First thing first, the Jazz. So far in this offseason the Jazz have given up two draft picks who may or may not turn out, a trade exception worth a cool $11 million, a D-league 2 guard named Murphy, and another $9 million trade exception. What they got in return is (in order) Trey Burke (@Trey_Burke3), who in my mind will be the best PG in this draft and already a 4/1 favorite to win Rookie of the Year, and 3 expiring contracts from Golden State worth $20-24 million which include Brandon Rush (@BRush_4), Richard Jefferson (who could provide leadership and length off the bench) and Andris Biedrins (if this 7 footer plays more than 10 minutes a game, we have serious issues) plus two UNPROTECTED first round draft picks (2014, 2017) and a 2nd rounder in there somewhere.
Trey Burke will not, in my mind, be a consistent all star. He can however, stabilize a position for Utah that has been lacking since the D-Will trade. Harris and Mo are good players and natural athletes, but neither one fit the Jazz system. Dennis Lindsay thought the same. This trade proves it. It basically gave the Jazz no room to sign very many of the free agents still hanging out there (more in a minute). If Burke starts from the get go the Jazz could very well, and are predicted to, win less than 20-30 games. I'm not saying I'd be happy if that happens. I like Kevin O'Connor's idea of always building to be better. Sometimes you do have to have growing pains in order to grow however.
If Brandon Rush has recovered from his ACL tear and Richard Jefferson can muster his walker onto the court for some meaningful minutes, this team might not be so bad. I think the starting 5 of Kanter, Favors, Hayward, Foye (please?) and Rush has the potential to be dominant defensively, all the while scoring 50 points a game. With Burke, Burcs (get used to that) and Jefferson coming off the bench, I see this team as maybe a 35-40 win squad. After that, Corbin may lose his job and Lindsay can plug in someone he likes there as well.
The only issue I am seeing is Sloan and Malone, both of which have huge issues with losing to get better. Sloan would coach this team to win 50 games. I don't see Corbin having the ability to do that.
Next year the Jazz will be in a similar position as they were this year with a much deeper draft staring them in the face as well as a much, much deeper free agent pool. They are in a position of strength right now they haven't since the Stockton draft.
With all that being said, let me retouch on where some of the free agents have gone thus far. "Big" Al Jefferson signed with the Charlotte Bobcats for a 3 year $41 million deal. Good for him. Although I disparaged his game quite often (I put a premium on defense, I don't know why....) he is, by all reports a good guy. He showed up and did his job, which is more than I can say about his predecessor as the go to guy in the paint. Al, good on you man!
DeMarre Carroll (@DemarreCarroll1) was a shocker. He signed with Atlanta for a 2 year $5 million deal. I loved the self proclaimed junkyard dog. He was an animal and gave 110% every night. Again, good on ya man. I wish you nothing but success.
Here is the one that really gets me though. I understand it, but I don't like it, nor do I have to. Paul Milsap is one of my favorite players to ever play for the Jazz. He is an undersized (listed at 6'8, probably closer to 6'6 1/2) power forward who was to small to play at the college level. All he did was lead the NCAA in rebounds for four years. Paul was the number 47 pick in the second round by the Jazz and wasn't ever expected to play. He did. He lead the team in rebounds and steals the past two years. Yup, rebounds and steals. Odd combo, but he did it. When the trade for Favors happened, Paul was basically told to take a back seat. He turned around and said "Take the seat from me." With his aggressive play and ability to adapt his game, you couldn't put him on the bench. He has that never say never attitude and was willing to gnaw his way to success. He also signed with Atlanta to join DMC and Kyle Korver with a 2 year $19 million deal. Congrats Paul, you deserve it. I will continue to sport my green 24 Jazz jersey with pride!
Now on to more inconsistent things: Dwight Howard. The man makes Brett Farve look decisive. Early reports today had the Warriors as the leading candidate for the big center, where those came from who knows. Then Houston reemerged as the front runner and it was even announced he had made his decision. He was taking his talents to Houston. Within minutes he told the Lakers he was 50/50 on them or the Rockets. What? Well, next thing I read is that he's looking at that extra $30 mil and licking his lips. So D-12 still a Laker? Nope, as of now (with still 5 days to be official) he is going to follow Yao Ming and the Hakeem the Dream as big men in Houston. Honestly, if that sticks, I fear the pick and roll of the Rockets. Harden dishing to Dwight? Yikes. I'm just glad that he is scheduled for a trade demand in about two and a half years, right when the Jazz should start improving to contention.
As for the Lakers, I hate to say this, but it's better off without him there. Kobe is still the man and when he returns, they could not co-exist. It's much better this way.
To round out the Utah Jazz roster as of now:
Trey Burke-PG,
Alec Burcs-SG/PG, Brandon Rush-SG,
Gordon Hayward-SF/SG, Richard Jefferson SF, Marvin Williams-SF,
Derrick Favors-PF/C, Jeremy Evans-PF,
Enes Kanter-C/PF, Rudy Gobert-C
It looks like Jamaal Tinsley is still on the radar for the Jazz and maybe another veteran or two willing or sign a 1-2 year lower money deal for the PG spot.
All in all, I say go Hawks this year and rooting for the Jazz to show improvement, and the Warriors to lose every game. Go JAZZ!!!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
NBA Finals... Then and Now.
Once again the NBA Finals are here and ironically enough, once again it seems to be the ultimate team vs. the ultimate player. I've always held a belief that in team sports it's the team, not the player(s) who make the magic. Austin Caulie's 4th and 18 "magic happens" catch wouldn't have happened if the O line didn't do their job and the QB didn't do his job. It's the team, not the player. I have this argument for everything from paying college players to which teams are more successful. In basketball though, the line blurs often from team to super star player. The Micheal Jordan Bulls were not nearly the same team without him while he was "playing" baseball. They were still coached by the Zen Master, they still had Karl Malone's top 5 player in Pippen, but both years they finished around .500 and got bounced early in the playoffs. The previous three years and the next three years the blew by everyone in the playoffs to win 6 NBA Championships. So does the superstar make the team in the NBA?
For those of you that would answer yes, I would ask which NBA champion can be considered the sole good player on his team? Magic, Bird, MJ, Russell all had all star casts. The only one exeption I would give would be early Wilt Chamberlain who was a superstar athelete in a short white man's league. Pistol Pete never had good teams around him and therefor, never won a championship. So, does the team make the superstar? I would also say no.
