is diversity and excitement.

With Watkins, aka “Jiggy” they are really moving better and getting better shots. They are also getting out and running. Clyburn has been scoring in bunches. Utah has not had a dominant wing scorer like Clyburn since the days of Nick Jacobson.

Last season, David Foster and Jace Tavita were in the starting lineup and both played big minutes. Both are outstanding defensive players, but neither could toss a basketball into the ocean from the beach. Having them assigned to come off the bench for specific stretches with specific roles has been beneficial to the team as a whole.

What will we see from this team for the rest of the year?

They will make some noise in the conference play. No one will want to play in the Huntsman center. Probably a third place finish is the best-case scenario this year. There will also be frustrating losses as this team grows together. That, and the fact that that has been a hallmark of Jim Boylen’s tenure as head coach.
Either way, the future looks good for this team.

Get the rebound!

I had a great coach in Junior Jazz. To this day, I can still hear him whenever I am playing and a shot goes up.

“Re-bound it!”

He taught us through the years that you cannot win games if you don’t rebound. You have to get the ball.

The two best rebounders that I have ever seen were short. Dennis Rodman stood at 6’7” while Charles Barkley was listed at 6’6”. (Barkley, by most accounts, was actually 6’4” or 6’5”).

How did they do it, when they were going up against guys half a foot taller? Well, they both had “quick ups”; they could get off their feet quickly. But what really set them apart is that they WANTED the ball more than the other guy. They wanted it; and they went out and got it.

The Jazz are starting to take a lesson from these guys.

Against the Lakers on Friday night, the Jazz found a way to win the rebounding battle. Despite going up against Pau Gasol (listed at 7 feet tall, I have stood next to him and would say that 7’2 is probably more accurate.) and Lamar Odom 6’11”, Utah’s Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson, and Andrei Kirilenko were able to hold their own. Not allowing second chance points was huge and will continue to be huge as this Jazz team continues on this year.

Brandon Burton:

My player spotlight this week is on Brandon Burton. For years to come, when Utah fans and BYU fans debate, the Ute fans will respond to “Harline is still open” and “George is still running” with “Burton is still unblocked.

In case you missed it,here is the link to his game winning play yesterday against BYU.

Truth is, Burton actually saved the season for the Utes against San Diego State. Let’s be honest, Utah was dying slowly. San Diego State was taking it to them. After two straight blowouts, the Utes looked to be going for a third. SDSU was up 27-17 and driving deep in Utah territory.

Burton intercepts a pass and sets up a Utah score to make it 27-24 going into halftime. Without that, Utah would have been dead. With a hit in confidence, they probably would not have beaten BYU, and a once promising season would have gone from 8-0, to 8-4, along with every shred of national credibility.

But “B-Burt” stepped up and gave the team the shot it needed.

On opening night against Pitt, the 6’0” Burton drew the assignment to cover 6’5” All-American John Baldwin. Twice, Burton beat Baldwin when the ball was up for grabs, making Baldwin a non-factor. He wanted it more than his opponent. He did it then, and he’s done it all year.

The junior just might turn pro early. He is better than Sean Smith, Brice McCain, and RJ Stanford, who have been drafted the last two years. If he decides to stay on board as the Utes head to the Pac-12, the whole country will learn that you just shouldn’t throw the ball towards Burton.

The Holy War will never be the same!

Well here we are, 11 games down and one to go.  For the past three months, the Crimson and Blue have cheered on their teams and stayed with them through the best of times, and the worst of times (ok, so not EVERYONE stayed with their teams, but the real fans did!)

                It all comes down to this.  Saturday, November 27, 2010.  Rice-Eccles Stadium.  Utah. BYU.  If you don’t have tickets, don’t bother contacting either school’s ticket office, they have been sold out for months.  Even the standing room only section is gone.

                Throughout this week, you will hear and read hundreds of opinions about who will win this game.  Spencer Checketts and Bill Riley will tell you that Utah is going to be victorious easily.  Greg  Wrubell and Dick Harmon will tell you why they are convinced that this is BYU’s game to lose.

                The purpose of this article is not to tell you who will win and why.  It is an attempt to show why this game and this rivalry will never be the same, and this Saturday’s game should be enjoyed by both sides, no matter who wins.

                The history of this rivalry is rich, but most often is one sided.  For the first 50-60 years, Utah laughed at the thought of playing BYU.  I had a chance to meet a defensive lineman who had played at the U. during the late 1950’s.  I asked him about the rivalry and he started laughing.  He told me “BYU was a warm up game.  We used them as a chance to get ready for real teams.”   

                Along came LaVell Edwards and fortunes flipped.  Utah became a punching bag.  The game became an annual tune up for BYU as they got ready for a bowl game after claiming yet another WAC championship.

                Enter Ron McBride.

                So tired of losing to their rivals, the Utes  invested in Ron McBride and he turned things around.  The rivalry really became a rivalry.  If you look at the last 20 meetings between Utah and BYU, you will notice something.  Utah has won 10 of those meetings.  BYU has won 10 of those meetings. 

                In the last several years alone, the rivalry game has meant more than bragging rights.  In fact, in the last decade, 2002 was the only year when the teams had nothing on the line except bragging rights.  Every other year, the rivalry has had conference championship, or bowl implications riding on the outcome.

