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.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
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, 4th 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.
Monday, November 15, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
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.
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.
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