I count fewer superstars than many of the pundits. I don't count the Steve Francis, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook's of the world. They are prolific scorers and demand a lot of attention in that sense. But what else do they give you other than inefficient possessions? Melo doesn't defend, Iverson didn't pass, Westbrook is only just now beginning to learn to be more efficient because of an amazing teammate but still doesn't defend well. As Sloan used to say, defense is all about effort. They just don't care about that side of the court. Who are my superstars in the league today? Kevin Durrant, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant (fading fast) and Tim Duncan. Other than that, I have a lower tier (Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker), and a scorers list (Melo, Westbrook, Jefferson) and defenders (Chandler, Tony Allen, Ibaka) list. Real superstars though are very few. Even with that being said, where did Lebron take the 07 Cav's. They blew through a weak eastern conference and got beat up in the finals by a very well coached, well developed team. Let's go back to 01. How did the MVP Iverson fair with no one around him? His 76ers imploded and could barely win one game. So in all, I would dare someone to tell me it's still a superstar league
I digress, we have a superstar led team in which they are depending the King to get things done on both ends of the court. It seems as though every year we have this conundrum. Team vs Superstar. Most of the time though, it's more than that. MJ had Pippen, Kerr, Luc Longley and my favorite, Rodman. In one on one, the current Heat roster would blow away those Bulls, in every position but one. The NBA is 5 on 5 though and that was a much better team. However, with Ray Allen, Shane Battier and the Birdman (I love that guy!) coming off the bench, I think Miami is a better team than I previously have given them credit for. However, San Antonio is the most fundamentally sound team in the last 13 years. They have the best coach in NBA history (IMO), led by arguably the best F/C in NBA history and the best pure PG in the current NBA with Manu driving, dishing and shooting. Splitter and Leonard are two of the best young players in the league as well. They all compliment each other perfectly. The only knock I have is they only have player capable (if anyone truly is) of guarding the King. When Leonard is out, the are forced to throw different looks at him using a combo of Parker, Boris Diaw and Danny Green to attempt to hold him under control.
This year, D-Wade is LeBron's Pippen and Bosh has turned into Longley (I won't even give him the credit of Dennis Rodman). The issue is, unlike the Bulls of the 90's, they don't have the same quality coach who can reign and direct the personalities. What you get is a lot of standing around and watching while King James does everything. In Chicago, not as much in L.A. but more so than in Miami, you had a superstar who worked within a system that worked. MJ not only worked the system but he worked within the system. I'll go back to the '97 finals, game six against the Jazz. Coming out of timeout, Steve Kerr has said that though Jackson drew up a play to get Michael the shot, MJ pulled Kerr aside and said, (paraphrasing here) They know it's coming to me, when they double, I'll kick it to you and you'll hit the shot. The play played out just as Michael said it would and the Bulls dashed my dreams.
Game 1 was really exciting. You had a great team effort by the Spurs. They locked down Wade and forced Bosh outside his comfort zone (I would let him shoot long threes all day long). Great individual efforts by all involved, specifically Parker, Leonard and Duncan. And coach Pop controlled the pace of the game with subs. He sat Duncan with two fouls and when it started to look like the Heat would rally, Pop put Duncan back in to get some stops. James put on a clinic. He dominated on both ends of the court and when they needed a stop, he was chasing Tony Parker all over the place better than any one else did. The result: Spurs stealing the advantage and winning game one.
Game 2 was quite different. James did not have a stellar offensive game but played well defensively. Bosh was aggressive and even a bit nasty inside 12 feet, where he belongs. Wade played well without spending to much time on the ground, which surprises me. All in all, the Heat played as a team and the Beat the Spurs handily. The play everyone is talking about though is the Block. I'll say this, it was epic. It was an epic block at a not so key moment of the game which states his newish step on the throat mentality. Every championship style player has that finish him off mentality. However, it was also an epic fail, and should have been a technical foul. It was an arrogant, selfish move to stand there with his chest puffed out like he was a rooster looking for a fight while the rest of his team was down court trying to get a play off. About 8 seconds later you see him running down court by his self. It turned out well, but that was a boneheaded, ridiculous play that should not get rewarded. I think ESPN should show his pic next to a rooster and have THAT be the highlight, not the dunk. Show everyone what kind of player he is. Along with his literal sprinting down court every time a call goes against him, (needs a tech again) and his throwing his arms up like he just got zapped with a taser. MJ would put his hands on his hips and shake his head. That was in the days you were allowed to talk a bit to the refs. If LeBron wants to be compared to greatness, I will compare every step of the way.
The NBA should also hold their "stars" to a higher standard rather than letting them get away with that kind of nonsense. It has always bothered me that they don't call fouls on players like that because fans don't want to see them not in the game at key moments. Well, I say it's up to the player and coach to make sure that happens. Ref's should look at a play, not the player. One way to fix the worst officials in all of sports: call games objectively. Everyone knows they don't. Hell, if they did, Shaq would have been just above average because he committed offensive fouls nearly every time he touched the ball. Jordan wouldn't have scored the last bucket as a Bull the way he did. Not because he pushed off, (and he did) but because he hacked Malone (who flopped to try and "draw" a foul) at the other end of the court. It sets a bad image for the league, who, to their credit, has come a long way from the thug image of the Iverson/Artest/Arenas days. It's just disgusting to see that adolescent crap coming from one of the spokesman for the league. It's disheartening to see the league allows it. And ESPN promotes it with their continuous replay of the full play.
From this point on in the finals, I will be rooting for a less babyish and flopping Spurs team. Who would have thought with Parker and Duncan you could ever say that?
For those of you that would answer yes, I would ask which NBA champion can be considered the sole good player on his team? Magic, Bird, MJ, Russell all had all star casts. The only one exeption I would give would be early Wilt Chamberlain who was a superstar athelete in a short white man's league. Pistol Pete never had good teams around him and therefor, never won a championship. So, does the team make the superstar? I would also say no.