                Last season, a trip to the Vegas Bowl and second place were on the line.  The year before, a Utah win gave them a trip to the BCS.  Had BYU won, they would have entered into a three-way for the conference championship and denied the Utes a spot at college football’s most elite table.   This year, second place is again up for grabs, with TCU likely going to the BCS, Vegas could be the destination for the winner and a much lesser bowl for the loser. (Though sources seem to indicate that Utah has solidified a Vegas invite, regardless of the outcome due to a better overall season).

                Unfortunately, the game will never have these implications again.  Never again will a conference championship be on the line.  Never again will positioning for bowl games be up for grabs. 

                With Utah moving to the Pac-12, scheduling will prevent the game from being held during its typical end of November time slot, at least for the foreseeable future.  Next year’s game is scheduled for the middle of September.  For those around here, it will be different.

                There will always be passion for this game.  There will always be bragging rights.  But it just won’t be the same.  Utah now has a different set of fish to fry.  The focus won’t be on BYU, it will be on taking down foes in the Pac-12 South.  For BYU, it will be getting national exposure, travelling the country and playing teams from all over. 

                A common theme by fans of both schools is to refer to the other as their “little brother”.  This phrase, whenever its used, by whomever, makes me laugh.  It is such a load of baloney.  A friend put it best when he said the schools are more like twins.  Each has an impressive, nationally respected athletic program.  But now, each is going on while pursuing different things. 

                My hope is that the rivalry can become what the rivalry between Utah and Utah State has become.  When the two teams meet, they battle hard and compete.  The fans are respectful to each other and when the game is over, they move on.  There rarely is bad blood left over.

                None of us who witnessed it will ever forget, 34-31, Ryan “Clank” Kaneshiro, Darnell Arceauneux, 3-0, Harline is still open, 4^th and 18, Max Hall’s 6 TO’s, or George is still running.  In the future, late game heroics will get the wins, but they won’t be part of our folklore the way that the games have been.

                So far, I have just discussed football.  In basketball, the rivalry has been just as great.  Now, the teams will be reduced to playing each other once a year.  That just isn’t enough for me.  That will take some getting used to.  We probably won’t see plays like Nathan Cooper taking a swing at Keith Van Horn, Chris Miles kicking Andrew Bogut in the back, or Marshall Henderson taking a swing at Jackson Emery.  Now, the teams will meet once a year, and it won’t mean as much to the players.

                Here is to a rivalry that has been great, that is great now, and will always be great, though different.  Here is to a great game on Saturday, and here is to success for both teams in the years coming forward as they go their separate ways. 

Three for Three!

Don't have the steam (or time on my lunch break) for five for five.

1.  Utah football

What happened? 

It was not long ago that this team was running up and down the field, scoring at will and beating opponents before the game even started.  Over the last ten quarters of play, the Utes have been outscored 89-10.  Yes, 89-10.  Dropped passes, bad play calling, and some bone headed mistakes have let the fan base to wonder if they have it in them to win either of these last two games.

As of this writing, San Diego State is a two point favorite this week.  It has been a long time since the Aztecs were favored in a game against the Utes. 

So far, I have seen a few factors that have lead to this downslide.

To begin, let's start with the beginning!  The Utes have not started well.  TCU jumped on them and instead of playing Utah football, they went right to the pass.  That was a nice idea, but TCU was able to get pressure only rushing three and dropping everyone else into coverage.  No run game.  No need to stack the box.  Boom, game over after one quarter. 

Against Notre Dame, it went to the other extreme.  Notre Dame got up 21-3 and instead of playing Utah football, it was run, run, run, and more run.  Utah football is BALANCE.  Balanced attack.  But there was no flow.  No continuity.  Reggie Dunn, the fastest player on the team, was used often early in the game, and then nothing. 

Utah has so many weapons, probably more than almost any team in the country.  But the coaches have not figured out how to utilize them.  By my count, 16 players have scored touchdowns offensively for the Utes this year.  But they need to figure out how to utilize them. 

The next factor is the "wanting it" factor.  Everyone talks about the Jordan Wynn slide.  Very frustrating.  But there was more to it than that.  I have in memory two distinct moments against Pittsburgh when Brandon Burton, who is 6 feet tall went up against the 6'5" Jon Baldwin and got to the ball first because he wanted it more.  That "want it more" factor is gone.  Guys do not want it.  We saw it with the defensive backs, we saw it with just about everybody.

Next, there is no calming presence on this team.  Will Jordan Wynn learn to do that?  It remains to be seen.  He is still a sophomore and has another couple years to get that kind of presence. 

Coming right out of the gate, Utah needs to get off to a fast start.  They need to pick up first downs and move the football.  They can not afford these starts where turnovers, special teams botches, and penalties kill drives and give the other team prime position.  It nearly killed them against Pitt.  It dug their grave against ND and TCU. 

Finally, the leaders need to step up and lead.  The coaches, seniors, and captains need to realize that this season is slipping away.  If Utah plays to its potential, they will win the next three games.  San Diego State, BYU, and a mid-level Pac-10 team can not beat the Utes at their best.  They can't!  But, those teams (obviously a different bowl opponent) can and will beat Utah handily if they continue this uninspired play. 

I sincerely hope that Kyle Whittingham and the other leaders took notes on Saturday in the fourth quarter.  People who spent hard-earned money travelling across the country to support this team.  I hope they noticed those same fans leaving in disgust.  I hope it rallies them to want to be better.