I count fewer superstars than many of the pundits. I don't count the Steve Francis, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook's of the world. They are prolific scorers and demand a lot of attention in that sense. But what else do they give you other than inefficient possessions? Melo doesn't defend, Iverson didn't pass, Westbrook is only just now beginning to learn to be more efficient because of an amazing teammate but still doesn't defend well. As Sloan used to say, defense is all about effort. They just don't care about that side of the court. Who are my superstars in the league today? Kevin Durrant, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant (fading fast) and Tim Duncan. Other than that, I have a lower tier (Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker), and a scorers list (Melo, Westbrook, Jefferson) and defenders (Chandler, Tony Allen, Ibaka) list. Real superstars though are very few. Even with that being said, where did Lebron take the 07 Cav's. They blew through a weak eastern conference and got beat up in the finals by a very well coached, well developed team. Let's go back to 01. How did the MVP Iverson fair with no one around him? His 76ers imploded and could barely win one game. So in all, I would dare someone to tell me it's still a superstar league
I digress, we have a superstar led team in which they are depending the King to get things done on both ends of the court. It seems as though every year we have this conundrum. Team vs Superstar. Most of the time though, it's more than that. MJ had Pippen, Kerr, Luc Longley and my favorite, Rodman. In one on one, the current Heat roster would blow away those Bulls, in every position but one. The NBA is 5 on 5 though and that was a much better team. However, with Ray Allen, Shane Battier and the Birdman (I love that guy!) coming off the bench, I think Miami is a better team than I previously have given them credit for. However, San Antonio is the most fundamentally sound team in the last 13 years. They have the best coach in NBA history (IMO), led by arguably the best F/C in NBA history and the best pure PG in the current NBA with Manu driving, dishing and shooting. Splitter and Leonard are two of the best young players in the league as well. They all compliment each other perfectly. The only knock I have is they only have player capable (if anyone truly is) of guarding the King. When Leonard is out, the are forced to throw different looks at him using a combo of Parker, Boris Diaw and Danny Green to attempt to hold him under control.
This year, D-Wade is LeBron's Pippen and Bosh has turned into Longley (I won't even give him the credit of Dennis Rodman). The issue is, unlike the Bulls of the 90's, they don't have the same quality coach who can reign and direct the personalities. What you get is a lot of standing around and watching while King James does everything. In Chicago, not as much in L.A. but more so than in Miami, you had a superstar who worked within a system that worked. MJ not only worked the system but he worked within the system. I'll go back to the '97 finals, game six against the Jazz. Coming out of timeout, Steve Kerr has said that though Jackson drew up a play to get Michael the shot, MJ pulled Kerr aside and said, (paraphrasing here) They know it's coming to me, when they double, I'll kick it to you and you'll hit the shot. The play played out just as Michael said it would and the Bulls dashed my dreams.
Game 1 was really exciting. You had a great team effort by the Spurs. They locked down Wade and forced Bosh outside his comfort zone (I would let him shoot long threes all day long). Great individual efforts by all involved, specifically Parker, Leonard and Duncan. And coach Pop controlled the pace of the game with subs. He sat Duncan with two fouls and when it started to look like the Heat would rally, Pop put Duncan back in to get some stops. James put on a clinic. He dominated on both ends of the court and when they needed a stop, he was chasing Tony Parker all over the place better than any one else did. The result: Spurs stealing the advantage and winning game one.
Game 2 was quite different. James did not have a stellar offensive game but played well defensively. Bosh was aggressive and even a bit nasty inside 12 feet, where he belongs. Wade played well without spending to much time on the ground, which surprises me. All in all, the Heat played as a team and the Beat the Spurs handily. The play everyone is talking about though is the Block. I'll say this, it was epic. It was an epic block at a not so key moment of the game which states his newish step on the throat mentality. Every championship style player has that finish him off mentality. However, it was also an epic fail, and should have been a technical foul. It was an arrogant, selfish move to stand there with his chest puffed out like he was a rooster looking for a fight while the rest of his team was down court trying to get a play off. About 8 seconds later you see him running down court by his self. It turned out well, but that was a boneheaded, ridiculous play that should not get rewarded. I think ESPN should show his pic next to a rooster and have THAT be the highlight, not the dunk. Show everyone what kind of player he is. Along with his literal sprinting down court every time a call goes against him, (needs a tech again) and his throwing his arms up like he just got zapped with a taser. MJ would put his hands on his hips and shake his head. That was in the days you were allowed to talk a bit to the refs. If LeBron wants to be compared to greatness, I will compare every step of the way.
The NBA should also hold their "stars" to a higher standard rather than letting them get away with that kind of nonsense. It has always bothered me that they don't call fouls on players like that because fans don't want to see them not in the game at key moments. Well, I say it's up to the player and coach to make sure that happens. Ref's should look at a play, not the player. One way to fix the worst officials in all of sports: call games objectively. Everyone knows they don't. Hell, if they did, Shaq would have been just above average because he committed offensive fouls nearly every time he touched the ball. Jordan wouldn't have scored the last bucket as a Bull the way he did. Not because he pushed off, (and he did) but because he hacked Malone (who flopped to try and "draw" a foul) at the other end of the court. It sets a bad image for the league, who, to their credit, has come a long way from the thug image of the Iverson/Artest/Arenas days. It's just disgusting to see that adolescent crap coming from one of the spokesman for the league. It's disheartening to see the league allows it. And ESPN promotes it with their continuous replay of the full play.
From this point on in the finals, I will be rooting for a less babyish and flopping Spurs team. Who would have thought with Parker and Duncan you could ever say that?
Thursday, May 30, 2013
The Mail Man gets a chance to help the Milk Man deliver.
Sorry it's been a while since my last post. Baseball is back into full swing and things are right where they should be. The Mariners suck. Again. I am sitting at work staring at my White Sox calender wondering if my childhood love is finally fading. Even though the Sox are 3 games below .500 I find myself drifting towards that team more and more. I digress, let's talk about what everyone really wants to talk about, the Utah Jazz reaching back into history again.
Karl Malone has just signed on to join another former Jazzman Tyrone Corbin in coaching the young Jazz team. He actually signs on to be a part time "big man" coach. He fills a severe need much like recently departed former Jazzman Jeff "Horny" Hornecek (congrats at the head coaching gig Horny, hope you don't beat the Jazz) did with AK47 before become a full time assistant when the Legend stepped into retirement. If nothing else, this is a great sound bite machine. Karl, err, Coach Malone will most assuredly give us wonderful tidbits after each game he is at, which seems to be most home games. I just hope he doesn't confuse Enes Kanter (I had to do that, sorry...) with his Louisiana sayings. However, he has said some incredible things in the past. "Forget technique. Hit the guy across from you. Don't let somebody come in your space." That's the mentality that these young kids need. Even if Isiah Thomas still flinches when he hears Malone coming. Derrick Favors needs some aggression and some nasty that Malone can bring. I also hope that the Jazz can talk Paul Milsap into staying on board as a 6th man just to stay with fellow Lousianan Malone. Think of the nasty picks Kanter could throw and how hard Favors could roll to the basket. I'm drooling to think that this could happen. If this works, this could work really well.