So now we get to see where the heart of this team is.  They have let TCU beat them twice.  They can't afford to make it three in a row. 

2.  BYU basketball

A very interesting game last Friday night to officially kick off the 2010-2011 season for the Cougars.  It deserves a trip down memory lane.

In the mid to late 90's, BYU basketball was a joke.  A punchline for the local newspaper writers.  Their best player was a guy who looked like he was 40 and had about as much hair as Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: TNG.  They only managed to win one game during the 96-97 season.  Roger Reid lost control of the team and embarassed his fans, team, program, university, church, and himself with some ill-advised comments.

Tony Ingle took over midseason, but did not fair any better.

Enter Steve Cleveland. 

Pretty soon, players like Mikeli Wesley, Silester Rivers, and Terrell Lyday came on board and the cougars slowly started competing.  They were even able to beat Utah occasionally in provo.  These players gave way to a new generation.  Mark Bigelow, Travis Hansen, and Rafael Araujo led the cougars into contention for conference championships. 

Well, Cleveland had done an exceptional job and Fresno State came calling.  Though it was a tough decision, Cleveland returned home to coach the Bulldogs.

I think you know the rest.  BYU finally broke the tournament drought last year and is looking for big things this year with a senior-laden backcourt and some increased talent levels across the board.  None of it would be possible without Cleveland's total dedication.

It was a good reminder of that as the Bulldogs came to a sold-out Marriott Center last Friday.  It was an emotional day for Cleveland. 

The BYU fans know what Cleveland did for them and gave him a nice cheer.  Rose has put BYU on the map nationally, but without Cleveland, none of it would be happenign today. 

3.  Al Jefferson

I have been very intrigued by Al Jefferson ever since the Jazz traded for him in July. 

Having scouted him a couple of times, I knew that Big Al had some very good components to his game, and some fatal flaws. 

-In Minnesota, Big Al would not raise his arms to challenge a shot unless there was a chance that he could block it.  He would just stare helplessly at whoever was shooting. 

-He was not a passer.  He would get the ball and only pass if he got into trouble. 

In his first ten games with the Jazz, I have seen some progress in this regard.  I have seen a big improvement in terms of challenging shots.  I think he has made a conscious choice to improve, and it shows.  Additionally, he rotates better defensively than anyone the Jazz have had in quite some time.  He still will struggle with players that can face and go, but he is an upgrade for sure.

His passing still needs work.  He will get better as he understand the system more.  He needs to let the game come to him.  When he does that, Deron will do most of the work and all he will have to do is take advantage. 

I also like how he has allowed Paul Millsap to be Paul Millsap.  The defensive attention that Al requires has allowed Paul to play his game.  When Memo gets back and in the swing of things, Al is going to literally love life.  He will be more free to do his thing and it will pay big dividends. 

So far, I like Al's motivation.  It had to be hard to play for Minnesota and Boston during the times that he did.  When the Jazz started 0-2, he had to be wondering if he had found himself in the movie "Groundhog Day".  But he has kept positive and its reaping big rewards for the Jazz. 

The one negative that I did not anticipate is the fumbling of passes.  Could be that Jazz fans are used to the adhesive hands of Boozer, or it could be that for the first time in his career that he has had a real point guard and he isn't used to good passes, or it could be his hurt hand.  At any rate, it needs correction, and I anticipate that it will improve as time goes by.

With 12 of the next 14 at home, Big Al has a chance to be recognized by his hometown fans, if he can make the most of it, his troubles can make improvements in leaps and bounds.

When sports go too far......

I have three unrelated things to bring up as the back drop for this entry.

First, in math and other areas of study, it is common to examine "Game Theory".  Game theory is fascinating.  It deals with dominant strategies in competitive situations.  People who understand and employ game theory can defeat opponents who cheat, even when the opponent knows what is coming.  One part of game theory is what is called "tit-for-tat", as explained by David Krumholtz' character in the television show "Numb3rs" (Season 3, "The Art of Reckoning")

To describe this element he uses the analogy of two people in a race to climb a mountain.  If your opponent uses aggression against you, you use aggression back.  If your opponent attempts to cooperate with you, you do so in return.  Eventually, your opponent will see that working with you is their best strategy as well, until the end when it really becomes the test of strength.

The second thing I would bring up is a phone call I received this past week from a friend.  I had not spoken to this friend in two and a half years.  Life had taken us our separate directions.  In addition to life in general, we talked about our favorite sports teams.  My friend is a die-hard BYU fan, and I am a bleed-red Utah fan.  He mentioned to me that in the past, he had become so involved with BYU sports that it would throw him out of whack when they lost.  He told me that he made a conscious decision to change and to take a step back.  He was still die-hard, true-blue Cougar, but he balanced it with the more important things in life.

Finally, last year, a friend and I attended a Jazz game.  The opponent was in control early in the game and a fan of the opponent was sitting near us.  Rather than respectfully cheering for his team, he got up and rubbed it in the faces of everyone around him.  Needless to say, when the Jazz took control of the game, those he had harassed earlier piled on him.  His response was to turn bright red in anger and lash out with every swear word in the book.  Here was a grown man who was brought almost to tears becuase he didn't have any respect.  (I'm not saying the Jazz fans did either).