There are some major pit falls though. Malone wants to be the center of attention. Larry H. Miller once said "He's a huge pain in the ass. But he's our pain in the ass." Will the organization put up with him being a pain in the ass when he is not directly putting up 28 ppg and 12 rebounds? What if he and coach Corbin have a falling out over a coaching decision? It won't be quite. Malone will tell the media that he wants the game plan to be an inside out, pick and roll game. Let's face it, because of his history, the media will flock to him first anyway. I would. What if he sees something on the court from Favors or Kanter that he sees as quiting? Yikes. What if he sees the off season routine of these guys and freaks out at them saying "When I was your age". Hell, what if Favors gets injured for 10 games? Malone would be all over him in the media for not preparing hard enough. Until the 1 year Lakers stint where he missed half the season with a knee injury, Coach Malone (that just sounds funny) missed more games due to suspension than injury.
Can you imagine if we can talk the stoic and recluse John Stockton into getting on the bench next to Ty? Man, that would look good. John and Karl on the bench with Ty. It would remind Jazz fans of my generation of why the fell in love with the team in the first place. I'm sure that Mark Eaton could take some time away from his restaurant and Thurl Bailey could come downstairs for a pick up game of Jazz legends vs. Jazz newbies. Wow, I just thought of this, we could field a larger team of Jazz legends that are here often enough than guys on the current roster. Yikes.
Do I think this is a saving grace for Coach Corbin? I don't know, but I think it's more of a blow up potential than anything else. All in all, I think the Jazz will suffer another sub-par year, and Coach Corbin goes the way of the Milk Man and disappears. Who would I like to see coach? I'm not sure, but I don't want to see another Jazz team that lacks an identity offensively and doesn't show the typical nasty I'm used to seeing in a Jazz team. Malone will bring that nasty back, in more ways than one.
P.S. sorry I got a little link happy, but some of them were pretty fun to look up.
Karl Malone has just signed on to join another former Jazzman Tyrone Corbin in coaching the young Jazz team. He actually signs on to be a part time "big man" coach. He fills a severe need much like recently departed former Jazzman Jeff "Horny" Hornecek (congrats at the head coaching gig Horny, hope you don't beat the Jazz) did with AK47 before become a full time assistant when the Legend stepped into retirement. If nothing else, this is a great sound bite machine. Karl, err, Coach Malone will most assuredly give us wonderful tidbits after each game he is at, which seems to be most home games. I just hope he doesn't confuse Enes Kanter (I had to do that, sorry...) with his Louisiana sayings. However, he has said some incredible things in the past. "Forget technique. Hit the guy across from you. Don't let somebody come in your space." That's the mentality that these young kids need. Even if Isiah Thomas still flinches when he hears Malone coming. Derrick Favors needs some aggression and some nasty that Malone can bring. I also hope that the Jazz can talk Paul Milsap into staying on board as a 6th man just to stay with fellow Lousianan Malone. Think of the nasty picks Kanter could throw and how hard Favors could roll to the basket. I'm drooling to think that this could happen. If this works, this could work really well.
There are some major pit falls though. Malone wants to be the center of attention. Larry H. Miller once said "He's a huge pain in the ass. But he's our pain in the ass." Will the organization put up with him being a pain in the ass when he is not directly putting up 28 ppg and 12 rebounds? What if he and coach Corbin have a falling out over a coaching decision? It won't be quite. Malone will tell the media that he wants the game plan to be an inside out, pick and roll game. Let's face it, because of his history, the media will flock to him first anyway. I would. What if he sees something on the court from Favors or Kanter that he sees as quiting? Yikes. What if he sees the off season routine of these guys and freaks out at them saying "When I was your age". Hell, what if Favors gets injured for 10 games? Malone would be all over him in the media for not preparing hard enough. Until the 1 year Lakers stint where he missed half the season with a knee injury, Coach Malone (that just sounds funny) missed more games due to suspension than injury.
Can you imagine if we can talk the stoic and recluse John Stockton into getting on the bench next to Ty? Man, that would look good. John and Karl on the bench with Ty. It would remind Jazz fans of my generation of why the fell in love with the team in the first place. I'm sure that Mark Eaton could take some time away from his restaurant and Thurl Bailey could come downstairs for a pick up game of Jazz legends vs. Jazz newbies. Wow, I just thought of this, we could field a larger team of Jazz legends that are here often enough than guys on the current roster. Yikes.
Do I think this is a saving grace for Coach Corbin? I don't know, but I think it's more of a blow up potential than anything else. All in all, I think the Jazz will suffer another sub-par year, and Coach Corbin goes the way of the Milk Man and disappears. Who would I like to see coach? I'm not sure, but I don't want to see another Jazz team that lacks an identity offensively and doesn't show the typical nasty I'm used to seeing in a Jazz team. Malone will bring that nasty back, in more ways than one.
P.S. sorry I got a little link happy, but some of them were pretty fun to look up.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
All Hail the Utah SPAZZ
Watching the Spazz play Wednesday was a little frustrating. First of all, the national media who can do no wrong could talk about nothing else but the Lakers and Rockets. Second of all, the Jazz themselves run an increasingly frustrating offense. It’s not the inside out model I don’t like. I love that. The inside post is my favorite position on the basketball court and sadly the good fundamental players at that position are becoming as rare as the snow in June. I’m not talking about the Blake Griffins and the lumbering centers. I’m talking about the Tim Duncan’s, the Moses Malone’s, the Karl Malone’s. These type of players are going the way of the dodo because it’s not sexy to watch a big guy defend in the paint like Dennis Rodman did in the 90’s. Nor is it sexy to watch a center sky hook a shot from 4 feet in front of the basket like Kareem Abdul Jabar in the 80’s. It’s more about what you can do to get on Sports Center. I.E. Blake Griffin, Carlos Boozer and Big Al Jefferson. All of which play the Matador style defense so well that I’ve overheard turn styles say they were jealous of those three’s collective ability to have people go by them.