This brings me to my main point.  As I listened to the TCU-Utah game, I became irritated.  TCU so thorougly beat my Utes, and it bothered me.  Even more so, as I watched it, I just knew that my facebook page would be inundated with BYU fans enjoying it and rubbing it in.  I knew I would have to deal with ribbing at church and work. 

I have to admit, I had had enough of hearing BYU fans say "3 of 4" or other trash talk through this last year.  I am the kind of guy who posts obnoxious things on my own facebook page (silly statuses, songs and videos making fun of BYU, etc. etc.)

When I logged in to see the damages, I saw several of my friends had statuses that indicated that they were thoroughly enjoying this game, much more than I thought they would.  As I read their statuses, I felt that irritation, and what was more, I knew that I had contributed to their joy in watching Utah fall flat on their face.

In a conversation, a friend told me "The loss yesterday was sweet because I feel sometimes the Ute fans get so cocky about how much better they are this year than BYU, they rub it in, it was nice to see them get humbled."

He went on to tell me that he has absolutely nothing against the players, or the Institution.  In fact, he really likes Coach Whittingham and Shaky Smithson. 

Even though I am a Ute fan, I have to agree with the general feelings of his comments.  No one likes to lose.  For sports fans, it's an awful feeling, especially when we invest so much in our teams.  But his statement says a lot.  He would probably have cheered for the Utes, if it hadn't been for Ute fans (like me) belittling his Cougars. I don't want to pile on Ute fans either.  BYU fans can be just as bad in their obnoxious behavior. 

When the game is played in November, it is unsure who will win.  One thing that is sure is that some fans of the winning team will take the victory way too far and annoy the team who lost.  It will build bitterness and anger and then when the winning team loses another game, the other fans will jump on them.  In game theory, this is called a never ending downward spiral.  Your opponent aggresses on you, you aggress back, and then he aggresses on you, and on and on.  The only way to break this spiral is to employ whats called "tit-for-two tats"; you show cooperation no matter what your opponent does after a while.  Eventually, your opponent will see that cooperating is the best strategy.

I am not saying that BYU and Utah fans need to hold hands and sing Kum-bay-yah in the mountains or something.  This is a rivalry.  But that doesn't mean that there has to be a lack of respect.  Both sides can go a long way in improving in this area. 

I had the chance to attend ESPN's College GameDay on Saturday morning.  Among the crowd I saw were two people who stuck out to me.  One was a Utah fan, who smuggled several bottles of some sort of liquor into the event.  He consumed them rather quickly and soon became a nuisance to those of us around him, acting belligerently, swearing at people around him, saying whatever it was that came to his mind without thinking and he never shut up, and he was extremely offensive.  This wasn't at a bar, this was in a public place.  The second was a TCU fan who brought along his TCU flag to wave.  This man was nice to everyone, even as he was harassed by the first bozo.  In conversation with him, I learned that he was just like me.  He was passionate about his team, and he was there to support them.  The only difference was that he wore purple, and I wore red.

I am not trying to say that all Ute fans are jerks.  99% were there to cheer their beloved Utes on.  My point is that there are a few bad apples in every barrell.  Above all, we need to have more respect for those who don't see things the way we do.  I learned a lot, and I intend to change the way I treat others and the way I support my team.  I don't want my friends to hate my team because of my actions.  Like my friend, I am taking a step back.  The change will be the respect I have for everyone else.

So here is a list of things I learned through this:

1. Respect brings respect.

2.  It's possible to enjoy success and not rub it in to those who aren't having it.

3.  Doing the first two, in no way shape or form takes away from the enjoyment of sports.

And of course.......

4.  I spend way too much time on facebook.............that also will change.

My top 25 poll

I don't have a vote for the top 25 in college football, but if I did, here is what it would be:

1.  Boise State-I hate the argument that someone isn't number one because of their schedule.  The Broncos look awesome and could have easily hung triple digits on the Spartans last night.

2.  Oregon-very explosive offense, but I absolutely refuse to move a team to the number one spot when they are on a bye week.  Sorry Oregon, just bad timing.

3.  Oklahoma-remember in week one, when Utah State gave these guys all they could handle?  Yep, me neither.  Oklahoma gets better and better each week.  I said in an earlier blog post that they shouldn't be taken seriously.  I was wrong. 

4.  TCU-the frogs just don't seem as good to me this year as they were last year.  But, they do have Andy Dalton, Jeremy Kerley, and Tank Carder.  Did you see Carder intercept Jake Heaps yesterday?  That was sweet.

5.  Auburn-halfway through the season, they look like the class of the SEC, and that generally means a trip to the national title game.

6.  Alabama-stumbled against South Carolina last week, but if they can stay unbeaten and win the SEC championship, they are probably right back in the title game.  Health of Julio Jones is a big concern.

7.  Michigan State-I didn't think there was a team that could what Michigan State did to Michigan, but I was wrong.  The Spartans look solid all around.

8.  Utah-still waiting to actually play someone good.  Utes looked bored and out of synch at times against Wyoming.  Showdown with TCU in three weeks should be awesome.

9.  Wisconsin-that was a straight up beat down of Ohio State.  The badgers are a force to be reckoned with in the Big 10.  Hard to stop that bruising running attack combined with efficient QB play.