What bugs me about the Utah Jazz offense is the fact that when Al Jefferson is on the floor everything stops around him. He gets the ball and it seems like the rest of the team stops, gets popcorn and watches the show. Not only that, Utah has four good quality big men. Millsap, Jefferson, Kanter (who is out for the rest of the season) and the young phenom Derek Favors. They should not only push the ball inside, but they should push it inside again. After that doesn’t work, do it again. But they don’t come anywhere close. They play a double high post game that drives me bonkers. Imagine Karl Malone playing either 15 feet outside or just at the free throw line. Not that I am comparing any of these guys to the great Mailman, but come on. Even Charles Barkley played deeper than these guys do. With that said, Gordon Heyward and Alec Burks are both very good players and I love that Randy Foye has come on and shot the three really well. I’m OK with all of that. In fact, I love that the Jazz have embraced the fact that a three point line actually exists (sorry Sloan fans, you know it’s true). The high post is good, the double high post is absolutely ridiculous with the bigs Utah has. In fact, I don’t like the double high post with one big and one guy who has no business playing the four. Jerry Sloan realized that even with AK47 playing the power forward position. Think about this: Gordon Heyward is about the same height and weight as Andre and he plays the three and the two. AK played the three but was more comfortable at the four. Sloan played AK at the four because he didn’t have anyone else, and they had Greg Ostertag at the five. So defensively they were really good. Offensively they were really, really bad. They did have however, a plan, and executed that plan. The plan now, if there is one, seems to be get the ball into Jefferson and watch him play and when the lack of movement and rotation bites them in the butt, let Mo Williams do whatever he wants and see what happens. Also on defense, guard the three point and hope Derek Favors or Enes Kanter can defend everything else. Oh oops, Jefferson is there again, so let them score and we’ll try to shot threes until the coach takes out Jefferson and we go back to an what might look like an offense.
I know it’s a simplistic view of what actually goes on, but I honestly think it’s one of two things here: Ty Corbin doesn’t have an offense he is comfortable running or he has zero control of the team. Sometimes I think they will pull it off because Paul Millsap and Gordon Heyward take over the game and run what resembles offensive plays. Then again, sometimes I think they are just following direction and it’s not good direction at all. I loved that they hired a guy who had Sloan ties. I loved that he was a former Jazz player and he seemed to run similar things to Sloan with a more modern twist. Right now, I don’t think it was the right hire. I am hoping they cut ties with him (which they won’t) and the new GM Dennis Lindsey will talk management into hiring long time Phil Jackson asst. Brian Shaw. Not that I’m a Phil Jackson fan, nor am I real fan of the Triangle offense. It’s that he has an offense and a defense he likes to run. From what I’ve heard, it’s not the triangle, but he believes in running plays and playing the right way. Maybe that is what Utah needs right now.
With them not only losing a must win game, but getting embarrassed on national TV again, with this talent, someone needs to be held accountable. Whether that’s the coach, or even the front office because of the lack of movement at mid-season, someone needs to be held accountable. And I reiterate what I’ve said since they didn’t trade him, if they re-sign Al Jefferson, I am a Seattle Sonics fan.
On a side note, come join me and my family at the Red and White game with me and my family this Saturday at 1 pm! GO UTES!!!
What bugs me about the Utah Jazz offense is the fact that when Al Jefferson is on the floor everything stops around him. He gets the ball and it seems like the rest of the team stops, gets popcorn and watches the show. Not only that, Utah has four good quality big men. Millsap, Jefferson, Kanter (who is out for the rest of the season) and the young phenom Derek Favors. They should not only push the ball inside, but they should push it inside again. After that doesn’t work, do it again. But they don’t come anywhere close. They play a double high post game that drives me bonkers. Imagine Karl Malone playing either 15 feet outside or just at the free throw line. Not that I am comparing any of these guys to the great Mailman, but come on. Even Charles Barkley played deeper than these guys do. With that said, Gordon Heyward and Alec Burks are both very good players and I love that Randy Foye has come on and shot the three really well. I’m OK with all of that. In fact, I love that the Jazz have embraced the fact that a three point line actually exists (sorry Sloan fans, you know it’s true). The high post is good, the double high post is absolutely ridiculous with the bigs Utah has. In fact, I don’t like the double high post with one big and one guy who has no business playing the four. Jerry Sloan realized that even with AK47 playing the power forward position. Think about this: Gordon Heyward is about the same height and weight as Andre and he plays the three and the two. AK played the three but was more comfortable at the four. Sloan played AK at the four because he didn’t have anyone else, and they had Greg Ostertag at the five. So defensively they were really good. Offensively they were really, really bad. They did have however, a plan, and executed that plan. The plan now, if there is one, seems to be get the ball into Jefferson and watch him play and when the lack of movement and rotation bites them in the butt, let Mo Williams do whatever he wants and see what happens. Also on defense, guard the three point and hope Derek Favors or Enes Kanter can defend everything else. Oh oops, Jefferson is there again, so let them score and we’ll try to shot threes until the coach takes out Jefferson and we go back to an what might look like an offense.
I know it’s a simplistic view of what actually goes on, but I honestly think it’s one of two things here: Ty Corbin doesn’t have an offense he is comfortable running or he has zero control of the team. Sometimes I think they will pull it off because Paul Millsap and Gordon Heyward take over the game and run what resembles offensive plays. Then again, sometimes I think they are just following direction and it’s not good direction at all. I loved that they hired a guy who had Sloan ties. I loved that he was a former Jazz player and he seemed to run similar things to Sloan with a more modern twist. Right now, I don’t think it was the right hire. I am hoping they cut ties with him (which they won’t) and the new GM Dennis Lindsey will talk management into hiring long time Phil Jackson asst. Brian Shaw. Not that I’m a Phil Jackson fan, nor am I real fan of the Triangle offense. It’s that he has an offense and a defense he likes to run. From what I’ve heard, it’s not the triangle, but he believes in running plays and playing the right way. Maybe that is what Utah needs right now.
With them not only losing a must win game, but getting embarrassed on national TV again, with this talent, someone needs to be held accountable. Whether that’s the coach, or even the front office because of the lack of movement at mid-season, someone needs to be held accountable. And I reiterate what I’ve said since they didn’t trade him, if they re-sign Al Jefferson, I am a Seattle Sonics fan.
On a side note, come join me and my family at the Red and White game with me and my family this Saturday at 1 pm! GO UTES!!!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Take me out to the ball game
For years I've been a fringe baseball fan. I love going to the Bees games and taking in all of the sights, smells and sounds of a summer evening game. The crack of a bat, the chatter of the crowd, the popcorn, peanuts, the drunken stupor of the guy next to you. I love all of it. I love the tradition of the 7th inning stretch and signing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." I really enjoy walking into a ball park and feeling like you are stepping into tradition and history. It's not something you get with football or basketball on any level. But baseball oozes such feelings on almost every level. I don't mean the hyper competitive little league where parents are yelling at the umps or even heckling the other 10 year old kids, which is a major problem in all sports. I really mean the old ball fields that feel like you could watch your dad holding his dad's hand walking into park pointing at the sights and explaining the game to his boy. Baseball has that feeling, for good and bad, of always looking into it's history. Even the new parks, with all the entertainment options and new architecture, feel nostalgic. Mostly anyway, I haven't been to the Disney park that house the Los Angeles of Anaheim of California in the southern part of the state below Hollywood but not quite to Chino Angels, but I hear even with all the extra stuff they have, it's a great field.
I recently flew over Chicago and it made me smile to see all this foriegn land where large buildings were seemingly sticking up out of the earth like the crystals in Superman's Fortress of Solitude, and dotting the landscape were the beautiful diamond shapes that told me there were children here who were laughing and having a good time with their teammates who would become life long friends.
Baseball means history changing events. This week a movie is hitting the theaters about a few men who changed the history of sports and hopefully the history of mankind. 42 is the story of Jackie Robinson and Brooklyn Dodgers. For those of you with no historical sense of greatness, it was April 15th 1947 and Jackie Robinson was the first man to break the color barrier in all professional sports. This was more than 20 years before the Titans in Virginia. If you get nothing out of this Baseball love fest of mine, get this: Jackie Robinson is a national hero and you should see this movie for it's historical significance alone. Or at least read as much as you can on it.
I say fringe though because as a Mariners fan it's hard to watch sometimes. What I mean is that I walked into a sports apparel store wearing a Mariners cap and a Seahawks shirt and a random man there asked if I was married and after my positive response, he said "Your wife must really love you." I said "Thanks, but why do you say that?" "Because she knows you are loyal." The Mariners have dashed my hopes more often than Michael Jordan. Not as bad mind you, but more often.
In fact, I don't like the structure of the league very much at all. Don't get me wrong, I love the dynamic between the NL and AL with the DH. But what I really don't like is the lack of disparity among the league. Honestly, how bad is Kansas City? And did you know that the Pittsburgh Pirates are in fact a Major League team? (sorry David, I had to mention it). Miami and Tampa Bay both have Major League teams, though the people there don't yet realize it. This league is not set up as a league to succeed. It's succeeds despite that fact. It is truly set up for the rich to get richer and the poor to suffer longer. The Yankees, the Red Sox, the Dodgers now, are set up to buy their way into the World Series and more often than not, it works. In a perfect world, the league would work together to make sure that the playing field was level. I love the theory of Money Ball and how it works to not ever over pay for a statistic, but also not fall in love with a "5 tool" guy who has never won. All in all, I love the game but not really the league.
Now I've been going to Jazz games my whole life and I love them. I've sat everywhere from the 7th row all the up to the last row and loved every second of all of it. I love the modern feeling of the arena. I also have been going to college football games for as long as I can remember and I've been to quite a few stadiums and even some old ones. They are great fun places to be and watch football, but none of them offer that same feeling of ease and nostalgia that Spring Mobile ball park gives. It's not the park either, it's baseball. Why do you think three quarters of all the good sports movies are about baseball? It's because of the feelings that it spurs in all of us with a heart.
Recently I had the opportunity to go and watch the Mariners play the White Sox in Chicago. I took the hour long train ride from my hotel to U.S. Cellular field. I walked in by myself, an outsider in an unknown land. I had even forgotten my hat at home and because of my Scandinavian heritage, I had to buy the hat of the enemy (not my first White Sox hat though). The clouds were grey and ominous. I sat in my seat as to not draw attention to myself and curled up to keep myself warm. The first pitch was thrown by a 9 year old girl who was representing the girl scouts and she tossed that sucker dead on over the plate into the catchers mitt. The crowd really cheered for first time. The wind settled down a bit and the White Sox took the field to the first rays of sun I'd seen all day. My shoulders relaxed, my senses opened up to the baseball atmosphere that surrounded me. An old man was sitting next to me and we started to chat while we watched the game. He grew up on the north side of Chicago. Three up, three down for the Mariners. He was an usher for the Blackhawks and Cubs while earning his doctorate. He had worked at all the major sporting arena's in Chicago. This man was a treasure trove of information. Felix Hernandez started blowing batters away as I quietly cheered to myself. I asked him about Wrigley field and he told me it felt like home to him and he hoped the don't lose the nostalgia when they remodel. Felix retired the side in order. We talked of baseball fields across the country and his love of the great game. Top of the 2nd, Raul Ibanez is on second when Jeff Keppinger reaches on a fielding error (worst stat in all of sports) Mariner's up 1-0. The guys behind us who are season ticket holders begin talking to us about the man's incredible history and start picking his brain just as I was. Bottom of the forth the Sox finally get a hit off King Felix. He talks about the legacy of a place like Wrigley Field or Fenway Park and how places like these should be held in great honor. Also of how architects shouldn't be allowed to touch a baseball field unless they know baseball. He references my now known teams foul pole debacle. When Safeco Field was built, the architect put the poles in foul territory, in contrast to the rest of the world where they are actually in fair territory. Bottom of the fifth, White Sox Hector Gimenez sac fly to center allows Conor Gillaspie to score. 1-1. A breeze blows in and it becomes a little chilly again. We start talking of all the cold weather games we'd been involved with. Me talking about Utah vs BYU, Boise State at BYU etc. and the guys behind us talk about a Blackhawks game they went to at Soldier Field. The old man decides to let us feel special for only a moment before telling us of a Notre Dame game he ushered for where the bleachers had iced over the night before and they couldn't chip it off fast enough because of the snow still falling. It still sold out and the Irish won. Bottom of the sixth Alex Rios hits a two run shot shot out of left field. White Sox 3-1. The older gentleman decides to leave us at this point to find some nachos in a baseball cap. Literally $12 of food over flowing from a plastic White Sox helmet. Awesome. The other guys and I continue to talk sports, and Chicago. They are both in the 200 club. Which means they've been to over 200 White Sox games. They tell of places to go and see in Chicago. I have to go see the bean. During the 7th inning stretch all the fans, and I do mean all the fans stand and sing at the top of their lungs. "Root, root root for the WHITE SOX!!" By the way, shame on you Bees fans. I know you are one of the best selling tickets in the AAA, but small traditions like this get more mocked than anything sometime. Bottom of the 7th, sac fly allows Conor Gillaspie to score again. White Sox 4-1. I have to go check out the bar on the 96th floor of the Hancock building. It over looks the whole city and gives a view of the most amazing sunset you'll ever see. They had decided they'd seen enough of the 17th row on the 3rd base line. We moved down to three empty seats on the sixth row, right behind the dugout. Top of the 8th with a man on and no outs, Michael Saunders homers over the left field wall. 4-3 White Sox. We start talking Bulls and how I laughed while watching the Nets and Bulls two nights prior because with Boozer screaming "AND ONE!!" and Deron scowling at everyone and shooting threes whenever he wants to, I felt like I was watching a Jazz scrimmage form 4 years ago. Top of the 9th, two outs and a man on first, White Sox still leading by 1 the crowd gets up on their feet and starts cheering on their young closer Addison Reed. He blows by the batter with his first two pitches making it an 0-2 count. The third pitch goes a wee awry and the count gets up to 1-2. The next pitch was fouled back into the crowd. Still 1-2. 96 MPH fastball right down the gullet leaves the Mariners waving goodbye. I say goodbye to my new comrades, they console my loss while cheering their win. I walk up the stairs and leave the park. As I do so, the clouds start coming back out and cover the sun and the wind picks up a little bit more. By the time my train ride was over, the rain had begun to pour down. Nothing could ruin this perfect day for me.