10.  Nebraska-yeah, they lost to Texas.  Yeah, Texas isn't very good.  But Nebraska has been awesome and could give the Sooners a run for that Conference championship, assuming the two teams meet up then.

11.  Stanford-They have Luck on their side (cue bad joke drums)

12. Iowa-outside of hiccup against Arizona, they have been playing very well.  Showdown with Wisconsin looms on Saturday.

13.  Florida State-I have them considerably higher than most, but they have been awesome.  They have been on fire since a setback to Oklahoma.  Hard to see them losing in a very weak ACC.

14. Arizona-hard to know what to make of the Wildcats.  Should be fun to watch them play the hot and cold Washington Huskies on saturday.

15.  Ohio State-yes, I had them plummet.  They did not deserve to be number one ever and Wisconisn exposed them for the frauds they are.  Hopefully, Michigan State beats them and they can be out of the BCS picture completely. 

16.  South Carolina-I hope Steve Spurrier enjoyed his moment in the sun again, because that loss to Kentucky was a choke job, straight up.  It will be interesting to see how they respond.  Still, this team showed against 'Bama that they are for real.

17.  Missouri-it looks like the post-Chase Daniel era has begun.  Tigers are getting better and better.  Could challenge in Big-12 north at this rate.

18.  Oklahoma State-still not sold on Mike Gundy's team.  Yes, I know that Gundy is a man, and I know he's forty (three, now).  So, Im coming after him.  It's just that I have seen this episode before, and it doesn't end well for the Cowboys.

19.  Arkansas-this is still a very good team.  We don't know how serious the injury to Ryan Mallet is, but if he is able to come back, Arkansas could surprise some people.

20.  LSU-the "experts" have this team at 6, and it boggles my mind as to why.  This team has needed last second miracles to beat Florida and Tennessee this year, who are not very good teams.  Last night, McNesse State played them tough.  That is the closest 22 point win I have ever seen, not impressed at all.  If they lose one game, they are out of my poll forever.

21.  you know what, never mind, there is no one else who is worthy of being a top 25 team in my mind.  No one.  So my top 25 ends with 20 teams.  Thats right Texas, West Virginia, Mississippi St., and Miami, your names may fool the "experts" but they don't fool me. 

Sports Radio in Utah

Over at slcdunk.com, they are currently having a "march madness" of Utah Sports Radio personalities.  I thought I would give a quick look at the Sports Radio guys and give my rankings.  Ill compare each show head to head.  I will stick to the local shows.

Mornings:

DJ and PK 6-10 AM 1320 KFAN
vs.
Hans and Company 6-10 1280 The Zone

DJ and PK have the same game plan each day.  PK (Patrick Kinahan) takes the opposite stance of DJ (David James), no matter if it contradicts something he has already said.  He aims to get under the skin of all of his listeners.  If he is not taken seriously, he can be somewhat entertaining.  David James seems uninterested in what is going on and does a much better job on TV with "Talkin' Sports"

These two were on 1280 a few years ago, and the quality of their show has dipped since they made the transition, due to the fact that they are recieving paychecks from the Utah Jazz' flagship station.  Their opinions have been less objective (and subsequently less interesting) now that they are on KFAN.

Until this past week, 1280  clearly had the edge here with the "John and Hans Show".  Unfortunately, John took a job in Portland and has left Hans with a variety of co-hosts.  Hans is the former BYU and Indianapolis Colts player.  He gives an honest and refreshing opinion and he always seems to be having his fun.  He has much more insight when it comes to football then anyone else in the market.  It remains to be seen who will replace John, but with Hans there, it is a good bet that the 1280 crew will continue to dominate this time slot.

Midday

Powerhouse 1-3 PM 1320
vs.
Jan and Gunther 10-2 1280

These two don't exactly overlap much, but they are the most comparable midday shows. 

Powerhouse features Utah sports veteran Alema Harrington and Ben Bagley.  Bagley is an exceptionally talented host who can keep the conversation and the show flowing well.  He is a solid interviewer who can bring his guests to life.  Harrington is a name and is more or less "filler", he doesn't bring much of anything to the table, except for that national championship ring.

Jan and Gunther has the most potential of any show in the market.  Both Jan Jorgenson (BYU) and Kyle Gunther (Utah) played college football locally and are still well-connected to their various teams.  They provide an insight and analysis that is not matched by anyone.  They have good chemistry and both bring a good perspective.  Listeneres feel like they are really inside the huddles.

This show has several drawbacks though.  While these two know a lot about football and mixed martial arts, their knowledge of other sports is somewhat lacking.  Additionally, Gunther will try to make jokes (which are lame) while Jan is making a point.  He will also say things like "Jan, our friendship is now in serious jeopardy" or other juvenille garbage.  Jan will become very defensive if anyone associated with the U. of U. tries to put down BYU, to the point that it takes away from the broadcast.

Got to give the edge to Powerhouse, becuase of Bagley's abilities.  But Jan and Gunther (if they remain together) will grow to be a better show eventually.


Drive-Time

Locke, Garrard, and Bolerjack 3-6 1320
vs.
The Gordon Monson Show 2-6 1280
vs.
Bill and Spence 2-6 ESPN 700 Sports=

I have blogged about Locke before.  He is arrogant.  He considers himself superior to everyone, unless they are a Jazz player, in which case he will suck up and laugh at everything they say.  But he does work hard, and he brings good guests onto his show.  Only problem is he tries to always put himself front and center. 