I recently flew over Chicago and it made me smile to see all this foriegn land where large buildings were seemingly sticking up out of the earth like the crystals in Superman's Fortress of Solitude, and dotting the landscape were the beautiful diamond shapes that told me there were children here who were laughing and having a good time with their teammates who would become life long friends.
Baseball means history changing events. This week a movie is hitting the theaters about a few men who changed the history of sports and hopefully the history of mankind. 42 is the story of Jackie Robinson and Brooklyn Dodgers. For those of you with no historical sense of greatness, it was April 15th 1947 and Jackie Robinson was the first man to break the color barrier in all professional sports. This was more than 20 years before the Titans in Virginia. If you get nothing out of this Baseball love fest of mine, get this: Jackie Robinson is a national hero and you should see this movie for it's historical significance alone. Or at least read as much as you can on it.
I say fringe though because as a Mariners fan it's hard to watch sometimes. What I mean is that I walked into a sports apparel store wearing a Mariners cap and a Seahawks shirt and a random man there asked if I was married and after my positive response, he said "Your wife must really love you." I said "Thanks, but why do you say that?" "Because she knows you are loyal." The Mariners have dashed my hopes more often than Michael Jordan. Not as bad mind you, but more often.
In fact, I don't like the structure of the league very much at all. Don't get me wrong, I love the dynamic between the NL and AL with the DH. But what I really don't like is the lack of disparity among the league. Honestly, how bad is Kansas City? And did you know that the Pittsburgh Pirates are in fact a Major League team? (sorry David, I had to mention it). Miami and Tampa Bay both have Major League teams, though the people there don't yet realize it. This league is not set up as a league to succeed. It's succeeds despite that fact. It is truly set up for the rich to get richer and the poor to suffer longer. The Yankees, the Red Sox, the Dodgers now, are set up to buy their way into the World Series and more often than not, it works. In a perfect world, the league would work together to make sure that the playing field was level. I love the theory of Money Ball and how it works to not ever over pay for a statistic, but also not fall in love with a "5 tool" guy who has never won. All in all, I love the game but not really the league.
Now I've been going to Jazz games my whole life and I love them. I've sat everywhere from the 7th row all the up to the last row and loved every second of all of it. I love the modern feeling of the arena. I also have been going to college football games for as long as I can remember and I've been to quite a few stadiums and even some old ones. They are great fun places to be and watch football, but none of them offer that same feeling of ease and nostalgia that Spring Mobile ball park gives. It's not the park either, it's baseball. Why do you think three quarters of all the good sports movies are about baseball? It's because of the feelings that it spurs in all of us with a heart.
Recently I had the opportunity to go and watch the Mariners play the White Sox in Chicago. I took the hour long train ride from my hotel to U.S. Cellular field. I walked in by myself, an outsider in an unknown land. I had even forgotten my hat at home and because of my Scandinavian heritage, I had to buy the hat of the enemy (not my first White Sox hat though). The clouds were grey and ominous. I sat in my seat as to not draw attention to myself and curled up to keep myself warm. The first pitch was thrown by a 9 year old girl who was representing the girl scouts and she tossed that sucker dead on over the plate into the catchers mitt. The crowd really cheered for first time. The wind settled down a bit and the White Sox took the field to the first rays of sun I'd seen all day. My shoulders relaxed, my senses opened up to the baseball atmosphere that surrounded me. An old man was sitting next to me and we started to chat while we watched the game. He grew up on the north side of Chicago. Three up, three down for the Mariners. He was an usher for the Blackhawks and Cubs while earning his doctorate. He had worked at all the major sporting arena's in Chicago. This man was a treasure trove of information. Felix Hernandez started blowing batters away as I quietly cheered to myself. I asked him about Wrigley field and he told me it felt like home to him and he hoped the don't lose the nostalgia when they remodel. Felix retired the side in order. We talked of baseball fields across the country and his love of the great game. Top of the 2nd, Raul Ibanez is on second when Jeff Keppinger reaches on a fielding error (worst stat in all of sports) Mariner's up 1-0. The guys behind us who are season ticket holders begin talking to us about the man's incredible history and start picking his brain just as I was. Bottom of the forth the Sox finally get a hit off King Felix. He talks about the legacy of a place like Wrigley Field or Fenway Park and how places like these should be held in great honor. Also of how architects shouldn't be allowed to touch a baseball field unless they know baseball. He references my now known teams foul pole debacle. When Safeco Field was built, the architect put the poles in foul territory, in contrast to the rest of the world where they are actually in fair territory. Bottom of the fifth, White Sox Hector Gimenez sac fly to center allows Conor Gillaspie to score. 1-1. A breeze blows in and it becomes a little chilly again. We start talking of all the cold weather games we'd been involved with. Me talking about Utah vs BYU, Boise State at BYU etc. and the guys behind us talk about a Blackhawks game they went to at Soldier Field. The old man decides to let us feel special for only a moment before telling us of a Notre Dame game he ushered for where the bleachers had iced over the night before and they couldn't chip it off fast enough because of the snow still falling. It still sold out and the Irish won. Bottom of the sixth Alex Rios hits a two run shot shot out of left field. White Sox 3-1. The older gentleman decides to leave us at this point to find some nachos in a baseball cap. Literally $12 of food over flowing from a plastic White Sox helmet. Awesome. The other guys and I continue to talk sports, and Chicago. They are both in the 200 club. Which means they've been to over 200 White Sox games. They tell of places to go and see in Chicago. I have to go see the bean. During the 7th inning stretch all the fans, and I do mean all the fans stand and sing at the top of their lungs. "Root, root root for the WHITE SOX!!" By the way, shame on you Bees fans. I know you are one of the best selling tickets in the AAA, but small traditions like this get more mocked than anything sometime. Bottom of the 7th, sac fly allows Conor Gillaspie to score again. White Sox 4-1. I have to go check out the bar on the 96th floor of the Hancock building. It over looks the whole city and gives a view of the most amazing sunset you'll ever see. They had decided they'd seen enough of the 17th row on the 3rd base line. We moved down to three empty seats on the sixth row, right behind the dugout. Top of the 8th with a man on and no outs, Michael Saunders homers over the left field wall. 4-3 White Sox. We start talking Bulls and how I laughed while watching the Nets and Bulls two nights prior because with Boozer screaming "AND ONE!!" and Deron scowling at everyone and shooting threes whenever he wants to, I felt like I was watching a Jazz scrimmage form 4 years ago. Top of the 9th, two outs and a man on first, White Sox still leading by 1 the crowd gets up on their feet and starts cheering on their young closer Addison Reed. He blows by the batter with his first two pitches making it an 0-2 count. The third pitch goes a wee awry and the count gets up to 1-2. The next pitch was fouled back into the crowd. Still 1-2. 96 MPH fastball right down the gullet leaves the Mariners waving goodbye. I say goodbye to my new comrades, they console my loss while cheering their win. I walk up the stairs and leave the park. As I do so, the clouds start coming back out and cover the sun and the wind picks up a little bit more. By the time my train ride was over, the rain had begun to pour down. Nothing could ruin this perfect day for me.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
I'm back... again
Hello all you faithful and awesome followers!! I know you've missed me and I've missed doing this so I'm back to give my schpiel on sports as we know it. Here is a quick rundown of everything that has happened in my biased sports world since my last post.