Scott Garrard is a great new addition to this show.  He is a great host who relates well to the fan.  He does not consider himself superior, but listens and will consider different viewpoints.  If he and Bagley were put together, it would be the best show in the market.

Bolerjack doesn't really know sports, or the utah culture, or much of anything at all.  Why he was brought onto this show is beyond me. 

Monson is also very arrogant, and he is extremely defensive about media rights.  He, like Locke, is much more interested in himself than he is his listeners, but he is more palatable than Locke.  He is a better interviewer than Locke, though he does not get the high-profile guests that Locke does. 

This past summer, Kyle Whittingham made a statement that indicated he would not take anymore questions regarding Utah's future move to the Pac-10.  This enraged Monson who felt like Whittingham was denying his constitutional rights.  Despite the fact that literally dozens of listeners texted or called in to say that they were supportive of Whittingham and they preferred he focused on the season at hand, Monson vehemently insisted that he was right and everyone else was wrong. 

Jake Scott co-hosts this show, and he does a decent job in his role, which is basically to bring up topics, keep the conversation going, and try to be as invisible as possible.  Jake is a very good sidekick.

Bill and Spence are Ute-homers.  They also talk a lot of Real Salt Lake.  Bill Riley can be interesting in his takes.  Spencer Checketts is ok, but clearly got the job because his dad is Dave Checketts.  Not worth listening to these two and their sometimes childish games unless you are a die hard ute fan who is starved for everything Utes.

All in all, Hans Olsen is, in my opinion, the best that utah has to offer.  It will be interesting to see what happens in the future as the market continues to grow. 

Five for Five

1.  College football

As a 9 year old growing up in Tyler, Texas, one of my favorite things to do on Saturdays was to watch college football.  I would tune into different games and tried to learn the game.  I still remember very clearly watching the Utah vs. Colorado State game in 1994.  I remember watching Harold Lusk pick off that pass, jumping up and down with my dad and yelling "GO GO GO! " as he returned it all the way to the house to seal the win.  The Utes finished in the top 10 that year. 

The biggest football in those days was the Red River Shootout.  The University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas.  Played in Dallas each year, it brings hundreds of thousands of people to the area and millions more watch on TV. 

This past Saturday, the annual Shootout took place.  I only had a chance to watch the end of this game.  It was a sloppy mess.  Oklahoma nearly fumbled the game away when it was trying to put it away.  Texas blew their chance by dropping a punt.  It was awful football, but it showed me one thing.  Most years, these teams are right in the thick of it and the winner often goes into contention for the national title.  This year, neither team should be taken very seriously, particularly Texas. 

2. Ron Boone

It was announced this past week that longtime TV analyst Ron Boone will join David Locke for the radio broadcasts of Utah Jazz games this year.  Craig Bolerjack will continue to provide play-by-play on TV, while fan-favorite Matt Harpring will join him and give commentary.  For TV, this is a great deal.  Harpring provides great insight, has a lot of passion, and really knows the game.

For those who can only listen on the radio (like me!), this move could not be worse.  Locke is atrocious.  Instead of actually calling the game, he tries to get you to focus on him with obscure stats, off the wall phrases, and constant self-promotion.  That was never the case with Hot Rod.  Hot Rod called the game, made it fun, and I never felt like he was trying to make it about him.  Locke is a pure ego-maniac.  On his daily radio-show, he tries to take the spotlight no matter who he is talking to.  I have no idea why the Jazz brought him on, but it was a big mistake.  Putting Boone at his side is like making a symphony out of people scratching a chalkboard, hyenas, Vanilla Ice, and Billy Ray Cyrus.  Its going to be awful.  Boone only offers the most obvious comments ("down by 20, the jazz can only hope to get back into this game by getting some stops and shooting at a higher percentage") he often gets lost "was that boozer?" or gets so far off-topic (during a tight game with about a minute to go) "You know what my favorite movie is, its "one flew over the cuckoos nest"" that fans get frustrated.

Expect radio ratings to plummet.

3.  MLB playoffs

Its october, which means it must be time for the Major Leauge Baseball playoffs.  Its been a fun season with some surprise teams.  Outside of the 8 teams remaining, everyone else  has gone home to start the routine of contract negotiations, rehabilitating injuries, and enjoying the winter vacation.

For those who are still alive, the most intriguing matchup to me is the Twins and Yankees.  The Twins have the home field advantage, the Yankees have the experience.  A victory for the Twins would be a victory for all that is right and good about sports.  The Twins are the small market guys who don't have bottomless pockets.  It would sh ow, once again, that championships can't be bought, they have to be won.  But the defending champs, despite shaky pitching, will not be an easy out.  They have been there and know what to do. 

I am picking the Twins in 5.

4.  Austin Collie

 The man who made headlines with his "magic happens" comments nearly three years ago is tearing up the NFL.  In a loss this week to the Jaguars, he scored yet another touchdown.  He has quickly become a favorite target of quarterback Peyton Manning.  His presence has caused defenses to spread themselves thin while also trying to cover Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, to say nothing of Pierre Garcon.

Collie defies traditional logic.  After a huge career at BYU, he slipped in the draft after posting below-average times in the 40 yard dash.  But Collie runs his routes sharply, has some quickness, and a really good pair of hands.  On top of that, he works hard.  Its always good to see guys do the right things "on and off the field" and have success.