Utah football: one meh year with Norm Chow (now the HC at Hawaii) was attempting some weird combo of the spread and west coast offenses and one abysmal year under the youngest offensive coordinator I've ever even heard of (I mean really? BJ was the QB for the team in 2008) and where even the defense looked lost most of the time. Throwing up seemed a more pleasurable experience than watching the garbage that was displayed by the Utes. In fact, every coach but one that the Utes beat in the Pac-12 has got fired over the last two years. And the Mike Leach experiment in Pullman is yet to be decided. That is how bad the were. However, in the off season, they finally made a solid choice (hopefully) in offensive coaches. Bryan Johnson is still the co-coordinate, but they brought in Dennis Erickson (yes that Dennis Erickson, of the Miami two time national championship and leaving to coach the Seahawks) to help him along. They have narrowed the offense from a non functional "multi" scheme mess to a fast paced spread offense. Erickson has been quoted in saying he wants at least 80 offensive plays a game. The Utes averaged under 65 last year. So that's a huge jump. That's Oregon like numbers. Hopefully they can hit it and Travis Wilson proves he is a bigger man than Jordan Wynn was.
Running Utes Basketball: New coach, same results... so far. They did go nuts and beat two teams in the conference tourney this year and show some major promise. But I seem to remember saying something like that in 2004...
Seahawks: The Pete Carrol thing is going much better than I originally thought. They have drafted well and attacked the free agent market this year and are a favorite to come out of the NFC West, even with the 49ers Super Bowl loss.
The Utah Spazz, I mean Jazz. They look great against the mid range teams and have even learned to beat the lower level teams. But they seem star struck whenever they see a really athletic and disciplined team. They are currently in the 9th spot in the west with seven games left and 1/2 game out of the 8th spot. Honestly it doesn't look good to make the playoffs and even if they do, they'll be playing the Spurs again. Yikes. If they re-sign Big Al Jefferson, the biggest defensive liability I've seen since, well Boozer, I'm becoming a Sonics fan again. Even though they may not even have a team next year, I'll just wear my old green and gold and wait.
The Mariner's. They look solid. they are a grand 2-0 this year and I am super excited about the next 400 or so games they play in a season. On a side note, I may actually be becoming more of a White Sox fan than I have before. Those who've known me for a long time know that I've quietly sported the gear since I was 14, but now I'm actually starting to follow them a bit.
All in all, I'm back. Back again. Look who's back.
Utah football: one meh year with Norm Chow (now the HC at Hawaii) was attempting some weird combo of the spread and west coast offenses and one abysmal year under the youngest offensive coordinator I've ever even heard of (I mean really? BJ was the QB for the team in 2008) and where even the defense looked lost most of the time. Throwing up seemed a more pleasurable experience than watching the garbage that was displayed by the Utes. In fact, every coach but one that the Utes beat in the Pac-12 has got fired over the last two years. And the Mike Leach experiment in Pullman is yet to be decided. That is how bad the were. However, in the off season, they finally made a solid choice (hopefully) in offensive coaches. Bryan Johnson is still the co-coordinate, but they brought in Dennis Erickson (yes that Dennis Erickson, of the Miami two time national championship and leaving to coach the Seahawks) to help him along. They have narrowed the offense from a non functional "multi" scheme mess to a fast paced spread offense. Erickson has been quoted in saying he wants at least 80 offensive plays a game. The Utes averaged under 65 last year. So that's a huge jump. That's Oregon like numbers. Hopefully they can hit it and Travis Wilson proves he is a bigger man than Jordan Wynn was.
Running Utes Basketball: New coach, same results... so far. They did go nuts and beat two teams in the conference tourney this year and show some major promise. But I seem to remember saying something like that in 2004...
Seahawks: The Pete Carrol thing is going much better than I originally thought. They have drafted well and attacked the free agent market this year and are a favorite to come out of the NFC West, even with the 49ers Super Bowl loss.
The Utah Spazz, I mean Jazz. They look great against the mid range teams and have even learned to beat the lower level teams. But they seem star struck whenever they see a really athletic and disciplined team. They are currently in the 9th spot in the west with seven games left and 1/2 game out of the 8th spot. Honestly it doesn't look good to make the playoffs and even if they do, they'll be playing the Spurs again. Yikes. If they re-sign Big Al Jefferson, the biggest defensive liability I've seen since, well Boozer, I'm becoming a Sonics fan again. Even though they may not even have a team next year, I'll just wear my old green and gold and wait.
The Mariner's. They look solid. they are a grand 2-0 this year and I am super excited about the next 400 or so games they play in a season. On a side note, I may actually be becoming more of a White Sox fan than I have before. Those who've known me for a long time know that I've quietly sported the gear since I was 14, but now I'm actually starting to follow them a bit.
All in all, I'm back. Back again. Look who's back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)