5.  Rec Center

Working out at the gym is pretty fun.  Its fun to notice little things. 

I love people who ride the elliptical machine backwards.  Its so funny because no matter how hard they work, they aren't getting a work out!  There is absolutely no resistance.  And it looks funny too. 

I saw something for the first time the other day that was even more humorous.  A guy next to me actually put both feet on one pedal.  I wanted to say "sir, you can actually save money by not coming here.  If you want to stand in one place, you can literally do that anywhere you want to, there is no sense coming to work out and then standing in one place, thinking you are getting a workout."

Another guy was actually riding the machine pretty hard.  I mean, he was going really fast, and surprisingly, actually doing it right.  All of a sudden, he just goes "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" and then calmly jumped off and walked away, leaving the machine spinning like crazy.  Random.

My favorite has to be the lady who sings along with her ipod.  And not just sings, but SCREAMS along with it.  I wonder if she notices that there are other people around her.  Probably not, but thats ok.

The ultimate point of the rec center is to work out, but walking away laughing is not a bad thing either. 

Economics of Sports

One of the most fascinating things about the mountain west conference has been the TV deal.  Anyone who follows Utah, BYU or anyone who has tried to watch a game involving mountain west teams will cringe at the thought of "the mtn".  Its hard to find the channel.  When it is located, its filled with talking heads and off the wall number shows like "Its a numbers game". 

During the actual games, the commentary is poor, the analysts are very ron boone-esque and the cameraman gets lost more often than a kid on the first day at a new school. 

Ultimately, this TV network (and the lack of money and exposure) were what caused Utah and BYU to jump ship this past summer.  But taking a look at its history reveals an interesting economic scenario.

Rewind to 2006.  The Mountain West, led by commissioner Craig Thompson, was looking for a TV deal with ESPN.  However, the terms were not fair.  ESPN wanted the MWC teams to play games at hours and on odd days.  For instance, every team would need to play some Thursday and some Friday games to be on TV.  During basketball, ESPN wanted to continue the "big monday" games that tipped off at ten p.m. local time.  In the minds of the MWC, this was not worth it. 

So, the idea was formed to create a Mountain West channel.  It was to be the saving system of a conference looking to make a name for itself. 

Contract negotiations started.  It was not well received.  Only a few providers were willing to pick it up.  Eventually, it got going, but the quality has never improved.  The revenue never came.  The flagship programs took off for greener pastures.


It remains to be seen what will happen to this conference without Utah and BYU.  But the economic and business examples that brought this about are numerous.  Not wanting to sell out his clients (the MWC schools) Craig Thompson took a shot for the fences.  Ultimately, his gamble cost him his two biggest clients.  What would have happened had he gone for ESPN's demands?  Perhaps the Mountain West would have been on the verge of a BCS automatic berth.  But now, its just small schools struggling to make it, though some are exceptionally talented. 

Five for Five

1.  College Football

One of the things that makes college football so exciting is the unexpected.  Did anyone really see UCLA taking it to the Longhorns in Austin like that?  I didn't.  I think we all knew that Texas was overrated and in the top 10 because of their name, but UCLA gave them a beatdown.  Alabama avoided a scare by beating Arkansas.  When every single game counts so much, you have to come ready to play each week.

In the local news, Utah improved to 4-0 by throttling San Jose State.  It's hard to tell where this Utah team is and how good they really are.  And we really won't know until the 8th game of the season against Air Force.  BYU continued to struggle.  The offense moved the ball effectively at times, but could not seem to punch it in.  It doesn't get any easier for the cougars either.  On paper, Utah State probably won't put up much of a challenge, but Utah State fans don't like BYU and will be ready with lots of venom. That being said, I predict cougars by 10, 24-14.

2.  NBA

Well, basketball season is just around the corner.  With training camps opening up Monday, it will be interesting to see how a drama-filled summer translates into the regular season in the NBA.  Hard to believe its been two and a half months since "The Decision".  LeBron James has put a huge target on his back and it will be very interesting to see how he performs this year.  Keep an eye on how LeBron and Chris Bosh react to not being "the man" all the time.  Make no mistake, this is Dwyane Wade's team.  Can the three headed-monster work?

I have no reservations about saying this.  Kobe Bryant is still the best player in basketball.  LeBron has better stats, but Kobe is better, plain and simple.  Teaming him with the most skilled big man in Pau Gasol, combined with solid role players in Odom, Artest, Fisher, Barnes, and Bynum means another world title for the Lakers this year. 

I think the Lakers beat the Heat in 6.

3.  Rivalries

I love being a part of rivalries.  I have a lot of passion for my teams.  Anything and everything can happen in a rivalry game.  Take the game this past friday night between Viewmont and Bountiful High Schools.  Admittedly, this rivalry is not nearly intense as it used to be.  With the teams playing in different regions and classifications, the game does not mean quite as much for these two schools who sit less than miles apart.

Viewmont had yet to win a game.  Bountiful had a smash mouth defense that had not yielded to anyone.  Bountiful stood at 4-1 on the year and figured to win this one going away.  Then, the game started and by the time things were over, Viewmont walked off the field with a 27-2 victory.  And Bountiful is back to the drawing board.  I don't know how it happened, but only in a rivalry game would you see something like this.

Anything can happen in a rivalry game, and yes, Paul Kruger, Sean Smith, Robert Johnson, Joe Dale, Austin Collie, Andrew George, and, of course Johnny Harline are all still open.  And I hear George is still running too.

4.  Recruiting

I absolutely have to get this off my chest.  Bingham High School has become a football factory the state of Utah has never seen before.  At last look, they stood at number three in the ENTIRE COUNTRY according to USA TODAY.  The last time I saw, they had 13 kids who had either signed or were being recruited by D-1 schools.  I remember times when there were barely 13 D-1 committs in all of the state of Utah!

 For reasons I don't want to go into here, I think Bingham football personifies everything that is wrong in high school sports.  But I do want to reference a news report that came out this week.  A Bingham player who has committed to play football for the University of Utah and Head Coach Kyle Whittingham made the news when it was reported that some time ago he held other people at gunpoint and demanded their wallets.  Turned out to be a pellet gun, but the point is the same. 

Coach Dave Peck, Bingham's head coach,decided to take no action until the charges came to the surface this past week.  I absolutely hate that.  In comments, it appeared as though Peck thought that he didn't need to take any action until the legal proceedings ran their course.  Right.  Hes just a kid!  All of us, at one point or another, have held people at gunpoint and demanded money.  Thats a part of life!  We just grow out of it!  Give me a break.  The moment he found out about these allegations, he should have called this kid into his office and discussed it with him and suspended him.  We are talking about a FIRST DEGREE FELONY!!!!!!  As far as this kid goes, Im sure we'll hear plenty of "he's a great kid, just made a mistake" but I hope he never sets foot on the University of Utah campus until he has figured out some basic life principles.  Figuring out that its wrong to point a gun at someone would be a start, but with so many people going easy on him because he can play football, I wonder if he will ever learn.

5.  Larry Miller

I want to end on a positive note.  I just want to say how much I respect the late Larry H. Miller.  Reading his autobiogrpaphy, I learned that he literally saved the Jazz.  Without him, they would have been sold and moved to Minnesota.  It literally came down to the last minute.  But Larry found a way. 

Today, the Jazz are an icon in the State.  BYU and Utah fans, who can't stand each other during football season, put on the same colors and stand side by side in cheering the Jazz on.  The team has meant so much to the community and has been more than just a basketball franchise.  I can't say it enough.  The state of Utah is a better place because of Larry H. Miller. 

Five for Five

In this entry, ill look at five recent topics in the sports world and give my take on them.

1.  Manny Ramirez

Manny is a topic and an entity unto himself.  His oddball antics by now are well known throughout the baseball world.  Whether its getting thrown out of a game he didn't want to play in, or chewing some sunflower seeds in the outfield, Manny is always, well.........Manny.

Recently, Manny was traded to the Chicago White Sox after the Dodgers had grown tired of his act.  Upon arrival in Chicago, Manny was asked to answer some questions from the media.  Not wanting to participate, Manny did what only Manny would do; he requested an interpreter.  Even though anyone who has heard him knows he speaks perfect English (he's from New York)l, he asked for an interpreter, then asked the interpreter to interpret everything.  A press conference for Manny wouldn't be complete without wasting everyone's time.


2.  Team USA

For the first time since 1994, Team USA basketball came home with a World Championship.  The team was able to defeat host Turkey to cap off a nice run.  Many have said that the Championship is not valid because many other countries players chose not to participate, such as Spain's Pau Gasol and Argentina's Manu Ginobili.

Bologna.

This team played hard and brought respect back to American basketball.  And this was hardly the Americans "A-list" team.  Its good to see that America has taken pride in its international basketball dominance again.  With the gold at the Beijing olympics combined with this world title, America has re-established itself as the premier basketball power in the world.  With the core of young guys in the program, this could last for quite some time.

3.  Jim McMahon

It was nice to see Jim McMahon return to Edwards stadium a couple of weeks ago.  Jim has always been a very polarizing figure, but he could play football like very few before or since have been able to.  The "Catholic who helped the Mormons beat the Methodists" back in the early 80's had not returned to Provo after a questionable dismissal from BYU.

The guy is bizzare, but it was great to see him honored among the other legendary Quarterbacks at BYU.  Of all of them, I think he is the best.  Hopefully, he finishes those ten credits, get his degree, and take his rightful spot next to Young and Bosco in the BYU hall of fame.


4.  Real Salt Lake

 Does anyone realize that Real Salt Lake set an MLS record yesterday?  RSL has not been defeated at home in 23 matches after Saturday's win over Chicago.  I had the chance to attend an RSL game earlier this spring and was very impressed with the atmosphere.  After a surprising MLS cup title last season, RSL has been right there with the LA Galaxy all season and are looking to repeat.

Not many people in Salt Lake follow RSL, which is too bad, because they are a fun team and a fun group.

5.  College Football

This is probably going to be a weekly topic.  There are so many things to discuss.  The one that I want to discuss this week is Ohio State.  Is there anyone that believes this is the second best team in the country?  These guys always seem to get to the big game, and lose.  I know they won the Rose Bowl last year, but come on!  They play a boring brand of football that drives me nuts.  Pryor is overrated.  Just wait until they play someone good, you'll see what I'm talking about.